Sana’a: President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and Yemen’s powerful Shia militia agreed yesterday to end a deadly confrontation that had raised fears the impoverished but strategic country might descend into chaos.
The militia, known as Houthis, seized almost full control of Sana’a in September and have fought pitched battles with government forces in the capital this week as they continued to press for more political power.
The unrest has raised deep international concern, with the UN Security Council condemning the attacks and backing Hadi as Yemen’s “legitimate authority”.
Under a nine-point deal, the militia agreed to withdraw from government buildings they seized this week in violence that killed at least 35 people and wounded 94, in return for concessions over a disputed draft constitution, state news agency Saba said. There were no signs of violence yesterday.
The Houthis pledged to vacate the presidential palace, a day after seizing it, and to free Hadi’s chief of staff, who was abducted on Saturday. Militiamen would also “withdraw from all positions overlooking the house of the president” and leave the residence of Prime Minister Khalid Bahah, which they encircled Monday.
In return, it would now be “possible to amend” the draft constitution dividing Yemen into six federal regions, which the Houthis opposed, said Saba.
AFP
