Yemen’s Houthis ready to hand over Saleh’s body to family

The Houthi group is prepared to hand over the body of slain ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh to his family, Sputnik Arabic reported.

Media reports claimed that the Houthi group are only prepared to hand over the body if only a small funeral is held, but this was denied by a member of the Houthi Political Bureau.

“There have been no statements regarding the refusal to hand over his body. This is a new issue. Maybe his relatives will ask for his body and it will be done. We have no conditions,” Halima Jahaf said.

Saleh was killed by gun shots as he attempted to flee from Sana’a to Mareb province as the Houthis began raiding the capital in seaabrch of him.

Saudi Arabia has since supported the uptick in conflict dynamics in the capital, by executing air strikes. The Kingdom today continued to support the remaining Saleh loyalists in Sana’a.

The killing took place after Saleh severed ties with the Houthis. The Houthis deemed the severance treachery, as Saleh looked forward to open talks with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of Arab states which were invited by internationally recognised President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in March 2015 to neutralise threats from the Houthis.

Some media outlets reported yesterday that Saleh’s son said he will “lead the battle until the last Houthi is thrown out of Yemen.” A letter produced by Saleh’s son however did not mention Iran or the Houthi group, which resulted in sending mixed messages.

Yemen’s conflict continues without any clear positions taken by the parties to the conflict. There is currently no word on Saleh’s funeral.

Profile Ali Abdullah Saleh (21 March 1942 – 4 December 2017)