Weekly Media Summary 18.5.2020

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen

Berlin

Weekly Media Summary

May , 18 , 2020

In the field

Mujali: We had to respond to the provocations of the Transitional Council’s militia in Abyan

The armed forces spokesman, Brigadier General Abdo Mujali, confirmed that the military units in the axis of Abyan governorate had to respond to the provocations of the Transitional Council’s militia, and engaged in clashes with it.

Mugali said that the leadership of the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff Presidency received reports from the leadership of the Abyan axis indicating the mobilization of a militia affiliated to the so-called Transitional Council, in Zanzibar, Sheikh Salem Village and Al-Tarya area. The reports added that the militia is provoking the National Army forces in the Shakra area, where it fired mortar shells at the army’s positions in the Kalassy and Shakra areas.

The army repels an attack on the Qaniya front

The National Army forces repelled a violent attack by the Houthi militia on its positions in Qaniya front in Al-Baydha governorate, which resulted in heavy losses in lives and equipment for the militia.

Military sources said that the clashes erupted after the most violent attack by the militia on army positions in Qaniya front. During the clashes the militia lost 30 of its members, including prominent leaders, in addition to the destruction of a military vehicle.

In conjunction, Arab coalition fighters launched raids targeting Houthi militia concentrations in Al Bayda, and destroyed some of its military equipment.

Militia targets army positions in Al Dhalie and Taiz

The Iranian-backed Houthi militia targeted army positions in the governorates of Taiz and Al Dhalie. The forces responded to these attacks, which incurred the militia heavy losses.

In the Nihm front, east of the capital, Sana’a, the Houthi militia has pushed reinforcements to a number of locations, despite the army’s commitment to a unilateral ceasefire in response to the call of the United Nations Secretary-General.

In the Haradh front in the western Hajjah governorate, the national army forces responded to the attacks of the Houthi militia, specifically in the Haradh border front, were able to foil them and the militia suffered heavy losses in lives and equipment.

Politically 

Prime Minister: The solution is to end the armed militia rebellion

Prime Minister Dr. Moaen Abdul Malek confirmed that the only true key to peace in Yemen is the restoration of the state and its institutions under the umbrella of legitimacy and ending the armed militias’ rebellion.

During his meeting with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council, he mentioned that the government and the Coalition in Support of Legitimacy responded to international calls to declare a unilateral ceasefire to unify the efforts to confront the Corona epidemic, while the Houthi militia continues the military escalation on different fronts. In addition to that, the militia hides information on the number of cases infected with Corona, which poses a threat, and obstructs the efforts of the government and international organizations to contain the virus.

The meeting discussed the international consensus that refuses the coup declaration of what is called “self-administration of the south”, the resulting undermining of the work of the state institutions in the interim capital Aden, the efforts supporting the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, and the governmental efforts exerted to face the Corona pandemic.

Al-Hadrami: The Transitional Council must implement the Riyadh agreement

Foreign Minister Mohammad Al-Hadrami said that the government has repeatedly tried to deal positively with all efforts to implement the Riyadh agreement, while that was met with continued intransigence by the Transitional Council and with unjustified insistence on armed rebellion. In addition to undermining the work of state institutions, including the disruption of the work of the teams of the Ministry of Health to combat the Corona pandemic in Aden.

Al-Hadrami said that the transitional council “not only refused to respond to the calls of the government, the coalition, the Security Council and the international community to reverse its reckless plan, which is named (the autonomous administration of the south), but it also continued to destabilize security and stability in the governorate of Socotra Archipelago and more recently in the governorate of Abyan.”

Information Minister: Transitional Council’s escalation is a coup against the state and Riyadh agreement

Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani affirmed that the continuous escalation by the so-called Transitional Council, leading to the declaration of the so-called “autonomous administration”, is a “full-fledged coup against the state, the Riyadh agreement, and international resolutions related to the Yemeni crisis.”

Al-Eryani clarified that “The government has made concession after another to the transitional council till signing the Riyadh agreement, and has been responsible in relation to the agreement with the aim of sparing the interim capital of Aden and its people any confrontations, and to enhance the efforts of the brothers in Saudi Arabia to heal the rift and unify efforts to confront the Houthi militia backed by Iran”.

He emphasized that the Transitional Council’s moves led to complicating the scene and confusing the efforts of the government and the Saudi-led coalition and provided free services that the Houthi militia and Iran had not dreamed of. He added that these moves represented a stab for the national army and popular resistance that are fighting open and decisive confrontations with the militia on the Marib, Al-Jawf, and Al-Baydha fronts.

Humanitarianly

Calling on the international community to help Yemen in confronting epidemics

Prime Minister Dr. Moaen Abdul Malek held an online meeting with the UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Liz Grandi, and the World Health Organization representative in Yemen, Altaf Musani.

During the meeting, they discussed the coordination with the government to confront the Corona pandemic in Yemen, the challenges and obstacles that exist in this aspect, and areas in need of urgent support at the present time to support the health sector and protect its workers who are confronting the epidemic, as well as coordinating efforts to raise the awareness of society to confront the epidemic.

The Prime Minister called on the international community to support efforts to confront a number of epidemics that have broken out in Aden and other regions, which prompted the government to declare Aden an infected city. He stressed that the priority at the present time is for a broad environmental sanitation process to prevent outbreak of epidemics, and also for the work with the health sector to identify epidemics that citizens suffer from and that caused a large number of deaths. He added that there is a need to cooperate with the government in extensive practical measures to address the consequences of torrents, and other measures necessary for health.

Health Minister: The situation is serious because of Corona

The Minister of Health, Dr. Nasser Baoum, warned of the seriousness of the health situation in Yemen because of the Corona pandemic and other epidemics. He stressed the importance of community awareness as a key factor in preventing epidemics and viruses.

The Minister stressed the need to adhere to the precautionary measures taken by the government, including social distancing and adherence to the home quarantine. He warned the local authorities in the governorates of the need to combat mosquitoes and the causes of viruses and epidemics, and implement projects and programs for environmental sanitation.

The minister said that the current stage requires unified efforts in carrying out extraordinary and additional tasks, and that all those who fail to fulfill their duty will be held accountable, indicating that measures have been taken towards some violators.

Donors’ conference next June

Saudi Arabia will organize next June the donors’ conference for Yemen 2020, with the participation of the United Nations.

The conference will be held online on the second of next June, under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom invited the donor countries to take the initiative and support the efforts aimed at the success of this great humanitarian conference by standing with Yemen and its people.