Yemen PM Accuses Qatar of Backing Houthi Militias

Egyptian President Sisi welcomes the PM of Yemen in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency spokesman)
Egyptian President Sisi welcomes the PM of Yemen in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency spokesman)
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Yemen PM Accuses Qatar of Backing Houthi Militias

Egyptian President Sisi welcomes the PM of Yemen in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency spokesman)
Egyptian President Sisi welcomes the PM of Yemen in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency spokesman)

Yemeni Prime Minister Moeen Abdulmalek accused on Tuesday Qatar of spreading chaos in his country, saying it was backing the Iran-aligned Houthi militias.

He said that since the eruption of the conflict in Yemen, Doha has been supplying the Houthis with money and weapons and has given them access to media.

Qatar has worked on destabilizing Yemen, he added from Egypt where he is on an official visit.

Since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced their diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar, Doha’s policy has become clear, he continued.

Qatar now openly supports the Houthis and is working on undermining the legitimate Yemeni government and seeking to thwart efforts to restore the state, said the PM.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi had on Monday received Abdulmalek in Cairo for talks.



Salam to Discuss Issue of Lebanese Missing in Syria during Damascus Visit

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam lays a wreath at Martyrs' statue marking the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam lays a wreath at Martyrs' statue marking the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Salam to Discuss Issue of Lebanese Missing in Syria during Damascus Visit

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam lays a wreath at Martyrs' statue marking the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam lays a wreath at Martyrs' statue marking the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visits Syria on Monday to discuss several pressing matters including the issue of Lebanese detainees missing in Syria.

Salam assured that the matter will top his talks during his visit to Damascus heading a ministerial delegation.

The delegation will discuss several matters of concern including the security of the borders between the countries, Lebanese detainees who disappeared in the prisons of the former Syrian regime, the return of Syrian refugees, in addition to the list of economic agreements between the two countries and ways to promote them, sources told Asharq al-Awsat.

Marking 50 years after Lebanon's civil war began, Salam placed a wreath at the Martyr’s statue in downtown Beirut. He affirmed that the issue of Lebanese who disappeared in Syrian prisons will be discussed during his visit to Syria. “I hope I will return to you with good news”, he said.

Praising the “unity” of the Lebanese people, Salam stated that “it is important for us that the Lebanese restore confidence in the state, and that they too take part in the reform process...our state is the only one that can protect us all with its army and the trust that can be reborn between the Lebanese and their state."

On the situation in south Lebanon, Salam said that Israel need not stay at five strategic points in south Lebanon over allegations that it needs to monitor Hezbollah’s actions, “we are in the times of satellites, anyone can know what is happening on the ground without occupying specific locations”.

In remarks he posted on his X account marking the civil war anniversary, Salam said: “On the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war, we stand today not to open old wounds, but to draw lessons that must not be forgotten. All the (claimed) victories are fake, and all sides came out defeated from this war”. He stressed that the state must have monopoly over weapons.

“There can be no true state unless legitimate armed forces have the exclusive right to bear arms", he said.

Around 700 Lebanese people are thought by relatives to be held in Syria, taken during the three decades Syrian troops were in their country, many of them held for their political views.

Syrian officials of the regime of ousted President Bashar Assad have said that there were no more Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails.