Al Mukalla: The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad, has sent his deputy to Sana’a to try and convince Al Houthis to join peace talks with the internationally-recognised government, as the Iran-backed rebels boycott him.
Al Houthis refused to deal with Ould Shaikh Ahmad after accusing him of “siding” with the Saudi-led coalition.
Local media reports said on Saturday that Maeen Sharim, the UN deputy envoy, arrived in Al Houthi-held Sana’a to launch new efforts to revive peace talks.
Yasser Al Yafae, a political analyst based in Yemen’s southern city of Aden, told Gulf News that Sharim’s efforts would lead nowhere given the Al Houthis’ persistent refusal to withdraw from cities under their control, or to release prisoners and halt the shelling of cities like Taiz.
“Al Houthis will continue to take a hardline on talks as long as they are in control of Sana’a and Hodeida,” Al Yafae said.
Hopes of reaching a peace deal in Yemen dimmed in December after Al Houthis assassinated former Yemen president Ali Abdullah Saleh — as punishment for ending his alliance with the militant group and voicing support for the Saudi-led coalition.
Since then, Al Houthis have launched a draconian crackdown against Saleh’s supporters.
Dozens have been killed and hundreds arrested.
Even if Al Houthis agree to talks, the UN envoy and his deputy will have to shuttle again between Riyadh and Aden to convince Yemen President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his government to come back to the negotiating table, Al Yafae said.
“Hadi is in a stronger position now since Saleh was a threat to his authority,” he added.
As his forces make rapid territorial gains on the battlefield, Hadi has voiced optimism that the current military operation will force Al Houthis to make major concessions.
For the first time since the beginning of the war, Hadi’s forces are almost 35km from Sana’a and are now battling Al Houthis inside the western province of Hodeida, which is known for its major seaport that generates millions of dollars in revenue that Al Houthis use to fund their war efforts.
On their part, Al Houthis are suffering from a legitimacy crisis following their killing of Saleh, Al Yafae explained.
“Saleh’s charisma and political shrewdness gave Al Houthis a lot of political cover and strength during peace talks. Now they are scrambling to find an alternative to him,” he said.
