World

UN imposes arms embargo targeting Yemen Houthis

Council voted 14 in favour; Russia abstained

Reuters April 14, 2015

Armed Yemeni members of the southern separatist movement ride in the back of a truck during reported clashes with Huthi rebels in the port city of Aden's Dar Saad suburb, on April 14, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday blacklisted the son of Yemen's former president and a Houthi leader, and effectively imposed an arms embargo on the Iran-allied Houthi rebels who rule most of the country.

The council voted 14 in favour. Russia abstained, saying some of its proposals for the resolution, drafted by council member Jordan and Gulf Arab states, were not included.

"The co-sponsors refused to include the requirements insisted upon by Russia addressed to all sides to the conflict to swiftly halt fire and to begin peace talks," Russian UN.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council after the vote. Saudi Arabia launched air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthis in neighbouring Yemen last month with a coalition made up mainly of four Gulf Arab allies.

The United States said last week it is speeding up arms supplies to the coalition.

Read: UN to vote on draft resolution to punish Yemen's Huthis

"We insisted that the arms embargo needs to be comprehensive; it's well known that Yemen is awash in weapons," Churkin said. "The adopted resolution should not be used for further escalation of the armed conflict." Iran on Monday urged the formation of a new Yemeni government and offered to assist in a political transition.

The UN Security Council imposed a global asset freeze and travel ban on Ahmed Saleh, the former head of Yemen's elite Republican Guard, and on Abdulmalik al Houthi, a top leader of the Shia Houthi group.

Read: Turkey, Pakistan agree: ‘Houthis have no right to topple govt’

Saleh's father, former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and two other senior Houthi leaders, Abd al Khaliq al Huthi and Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, were blacklisted by the Security Council in November. Yemeni soldiers loyal to the former president are fighting alongside the Houthis.

The resolution imposed an arms embargo on the five men and "those acting on their behalf or at their direction in Yemen" - effectively the Houthi and soldiers loyal to Saleh. It demands the Houthis stop fighting and withdraw from areas they have seized, including Sanaa, the capital.

Read: Yemen conflict: UAE’s warning to Pakistan unacceptable and ironic, says Nisar

It also expressed concern at "destabilising actions" taken by former President Saleh, "including supporting the Houthis' actions."

COMMENTS (3)

Dr.A.K.Tewari | 9 years ago | Reply Yaman is a trap for Pakistan in which if their troops entered then it would be difficult for them to return back without heavey bloodshed . Iran will support by all means to those who hold power in the capital Sana . The advantage of participating in this conflict at this juncture when Pak army is involved in handling the terrorists at home is less than the loss . It would be better to keep distance from the war and play a role of mediater to diffuse the problem with less loss of life .

SK | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan must send troops to defend KSA as this will eliviate the confidence of long standing relationship in a new era of cooperation. It will also build influence with a group of regional powers with global diplomatic reach, which at times remained not available to Pakistan at the wider international community. The scope for participation should be well defined with full commitment to Saudi national security. Timely decesion will set a new course to correct the imbalance of strategic power in the Middle East.

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