Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement said on Wednesday it wanted to return to United Nations-sponsored peace talks - but only after a complete halt to a month of Saudi-led air strikes on the group.
"We call for - after the complete cessation of the brutal aggression on Yemen and the total dismantling of the blockade on its people - the resumption of political dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations, " the Shia movement's spokesman, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, wrote on his Facebook page.
The statement appeared after the Arab alliance announced on Tuesday it was stopping its campaign but would continue to target Iran-allied Houthi rebels inside Yemen, and enforce an air-and-sea blockade to prevent weapons shipments.
Earlier, Saudi-led air strikes were still targeting Iran-backed rebels and their allies in Yemen. The air raids hit rebel positions in the southern port of Aden and central city of Taiz as ground fighting between the rebels and supporters of exiled president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi continued in both areas, Yemeni officials said.
The capital, Sanaa, was calm, as residents experienced their quietest night in almost four weeks and did not wake up to new scenes of devastation.
The strikes in Taiz hit the Shia rebels as they gathered at a military headquarters they control near the old airport to the city’s southeast, the officials said.
Aden, where aircraft blasted rebel forces in outlying districts, was also targeted. Street fighting continued in both cities, especially Taiz, where the officials said pro-government forces control most of the city but have been in heavy combat with the rebels, leaving dozens dead on both sides.
The Houthis have called for a massive rally, urging supporters over their Al-Masirah TV network to take to the streets of Sanaa to mark the end of the bombardment and to denounce the Saudi “aggression”.
Iran has provided political and humanitarian support to the Houthis, but both Tehran and the rebels deny it has armed them.
Reuters