Yemeni FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Int’l Position Weak on Abdiyah Events

The Yemeni Foreign Minister during his meeting with The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen, Asharq Al-Awsat
The Yemeni Foreign Minister during his meeting with The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen, Asharq Al-Awsat
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Yemeni FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Int’l Position Weak on Abdiyah Events

The Yemeni Foreign Minister during his meeting with The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen, Asharq Al-Awsat
The Yemeni Foreign Minister during his meeting with The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen, Asharq Al-Awsat

Houthi militias in Yemen are backed by Iran and cannot decide when it comes to war and peace, Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat, demanding the international community pressures the group into stopping the violence and entering the peace process.

In a phone conversation with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Sunday, Mubarak discussed the tragic situation in Marib governorate’s Abdiyah district, where civilians are subject to war crimes committed by the Houthis.

Yemen’s top diplomat had held a series of phone calls with UN officials over the last few days to brief them on the disastrous humanitarian conditions in Abdiyah and the crimes staged by the insurgents in Marib overall.

“The international position is weak and does not rise to the occasion regarding events in Abdiyah,” Mubarak told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The militias are taking paybacks from civilians and the wounded, confirmed the foreign minister, calling on the UN and the international community to assume responsibility and intervene swiftly to end such crimes.

Mubarak and Grundberg discussed Yemeni politics under Houthi escalation.

Underlining that Houthis do not hold power to choose between war or peace when it comes to decision-making, Mubarak urged the international community to find real and effective ways to pressure the group to stop the violence and engage in a peace process that ends the suffering of Yemenis.

In other news, The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen, Christa Rottensteiner, reviewed some of the Organization’s activities and plans in various regions of the war-torn country and its efforts to expand activities and programs directed at protecting and improving the conditions of the displaced and refugees.

She thanked the internationally-recognized Yemeni government for the support it provides for the Organization’s work in Yemen.



Sudan's Foreign Ministry Condemns Nairobi Meetings as Army Vows Retaliation

Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
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Sudan's Foreign Ministry Condemns Nairobi Meetings as Army Vows Retaliation

Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has downplayed meetings held in Nairobi, Kenya, to sign a political charter that would pave the way for the establishment of a government in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.

This proposed government would act as a parallel authority to the military-backed administration based in Port Sudan, the country’s temporary capital.

The Foreign Ministry dismissed the initiative as a “propaganda stunt” and warned of potential measures to restore order.

The Sudanese army also vowed to confront supporters of the new government and to purge the country of RSF forces.

Speaking at a rally in the northern city of Al-Dabba, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, General Yasir Al-Atta, stated that the military is preparing to “cleanse” the country of RSF forces and retake all areas under their control.

His remarks marked the first direct military response to the Nairobi meetings, which are backed by the RSF and seek to establish a so-called “Government of Peace and Unity.”

This coalition consists of political and civil groups, armed movements, and RSF representatives, positioning itself as an alternative to the military-led government in Port Sudan.

In a strongly worded statement, Al-Atta vowed to fight those attempting to establish the parallel government. “To those who claim to be forming a parallel government, we will fight you in every inch of Sudanese territory. We will show you that the Sudanese nation has lions with sharp claws and fangs,” he said.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry dismissed the Nairobi meetings as a “mere propaganda event” with no real impact. It also hinted at possible actions to restore order.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, the ministry expressed regret over Kenya’s decision to host the signing of what it called a political agreement between the “terrorist RSF militia” and its allies. It accused Kenya of violating international law, United Nations principles, and the founding charter of the African Union.

Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the signing of the political charter was postponed to Friday following the participation of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, led by Abdelaziz Adam Al-Hilu. Additional military and civilian factions are expected to join the initiative to establish a government in RSF-controlled areas, running parallel to the administration led by Army Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan in Port Sudan.

The Foreign Ministry warned that the stated goal of the agreement—to form a government on Sudanese territory—amounts to an attempt to divide the country, undermine its sovereignty, and interfere in its internal affairs. It also accused Kenya of “harboring RSF leaders and allowing them to engage in public political and propaganda activities,” arguing that this effectively encourages continued crimes against civilians, including massacres and genocide.

Furthermore, the ministry accused the Kenyan government of violating principles of good neighborliness and contradicting previous commitments made at the highest levels not to allow hostile activities against Sudan from its territory.

The ministry asserted that the Nairobi meetings would have no real impact, emphasizing the Sudanese army’s determination to reclaim all land from what it described as the “terrorist militia and its foreign mercenaries.”

It also called on the international community to condemn Kenya’s actions, warning that Sudan would take the necessary steps to correct the situation.

Kenya Faces Domestic Criticism

Kenya has also faced internal criticism for hosting an event organized by the RSF to announce a parallel government, with some accusing it of irresponsibility and “covering up” criminal activities.

Two sources involved in organizing the event told Agence France Presse that RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), who has remained largely out of sight throughout the war, has arrived in Kenya and is expected to attend the official announcement on Friday.

Kenya has historically hosted several regional peace agreements, including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan 20 years ago, which ended a previous civil war. However, a lawyer working with the International Refugee Organization, a human rights group, stated that Kenya’s latest move “undermines” the positive image it seeks to project.