Houthi rebels call for talks with gov’t to resolve Yemen conflict

SANAA, Yemen (AA) - Houthi rebels on Sunday called for talks with the Yemeni government to resolve the 8-year military conflict in the Arab country.

"Political solution in Yemen is possible, if the parties to the conflict are willing to,” Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi Political Bureau, said on Twitter.

"We have the desire and willingness to hold a Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue whether in Yemen or in any neutral country like Oman," he added.

The rebel leader said his group will continue its military operations in Yemen “if the parties that were involved in inviting foreign intervention did not respond to calls for internal peace.”

There was no comment from the Yemeni government or Omani authorities on the Houthi call for dialogue.

Oman maintains good relations with both Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst human-made humanitarian crises, with nearly 80%, or about 30 million people, needing humanitarian assistance and protection and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar