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Yemen ‘Confident’ of Holding Key City of Marib, FM Says

Yemeni pro-government forces are pictured during fighting with Houthi militias on the south frontline of Marib on November 10. (AFP)
Yemeni pro-government forces are pictured during fighting with Houthi militias on the south frontline of Marib on November 10. (AFP)
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Yemen ‘Confident’ of Holding Key City of Marib, FM Says

Yemeni pro-government forces are pictured during fighting with Houthi militias on the south frontline of Marib on November 10. (AFP)
Yemeni pro-government forces are pictured during fighting with Houthi militias on the south frontline of Marib on November 10. (AFP)

War-torn Yemen's government said Sunday it is confident of holding the strategic city of Marib against the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

Marib is an "impenetrable wall", Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak said at at the Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain.

He warned that if the city -- which is key to controlling Yemen's significant oil and gas resources -- fell, it would be a disastrous setback.

"The fall of Marib will mark the end of the political process and peace efforts in Yemen," he said.

"It has become one of the most strategic priorities for the Iranian regime and its proxies in the region."

Bin Mubarak said Yemen was "one of the pillars of Iran's expansionist program", warning of a "new phase of conflict and a new cycle of violence and chaos" in the region if the Houthis are successful.

Tens of thousands have been killed, millions displaced and much of Yemen has been left on the brink of famine by the seven-year war.

The Houthis have repeatedly ignored international calls to halt their attacks to ease the humanitarian suffering of the people and allow the delivery of aid.

Sources close to the Houthis say nearly 15,000 of their fighters have been killed near Marib since June alone.

Bin Mubarak said he believed the militias would not take Marib.

"I think still they have illusions. They thought that they can make more military advancement or victories on the ground and that this will change the facts on the ground," the foreign minister told reporters.

"Now all their power has been targeting Marib since February... we are very confident that (Marib's fall) will not happen."

According to Bin Mubarak the population of Marib province has swollen to four million people as Yemenis fled frontline areas for its relative stability since the war started.

Bin Mubarak said pro-government troops were moved from around the Hodeidah province to bolster forces in Marib.

"After the redeployment, we started making also military advancements," he told reporters.

Tim Lenderking, the US special envoy, held talks with Bin Mubarak in Bahrain on Saturday as part of his latest regional push for peace.

"I think the Yemeni people are tired," the Yemeni foreign minister said. "Everyone is calling for peace."

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Arab World

Rising Interest in Russian Language in Syria

Russian language class at a school in Syria (SANA)
Russian language class at a school in Syria (SANA)
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Rising Interest in Russian Language in Syria

Russian language class at a school in Syria (SANA)
Russian language class at a school in Syria (SANA)

As the 10th anniversary of Russia’s military intervention in Syria approaches on Sep. 30, and with the new school year starting, Syrian Ministry of Education figures show a notable rise in students learning Russian.
There are now 39,500 students from seventh grade through the second year of secondary school studying Russian, according to Bassam Al-Tawil, the top Russian language instructor at the Ministry, speaking to SANA.
In 2020, around 24,000 students were studying Russian. By 2021, this number had increased to over 31,000, spread across 217 schools in 12 provinces, with a teaching staff of 190 instructors.
Since its military intervention in Syria in 2014, Russia has focused on increasing its cultural influence through education.
The Syrian government introduced Russian as a second foreign language option in schools starting from the 2014-2015 academic year, alongside English or French, for students in the later stages of basic education.
A Russian language department was also set up at Damascus University that year.
In the past nine years, Russia has expanded Russian language education by equipping classrooms with interactive tools, opening more classes and centers, training teachers, and organizing camps in Russia for Syrian students.
Recently, the Syrian Ministry of Education received about 5,000 copies of a new “Russian Language Curriculum” textbook for seventh grade. Created by a joint committee from Syria and Russia, the textbook will be tested this year.
Dr. Rami Al-Dalli, Deputy Minister of Education, announced that the book, delivered by a Russian organization, will be distributed to schools in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, Sweida, and Daraa—areas with the most Russian language classes.
Al-Dalli said this move marks the “culmination” of the collaboration between the Syrian and Russian education ministries and aims to enhance their partnership.
According to SANA, Alexei Cherkizov, known for his involvement with the “Global Christian Union,” the organization which distributed the curriculum in Syria, reported that “1,000 Syrian students receive scholarships to study in Russia each year, totaling 5,000 Syrian students currently in Russian universities.”
He also noted that six remote Russian language classes have been offered by the Syrian Ministry of Education for the past four years.