Yemeni-US talks on Houthi rebel attacks on oil ports

By Aziz Al-Ahmadi

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, held talks on Sunday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with US Ambassador Steven Fagin to discuss Houthi rebel attacks on oil ports in the war-torn country.

The discussions took up bilateral relations and the impact of the rebel attacks on living conditions in Yemen and on world peace and security, the state news agency Saba reported.

The two sides also discussed "coordinated measures with the regional and international community to contain the repercussions of these threats," it added.

Houthi rebels have attacked three oil ports in Yemen since the failure of efforts to extend a UN-brokered cease-fire between the country’s warring rivals in October.

Last month, the Presidential Leadership Council accused Iran of involvement in Houthi rebel attacks on oil ports in Yemen.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since September 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to restore the government to power.

The eight-year conflict has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions suffering from hunger.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report