Yemen’s new presidential council sworn in

By Shukri Hussein

ADEN, Yemen (AA) – Yemen’s newly formed presidential council was sworn in Tuesday before parliament in the southern Aden city.

Chairman of the council, Rashad al-Alimi, and seven other members took the oath before the House of Representatives in the temporary capital, Aden, a government source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

"The House of Representatives held its session in the presence of UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg, as well as ambassadors of the European Union countries," the source added.

Strict security measures were enforced in the vicinity of the parliament headquarters during the swearing-in ceremony, the source said.

On April 7, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi issued an order to form the presidential council to lead the country through a transitional period.

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, which seeks to reinstate the Yemeni government, has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises.

Nearly 80%, or about 30 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat