Yemen peace talks likely in early December: Pentagon

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U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on Wednesday that peace talks to terminate conflicts in Yemen were likely to take place in early December in Sweden.

"It looks like very, very early in December up in Sweden we'll see both the Houthi rebel side and the UN-recognized-President Hadi's government will be up there," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.

Currently, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels both declared a temporary halt of fighting to pave the way for the peace talks, which will seek to end the Yemeni civil war that has killed thousands of people and brought the impoverished Arab country to its knees.

UN Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Friday that he intends to convene the new round of peace talks between the warring factions "shortly" in Sweden in a bid to end the military conflict in Yemen.

Yemeni fighters loyal to the Shiite Houthi movement secure a rally marking the birth anniversary of Islam's Prophet Mohammad in the capital Sanaa, November 20, 2018. /VCG Photo

The fighting for control of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah erupted following the collapse of the peacemaking efforts by the UN in Geneva on September 8, as the Houthi rebels refused to attend.

Mattis said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had ceased offensive operations around Hodeidah and despite some fighting, the front lines had not changed in at least 72 hours.

Griffiths arrived in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, on Wednesday and is expected visit Hodeidah on Thursday.

He seeks "to finalize the arrangements in the lead-up to the talks in Sweden and to revisit a UN supervisory role for the port," a UN spokesman said.

(Top image: UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen, November 21, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency