Cairo: The Yemeni government has urged the UN Security Council to investigate Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah’s involvement in the country’s conflict.
The call was made in a message presented to the international body by Yemeni ambassador to the UN Ahmad Awad, Al Arabiya reported on Sunday.
The message cited a televised address in June by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who said he and his militia wish to fight alongside Al Houthis against the government.
The Yemeni government also accused Hezbollah of pushing Iran-allied Al Houthi militants to obstruct UN-mediated talks planned early next month.
After a recent flurry of talks with government officials and Al Houthis, UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths has invited representatives of both sides for meeting in Geneva on September 6 in an attempt to restart a long-stalled peace process.
The government forces, backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, are fighting Al Houthis, who seized territory in Yemen in a 2014 coup against the internationally recognised government.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi on Sunday renewed his keenness to re-establish peace in his country on the basis of recognised terms of reference.
He also praised coordination between his government and the US in addressing perils facing his country and the region as well as antiterrorism efforts, Yemen’s state news agency Saba reported.
Hadi was speaking at a meeting with US Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, extremists have taken advantage of Yemen’s conflict to expand their foothold in the country through the self-styled Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) organisation.
A prominent AQAP leader was recently killed in the central province of Ma’rib, Yemeni news portal Barakish Net reported.
Ghalib Al Zaidi was killed in clashes about a week ago, the sites added, quoting unnamed Yemeni officials without details.
Al Zaidi was on the UN Security Council sanctions’ list and had led the AQAP extremists in Ma’rib over the past three years.
Government troops have in recent months expelled AQAP operatives from several areas in the country. US drone have repeatedly targeted Al Qaida leaders in Yemen.
