Arab League Chief Reiterates Call for Political Solution in Yemen

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit with Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani (Saba)
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit with Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani (Saba)
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Arab League Chief Reiterates Call for Political Solution in Yemen

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit with Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani (Saba)
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit with Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani (Saba)

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit stressed on Monday the importance of finding a political solution to the Yemeni crisis based on the three references.

Aboul Gheit's comments came during his meeting with Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani in Cairo on the sidelines of the Arab League Council’s 150th session at the ministerial level.

Aboul Gheit's spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said in a statement that the Sec-Gen was briefed on the latest developments in the Yemeni crisis in light of the failure of the last round of negotiations due to Houthi militia leaders' absence.

The two officials also discussed the military operations in Yemen's western coast and other areas.

During the meeting, Yamani said the Houthis' pretexts for not attending the Geneva talks proved that they do not seek any peaceful solution to the crisis, Afifi added.

The FM renewed the legitimate government's commitment to peacefully ending the crisis despite Houthi attempts to sabotage peace efforts and recent peace consultations in Geneva.

Aboul Gheit stressed the importance of restoring legitimacy through a political solution based on the three references – the Gulf Initiative, the outcomes of the Yemen's National Dialogue Conference and UN Resolution 2216.

He also held the Houthis responsible for prolonging the Yemeni conflict and the people’s sufferings.



Pentagon Acknowledges There Are More than 2,500 US Troops in Iraq

A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
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Pentagon Acknowledges There Are More than 2,500 US Troops in Iraq

A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)

The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 US troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” US military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments.

He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics.

The US concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election.

The presence of US troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran.

US officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the ISIS group to end by September 2025, and that some US troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-ISIS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay.

Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 US troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the US had acknowledged publicly until now.

On Monday he said the extra 1,100 would be deployed for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.”