Ban Ki-moon Urges Conflicting Sides in Yemen to Maintain Peace

UN Secretary General, following the resignation of the country's President and Prime Minister, calls on the conflicting sides in Yemen to exercise restraint and maintain peace and stability.

UNITED NATIONS, January 23 (Sputnik) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the conflicting sides in Yemen to exercise restraint and maintain peace, following the resignation of the country's President and Prime Minister.

According to the UN's Thursday statement, Ban is "is seriously concerned about developments in Yemen, where President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah submitted their resignations earlier today. In these uncertain times in the country, the Secretary-General calls on all sides to exercise maximum restraint and maintain peace and stability."

The Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi submitted his resignation Thursday, apologizing to the people of his country. The president's letter was submitted an hour after Yemeni cabinet offered its resignation, following clashes with Houthi rebels.

The confrontations in Yemen kicked off Saturday, following the abduction of Hadi's chief of staff and two of his guards by the rebels. Clashes between Houthis and governmental forces have been reportedly happening since Monday in the country's capital Sanaa.

The Shiite Houthi insurgent group has seized parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, and organized large anti-government demonstrations against what they regard as discrimination.