SANA’A: Rival groups in Yemen signed a UN-brokered peace deal yesterday after Shia rebels seized the government headquarters and Prime Minister Mohamed Basindawa resigned in the face of raging violence.
“A national peace and partnership agreement based on the outcome of the national dialogue conference was signed this evening at the presidential palace” in Sana’a, state news agency Saba said.
President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, United Nations envoy Jamal Benomar and representatives of political forces, including the Houthi rebels, attended the signing ceremony.
Benomar said the deal calls for the formation of a government of technocrats within one month.
Hadi said: “We have reached a final deal with which we can overcome this crisis.” He will appoint advisers from the Shia Ansarullah rebels and southern separatists within three days, Benomar said at the ceremony.
The rebels earlier swooped on key institutions across Sana’a, including the government headquarters and military sites, after an apparent surrender by security forces. Basindawa accusing Hadi of being “autocratic”, according to his resignation letter released by the council of ministers.
Agencies
