US Envoy: Houthis' 'Maximalist and Impossible Demands' Failed UN Truce

The US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking (Getty Images)
The US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking (Getty Images)
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US Envoy: Houthis' 'Maximalist and Impossible Demands' Failed UN Truce

The US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking (Getty Images)
The US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking (Getty Images)

US envoy to Yemen Timothy Lenderking blamed the Houthis for their "impossible" demands that failed the US and UN efforts to extend the truce, demanding the group shows more flexibility to achieve peace.

During a special telephonic press briefing, Lenderking warned of the resumption of fighting again after the failure of efforts to extend the armistice, warning that "a return to war, which will bring nothing but casualties and destruction on Yemen and will bring further confusion as to where this conflict is headed."

He stressed that there is no military solution, adding that moving forward will only be through the armistice proposal presented by the United Nations, stressing that diplomatic efforts "continue unabated."

Lenderking expressed optimism about extending and expanding the truce and the possibility of reaching agreements on paying the salaries of Yemeni civil servants who have not received their wages for years.

"There are still relatively low levels of violence in the country. Fuel ships continue to offload into the Hodeidah Port. There will be more continuity in civilian and commercial flights from Sanaa airport," said the envoy.

He explained that these particular elements of the truce have been extremely effective and have delivered tangible results to the Yemeni people over the last six months.

Lenderking stressed that "all channels remain open" for talks to extend the truce and return to negotiations to avoid an escalation in violence, noting a dramatic reduction of about 60 percent in civilian casualties with more than 25,000 Yemeni citizens able to travel abroad on commercial flights for the first time since 2016.

The official also stated that fuel shipments through Hodeidah port saw a five-fold increase compared with the previous year, which helped to reduce fuel prices.

He asserted that all of this can be expanded with a renewed and extended truce, and it is essential that the Houthis meet the people's demands and listen to the UN truce proposal that leads to a political process and paves the way for a permanent ceasefire.

- Iran's negative role

On Iran's role, Lenderking noted that Houthis put forward extreme demands that "salary payments be paid first to Houthi military and security personnel when there was already a positive conversation going on about paying salaries of Yemen civil servants, that this essentially hijacked the discussion and it created a threshold that was simply too hard for the other side to contemplate and was entirely unreasonable."

He explained that Iran welcomed every truce renewal on April 2nd, June 2nd, and August 2nd and announced that it favors and embraces a political solution to the conflict and that there is no military solution.

"But we need to see Iranian action borne out on the ground that supports this kind of more positive approach, and frankly, we haven't seen that. We're eager to see that, but we haven't seen it."

The envoy asserted: "We must view Iran's involvement based on what we've seen so far, which has been over the course of the conflict quite negative."

Asked about Houthi threats to attack facilities inside Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the US envoy said: "It remains in our national interest to help our Gulf partners defend themselves from any external aggression, and we would do so in the case of aggression coming from Yemen."

He indicated that two potential sales completed congressional notification, allowing for the future transfer of additional Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia and terminal high-altitude air defense, or THAAD, rockets to the UAE.

"These munitions have played a key role in defending both countries from cross-border UAS and missile attacks originating from Yemen."

- Options of the US administration

The envoy ruled out the possibility that the US is reconsidering redesignating Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), adding that the administration still has many options.

"We still have humanitarian concerns about an FTO, a foreign terrorist organization, designation. Those must be taken into consideration."

He lauded the efforts of Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, in providing contributions and funding needs, adding that Oman is concerned about instability in Yemen, which could affect the stability of Oman.



Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
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Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)

A surge in deadly violence has gripped the quiet northern town of al-Dabbah, exposing the growing threat posed by the rampant spread of weapons across Sudan in the absence of effective state control.

At least eight people were killed over just two days, four in tribal clashes and four others in a street fight within the town.

The latest bloodshed comes amid a broader climate of insecurity, where gunfire has become a common soundscape. In nearby Omdurman, social media users circulated graphic footage of a young man shot dead in cold blood after resisting an attempt to steal his mobile phone.

Reports of killings and injuries from arguments and brawls settled with bullets have flooded social platforms, painting a grim picture of lawlessness. Armed robbery gangs are said to roam freely, terrorizing civilians with no security forces in sight.

As Sudan’s brutal conflict enters its third year, guns have become as commonplace in towns and villages as household items. What was once settled with fists or sticks is now resolved through the barrel of a gun.

Tens of thousands of civilians have reportedly armed themselves, citing the need for self-defense amid state collapse and the disintegration of law enforcement.

Even before the war erupted, estimates suggested around 2.2 million firearms were circulating in Sudan’s conflict zones. Since then, the figure is believed to have ballooned, with unofficial estimates placing the current number at nearly six million, most acquired privately or informally.

In al-Dabbah, local authorities confirmed tribal clashes erupted between members of the Kababish and Hawaweer tribes, leaving four dead and others wounded before security forces intervened. The following day, a quarrel between vehicle drivers escalated into a gunfight, claiming four more lives.

Meanwhile, in the Omdurman district of Al-Hattana, gunmen fatally shot a man while attempting to snatch his phone, another grim scene that social media brought into public view.

Weapons have now flooded Sudan’s markets. Eyewitnesses and former security officials say that under the brief control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, firearms were openly sold on the street like vegetables, with prices starting at just 20,000 Sudanese pounds, roughly $10.

Security experts say this gun chaos is not a sudden phenomenon but the product of years of unchecked proliferation.

Under former President Omar al-Bashir, weapons were distributed to tribal militias to fight opposing groups. With the eruption of nationwide conflict, arms have spread from the traditional battlegrounds of Darfur and Kordofan to cities in Sudan’s north, east, and center.

Legal analyst Moaz Hadra warned of the growing dangers of “random arming,” saying some groups are being trained and armed outside Sudan to destabilize the country. “Why are these groups being trained abroad instead of within Sudan’s military institutions?” he asked when speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Officials Downplay Risk, Citing Self-Defense

Despite mounting violence, Sudanese security and military officials continue to downplay the threat. They argue that most weapons are held by civilians for self-protection against RSF attacks or roaming bandits. “Should a citizen wait helplessly while armed men storm his home?” one commentator asked rhetorically.

Brigadier General Fath al-Rahman al-Toum, a police spokesman, dismissed fears of total lawlessness, saying that gun crackdowns are ongoing and that firearms possession is being treated as an exceptional situation under extraordinary circumstances.

Others, like Brigadier General Saleh Abdullah, insist that once the war ends, collecting the weapons will be “very easy,” noting that most guns were distributed under strict regulations to reserve forces and can be retrieved using serial numbers registered to each piece. “The army has always managed its weapons according to clear protocols,” he said.

Major General Mujahid Ibrahim added that Sudan’s porous borders, particularly in the west, have made it easier for arms to enter the country unchecked, exacerbating the crisis. Still, military officials say weapons loaned to civilians can be recovered thanks to detailed logs and unique identifiers.

Yet, as al-Dabbah and Omdurman reel from fresh bouts of violence, the gap between official reassurance and on-the-ground chaos continues to widen. With Sudan’s civil war showing no sign of abating, the unchecked spread of guns threatens to tear apart what remains of the country’s fragile social fabric.