Houthis Accept UN Security Council Resolution on Yemen

A Yemeni source announced that the Houthis and the Congress Party led by former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh wrote two separate letters to the United Nations on Tuesday evening, October 14, declaring their commitment to the UN Security Council resolution regarding the crisis in the country. The source, who wished to remain anonymous, told Anadolu Agency: "The Houthi and Ali Abdullah Saleh's party delegations present in Muscat, the capital of Oman, have written two separate letters to the UN Secretary-General, declaring their commitment to the seven points reached in the negotiations last September in Muscat." Reuters also reported that the Congress Party led by Ali Abdullah Saleh stated in a statement that it accepts the UN peace plan presented during the Oman negotiations. The statement emphasized: "A responsible source in the Congress Party reiterated the need to stop the aggression, end the siege, and find a peaceful solution to the Yemen crisis." This statement refers to the attacks by the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia against Houthi positions and their allies, which began in April in support of the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen. Since last year, the Houthis, along with their allies, have taken control of large areas of Yemen, including the capital, Sana'a. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has stated that he will not accept an agreement with the Houthis before they implement the Security Council resolution. This resolution calls for the Houthis and their allies to withdraw from the cities they have taken control of and to lay down their arms. Hadi also stated that if the Houthis publicly accept the resolution, his government will participate in negotiations mediated by the UN. The Congress Party's statement noted: "UN Security Council Resolution 2216 must be implemented based on a roadmap agreed upon by all parties," indicating that the party wants to first reach a comprehensive agreement and then implement the resolution. The seven points of the UN negotiations in Oman include the Houthis' commitment to the UN Security Council resolutions regarding Yemen, including Resolution 2216. The implementation of this agreement will be based on a roadmap agreed upon by all parties to ensure that "national sovereignty is not violated." The issue related to the sanctions on Ali Abdullah Saleh, his son, and the Houthi leader by the Security Council remains under discussion. The second point states: "A comprehensive and permanent ceasefire by all parties and the withdrawal of armed groups and militias from cities, based on an agreement that fills the security and administrative vacuum and ends the land, sea, and air blockade of Aden." The third point states: "The matters in question will be implemented in a neutral process agreed upon under the supervision of the UN." The fourth point emphasizes "respect for international human rights laws, the release of prisoners by all parties, especially those named in the Security Council resolution (Mahmoud al-Sabihi, Yemen's Minister of Defense), facilitating aid operations, and allowing the unconditional entry of goods." The sixth point states: "Negotiations between Yemeni parties, mediated by the UN and based on Security Council resolutions, must resume as soon as possible." According to the seventh point: "All parties will hand over their heavy weapons to government organizations based on the results of a comprehensive national dialogue." The Yemeni government agreed last month to direct negotiations with the Houthis in Muscat but later retreated from this position, stating that these negotiations would only begin after the Houthis publicly and explicitly accepted Security Council Resolution 2216. It seems that with the two separate letters to the UN Secretary-General, after about six months since the start of the Yemen war, the Houthis and the Congress Party have finally agreed to implement the Security Council resolution.