Omani delegation visits Sanaa for talks with Yemeni rebels

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – An Omani delegation arrived in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Saturday for talks with Houthi rebel leaders on peace-making in the war-torn country, according to a rebel spokesman.

The talks will focus on developments in Yemen and means of advancing peace talks in the country, Mohammed Abdul-Salam told the Houthi-run Al-Masira television.

Abdul-Salam, who accompanied the delegation from Oman, said the visit of the Omani delegation was part of the Gulf state’s efforts “to serve the interests of Yemen and the region”.

Saturday’s visit is the first by an Omani delegation to Yemen since the outbreak of the country’s civil war in 2014.

In May, UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, visited Saudi Arabia and Oman as part of efforts to reach a settlement to the 7-year conflict in the Arab country.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict has claimed more than 233,000 lives.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara