Tariq Saleh Warns: War is an Option if Houthis Wasted Peace Opportunities

The commander of the National Resistance Forces, and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Brigadier General Tariq Saleh (Saba)
The commander of the National Resistance Forces, and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Brigadier General Tariq Saleh (Saba)
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Tariq Saleh Warns: War is an Option if Houthis Wasted Peace Opportunities

The commander of the National Resistance Forces, and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Brigadier General Tariq Saleh (Saba)
The commander of the National Resistance Forces, and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Brigadier General Tariq Saleh (Saba)

The commander of the National Resistance Forces and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Brigadier General Tariq Saleh, warned that war would be an option if the Houthi militias continued to waste peace opportunities.

The Council, led by Rashad al-Alimi, seeks to give an opportunity to international and regional efforts to launch a comprehensive negotiated political process that leads to ending the coup.

Yemeni official sources reported that Saleh, the son of former president Ali Abdallah Saleh, inspected several training camps of the Republican Guard Brigades and military sites on the front lines on the western coast.

Saba news agency reported that Saleh stressed that Yemenis' primary goals are to restore state institutions and the capital, achieve a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace, protect the republic's values, and preserve the rights of the people.

He indicated that this state of "neither peace nor war" must end and would not continue indefinitely, adding that the Yemeni people would ensure the restoration of the state.

The official asserted that Houthi violations and crimes against civilians would not be tolerated and would be met firmly, reiterating that any peaceful solution through international efforts must first preserve the sacrifices of the Yemeni people and guarantee their right to govern themselves.

He warned that any proposed solutions outside the scope of maintaining the peoples' rights would not be accepted under any justification.

Saleh stressed that security units carefully monitor all hostile Houthi movements in the Red Sea, threatening global navigation security.

He lauded the tremendous efforts of the coalition that supports legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to support the Yemeni people.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense, Lt. Gen. Mohsen Mohammed al-Daeri, received a British military delegation in Aden and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in combating terrorism and smuggling.

Official sources noted that Daeri referred to the continuous Iranian smuggling of weapons to the Houthi militia, saying it clearly indicated that the group aimed to exploit the ceasefire and rejected international efforts to establish peace.

He noted that the Houthi group cooperates al-Qaeda and ISIS, referring to the exchange deal that released detainees between the three groups.

The Minister urged the international community to exert real pressure on the Houthi militia to submit to peace according to the three terms of reference for peace represented by the Gulf initiative, its executive mechanism, outcomes of the national dialogue, and relevant UN resolutions, mainly resolution 2216.



US, Türkiye Clash Over Support for Kurdish Forces in Syria as Erdogan Vows to Eliminate them

A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
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US, Türkiye Clash Over Support for Kurdish Forces in Syria as Erdogan Vows to Eliminate them

A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).

Tensions between Türkiye and the United States over the handling of the Syrian Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units), the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have intensified, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that “terrorist organizations” in Syria will no longer find support or collaborators.

Türkiye, along with allied Syrian National Army factions, has escalated attacks on SDF positions in Manbij and Kobani (Ayn al-Arab). This comes after Ankara rejected US claims about an extension of a ceasefire between Türkiye and the SDF. Turkish forces on Friday continued shelling around Tishrin Dam in Manbij’s countryside, prompting local calls for intervention to prevent further escalation and safeguard vital infrastructure.

Escalation in Manbij and Kobani

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Turkish shelling damaged parts of the Tishrin Dam, raising fears of severe environmental and humanitarian consequences if the escalation continues. The violence began with heavy clashes between Turkish-backed factions and the Manbij Military Council forces, involving medium and heavy weaponry. The fighting triggered significant civilian displacement toward safer areas.

Support for Syria’s New Leadership

Speaking to reporters on his return from Cairo, where he attended the D-8 Summit, Erdogan stated it was time to eliminate terrorist groups in Syria, particularly ISIS, the PKK, and their affiliates like the YPG/SDF, which he claims threaten Syria’s stability.

Erdogan emphasized Türkiye’s readiness to support Syria’s new leadership in combating terrorist organizations to establish a safe and stable Syria. He expressed confidence that no power would continue to work with such groups, particularly pointing at the US, which has long supported the YPG in the fight against ISIS.

He also mentioned his country’s plans to assist Syria’s new administration in building state institutions, drafting a new constitution, and engaging in discussions, noting that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would visit Damascus soon to discuss the “new structure.”

Erdogan expressed hope for enhanced relations between Ankara and Damascus under the new leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Golani), the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

US-SDF Alliance

On the other hand, the US said that it remains committed to its alliance with the YPG as a key partner in combating ISIS. Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed there are no plans to withdraw US forces from Syria or end cooperation with the SDF. He disclosed that the US has approximately 2,000 troops in Syria, a number higher than previous estimates of 900.

Senior US diplomats met with members of Syria’s new leadership formed by HTS in the first direct and formal meeting between Washington and Syria’s new rulers after Assad’s fall.

US Presence in Syria

Henri Barkey, a political analyst, argued in The National Interest that a US withdrawal from Syria would be a significant mistake, potentially strengthening Iranian and Russian influence while increasing Türkiye’s regional sway.

As Turkish rhetoric about eliminating the YPG and PKK grows louder, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi indicated readiness to negotiate a ceasefire with Türkiye, including the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Syria if a truce is reached.

SDF-Türkiye Agreement

Abdi’s remarks to Reuters came after a Turkish Defense Ministry official denied any ceasefire agreement with the SDF or its US backers. The official dismissed recent US statements as a “slip of the tongue,” asserting Türkiye would not negotiate with terrorist organizations.

The official stressed that the threats from northern Syria persist, and Türkiye will continue its preparations and measures until the YPG disarms and foreign fighters leave Syria. He expressed confidence that Türkiye-backed factions would eliminate the YPG presence in Syria.

Western Concerns

Western allies, including Germany, have expressed concern over Türkiye’s actions in northern Syria. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking before talks with her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, urged Ankara to contribute to Syria’s stability and protect minorities.

Baerbock highlighted fears of a large Turkish offensive in Kobani and warned that peace in Syria remains elusive, with the country’s future hanging by a thread.