Yemeni FM Refutes Reports on Peace Talks Between Saudi Arabia, Houthis

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul-Malek Mekhlafi on Wednesday denied reports that representatives of the Houthi rebels and the government of Saudi Arabia held talks on the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Yemen.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the foreign minister, the only peace talks that Yemen supports are the talks to implement UN resolution 2216.

"Our position is announced and clear. There is no secret or back channel, or any other form of talks [with Houthis] apart from the talks sponsored by the [UN envoy] Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad," Mekhlafi said, as quoted by the Gulf News media outlet.

Mekhlafi also reportedly expressed hope that a new round of talks under the auspices of the UN would be held soon.

Yemen is been engulfed in a military conflict between the government and Shiite Ansar Allah movement, also known as Houthi rebels, who have been supported by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Since late March, a Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions at the request of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.