US Senator Urges Houthis to Halt Military Escalation in Marib

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and US Senator Chris Murphy in Jordan (Twitter)
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and US Senator Chris Murphy in Jordan (Twitter)
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US Senator Urges Houthis to Halt Military Escalation in Marib

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and US Senator Chris Murphy in Jordan (Twitter)
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and US Senator Chris Murphy in Jordan (Twitter)

US Senator Chris Murphy, member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, said he visited Oman to push for a ceasefire in Yemen’s Marib.

In a series of tweets, Murphy called on Houthis to stop their assault on the city of Marib.

“If the Houthis enter Marib, a new humanitarian nightmare will ensue as legions of Yemenis will flee the violence,” he said, adding that he asked Omanis to convince the Houthis to stand down.

He discussed his recent visit to Qatar, which has not yet made a contribution this year to the United Nations aid program to Yemen, urging it to step up in this regard.

“The UN needs to be resourced to provide food, water, and health care to those in dire need. Right now, the 2021 UN appeal is only a third funded. I went to Qatar to ask the Qataris, who have not yet made a contribution this year, to step up.”

Murphy further stressed the importance of delivering food and fuel aid to the war-torn country.

“Without the ability to freely import food, fuel, and other goods, Yemen's economy has come to a grinding halt, causing disease and starvation,” his tweet read, pointing to the need to end blockade of key ports and the Sanaa airport.

Once these factors are implemented, a ceasefire could be reached and would eventually lead to a peace process, he noted.

“But any prospect of a ceasefire/ peace process needs active US engagement,” the Senator said, hailing the presence of so many US officials in the region.

Murphy’s remarks were in reference to the US delegation, which kicked off a visit to the region, led by special envoy Tim Lenderking.

According to Murphy, Yemenis will ultimately dictate the future of their country.

“So the peace process shouldn't include only the same power brokers who have caused decades of endless wars. New voices need to be at the table, to ensure that all Yemenis have a say on the country’s future.”

Meanwhile, a group of influential US legislators called on Joe Biden’s administration to help raise $2.5bn in aid for Yemenis suffering amid what they described as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

In an open letter on May 4, four US senators urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide more aid for Yemen and rally other countries to contribute after a recent United Nations fundraising appeal for the war-torn country fell short.



African Peace and Security Council Proposes Sudan Roadmap

 Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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African Peace and Security Council Proposes Sudan Roadmap

 Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)

The African Union’s Peace and Security Council has proposed a roadmap to resolve the war in Sudan.

A delegation from the council is visiting the interim Sudanese capital, Port Sudan, for the first time since the eruption of the war in the country in April 2023.

The delegation informed Sudanese officials that the African Union is seeking a ceasefire in line with a roadmap proposed by its Peace and Security Council. The details of the roadmap were not disclosed.

Sudanese officials, for their part, briefed the delegation on the conflict.

Meanwhile, US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello told Asharq Al-Awsat that contacts are ongoing with the African Union over a mechanism to monitor the implementation of current and future agreements.

It is best to remain prepared, he added. The international community must assess the options to support the implementation of the cessation of hostilities.

Moreover, he noted that elements that support the ousted regime of President Omar al-Bashir are within the army and opposed to the democratic civilian rule in the country.

He accused them of seeking to prolong the war and returning to rule against the will of the people.

The envoy also said the conflict cannot be resolved through a military solution.

Over the months, the army has wasted opportunities to end the war through negotiations that could restore peace and civilian rule, he noted.

The latest escalation between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will cost countless lives among civilians, warned Perriello.