Arab Coalition Again Bans Houthi Negotiators From Returning in Yemen From Oman

The Saudi-led coalition will not allow negotiators representing the Shia Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah, return from Oman to Yemen, according to a source in the Sanaa airport.

SANAA (Sputnik) – The Saudi-led coalition annulled on Friday its Thursday decision to allow negotiators representing the Shia Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah, from Oman to Yemen, continuing more than month-long blocking their arrival, a source in the Sanaa airport told Sputnik.

A delegation of Houthi rebels and their allies loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been stuck in Oman since August where it went after failed peace talks with the Yemeni government hosted by Kuwait.

On Thursday, a Houthi source told Sputnik that the Saudi-led coalition would allow an UN plane to bring negotiators back in Yemen on Friday.

However, the source in the Sanaa airport reported that the flight was indefinitely delayed after the coalition had revoked the flight permission.

Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government headed by Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Houthi rebels, the country’s main opposition force.

Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request despite a ceasefire agreed shortly before.