UN Security Council threatens to implement sanctions against Houthis in Yemen

The UN Security Council condemned the acts of the Houthi group in Yemen and threatened to implement sanctions against it over its attempts to bring down the current regime.

In a presidential statement on Friday, the Security Council expressed grave concern regarding the recent escalation by the Houthis who “continue to stoke the conflict in the north in an attempt to obstruct the political transition.”

The Council called on the Houthis to “withdraw their forces from Amran and return Amran to Government of Yemen control, cease all armed hostilities against the Government of Yemen in al Jawf, and remove the camps and dismantle the checkpoints they have erected in and around Sana’a.”

Furthermore, the Council expressed its support for the Yemeni president’s efforts in confronting the Houthis. It also called on the government to swiftly implement plans for the improvement of social protection, and urged all parties to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.

The Yemeni president Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi admitted on Thursday that his country is passing through a critical juncture imposed by the Houthis which created a crisis because of their capitalisation on the country’s problems, the official Yemeni news agency reported.

The Houthis, on the other hand, say that they are embarking on a “popular revolt” against the government’s decision to raise fuel prices. They also said that their aim is to bring down the “failed” government.