Ould Cheikh: Houthis’ Ballistic Missiles a Dangerous Escalation

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed speaks during a press conference with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on August 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed speaks during a press conference with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on August 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
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Ould Cheikh: Houthis’ Ballistic Missiles a Dangerous Escalation

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed speaks during a press conference with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on August 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed speaks during a press conference with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on August 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO

New York- UN special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed criticized Houthis for launching ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia, and condemned the recent insurgent threats to expand the firing of missiles towards Gulf countries, saying such behaviors were considered an “extremely dangerous escalation.”

Speaking on Yemen’s situation at the UN Security Council, the envoy announced his plan to revive talks between the Yemeni warring parties by suggesting a comprehensive initiative for a solution in the war-torn country.

“I am currently working on a comprehensive plan that includes humanitarian initiatives to rebuild trust as well as bringing the parties back to the negotiations table,” he said.

Following his statement at the Security Council, Ould Cheikh told Asharq Al-Awsat that he plans to present his initiative to the concerned parties during a meeting that might be held soon in Geneva.

He added that his plan also involves enhancing the authorities of the port city of Hodeida and to pay the salaries of all employees across Yemen.

The envoy called on member states and the international community to offer their assistance in this regard.

“We hope this commitment will translate into action and deepen their engagement with me on the basis of these initiatives in order to reach a peaceful political solution,” he said, adding that the conflict in Yemen is creating a desperate situation in every facet of daily life.

Ould Cheikh urged the Security Council to use all of its political and economic power to exert pressure on all parties to commit to a peace pact.

The envoy spoke about an air strike ona residential suburb in Sana’a on 25 August, which had claimed the lives of 14 civilians and injured 16 others, while shelling from Houthi-controlled zones of residential areas in Taiz city on September 15 and 18 had killed and injured tens of civilians.

For his part, French ambassador to the United Nations Francois Delattre, who is president of the Security Council for October, told reporters following the session that Council members reiterated their support for a political solution as the only way to end the conflict in Yemen and their call on all parties to immediately agree on the modalities for a durable cessation of hostilities.



Drone Attack Halts Oil Output at Sarsang Field in Iraqi Kurdistan

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
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Drone Attack Halts Oil Output at Sarsang Field in Iraqi Kurdistan

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)

A drone attack halted production at the Sarsang oilfield in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Tuesday only hours before its US operator signed a deal to develop another field.

The Sarsang field is operated by HKN Energy, a privately held US oil and gas company active in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and owned by Hillwood Energy, part of the Hillwood group founded by Ross Perot Jr.

Two hours after the morning attack, HKN Vice President Matthew Zais was in Baghdad with Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani to sign a preliminary agreement to develop the Himreen oilfield in northern Iraq, the oil ministry said, Reuters reported.

The signing ceremony was also attended by US Ambassador Steven Fagin, whose embassy condemned the drone attacks on oil infrastructure in the Kurdistan region and urged the Iraqi government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.

Washington said such attacks undermine Iraq’s sovereignty and efforts to attract foreign investment.

Production at the Sarsang field was halted as a precautionary measure after an explosion, two engineers told Reuters.

Kurdistan regional authorities confirmed that the blast was from a drone attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi Kurdistan security sources said that initial investigations suggested that the drone came from areas under the control of Iran-backed militias.

Heavy plumes of smoke were seen rising from the Sarsang field in the Dohuk region of northern Iraq, said one oil engineer at the field.

Field operator HKN said that the halt to production was to allow firefighters to extinguish the fire, later adding that emergency response teams contained the damage.

There were no casualties, Iraqi Kurdistan's ministry of natural resources and HKN said.

The incident is under investigation and a full assessment of the damage has been initiated, the company said without providing further detail on the cause of the explosion.

On Monday two drones fell on the Khurmala oilfield near Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, damaging the water pipes at the field.