WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States imposed sanctions on the leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement Abdul Malik al-Houthi and the son of the country’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh for threatening the peace, security and stability of Yemen, the US Treasury Department announced on Tuesday.
“The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control today sanctioned the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, and a key supporter of the Houthis, Ahmed Ali Saleh, for being a political or military leader of a group that has engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen and for engaging in such acts,” the statement said.
The Treasury Department will freeze the sanctioned persons’ assets and will prohibit any US entities from dealing with the two, according to the statement.
The UN resolution, pushed by Saudi Arabia and Arab Gulf states, was passed by 14 votes, while Russia abstained.
The Houthis have taken over large areas in several locations across Yemen, prompting Hadi to flee the country.
Late in March 2015, Hadi asked the Arab League for military aid, prompting a Saudi Arabia-led coalition to begin bombing Houthi positions in Yemen. Several hundred civilians have been killed in the Saudi-led airstrikes as the UN has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Earlier in April 2015, Russia submitted its own draft resolution to the UN Security Council, which called for a "humanitarian pause" in the conflict, an immediate ceasefire and a provision ensuring that the arms embargo also includes the Hadi government.
The humanitarian pause was not included in Tuesday’s UN resolution, but the resolution noted with alarm the deteriorating humanitarian situation and denial of access to humanitarian assistance could constitute violations of international humanitarian law.
