The war in Yemen has been going on for at least 8 years. 8 years of nothing but pure bloodshed and destruction. It has been labeled as the world’s biggest catastrophe. Many have expressed that this conflict will never end as images and news of the inhuman conditions emerged, like the widespread hunger that spread across the country.
A ray of hope appeared after the Chinese brokered a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to reestablish diplomatic relations between the two long sworn rivals. Yet some weren’t convinced. Experts have warned that even if Saudi Arabia agrees to end its military involvement in the region, the already complicated war in Yemen will be far from over, in addition it will get even more disastrous, catastrophic and filled with even more brutality.
The war in Yemen started as a civil war between Yemeni factions as a consequence of the Arab Spring and spiraled into all-out war in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition, composed of multiple Arab states, intervened militarily in support of the struggling and almost defeated government there. But it eventually became a proxy war between Iran, the latter being accused of arming and supporting the Houthi militia, and Saudi Arabia, as Yemen became the main arena for competition for regional influence.
Some worry that while the regional nature of the conflict may end, the civil nature of it might go on, as no Yemeni belligerent has sat with his national counterpart to hold discussions so far.
Yet, Al Mayadeen has announced, Friday, that sources confirmed to her that Saudi Arabia has informed its Yemeni allies the decision to end the war, to end its army’s involvement in Yemen and closing the issue once and for all.
Over the past few days, sources in the Saudi-backed government have started talking to multiple newspapers saying that multiple arrangements are taking place in the Saudi capital, Riyadh between the leaders of the Yemeni government and some country members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the United Nations, China, and the United States. These arrangements have one aim: to achieve a final and definitive end to the war and the establishment of a just and sustainable peace.
It is expected that many procedures and solutions will be announced for a number of files leading up to the upcoming and much awaited armistice agreement after overcoming many disagreements that were an obstacle to declaring a new truce, and moving towards a broad Yemeni-Yemeni negotiations under the auspices and supervision of the United Nations.
The source revealed that the agreement will include extending the armistice an extra year until the end of next December. In addition, the Sanaa airport will be introduced to more and more flights that fly over far bigger destinations. Furthermore, it will include the resuming of oil exports from Yemen ports, as well as unifying the currency and trying to stabilize it, and paying the salaries of civil and military employees in government-controlled areas. Yemen, including the Houthi controlled areas as well, will begin the opening of roads in multiple cities and provinces like Taiz. Additionally, the Agreement also included the release and exchange of prisoners. Moreover, international media quoted Yemeni sources as saying that a Saudi-Omani delegation will travel and head to the Yemeni capital, Sana'a next week to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement with the Houthis and finally put an end to the conflict in the country after eight years of nothing but bloodshed, hunger and destruction.
Edited by : Ritaja Kar
