Local Editor
Martin Griffiths, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, said on Tuesday that greater efforts than ever before were needed in the pursuit of peace.
He blamed recent violence in Aden for increasing the chances of a resurgence of Al Qaeda and ISIS.
The remarks underscored a volatile situation in Aden, with Griffiths criticizing the Southern Transitional Council’s offensive in the city 10 days ago, during which they took control of government buildings.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have called for dialogue between pro-Hadi groups and the STC, with a meeting planned in Jeddah being welcomed by the UN, the US and other leading world powers.
But in new clashes overnight STC forces took full control of bases belonging to pro-Hadi special forces and military police in Abyan, a southern governorate. The commanders handed their positions over to the STC on Tuesday and left with their men.
Griffiths said the situation was changing with great pace, but he described the latest fighting as provocative and said it proved the pressing need for talks to restore calm.
“The fragmentation of Yemen is becoming a stronger and more pressing threat,” he told the Security Council, via video link from Amman.
“This makes our efforts in the Yemeni peace process more urgent than ever. There is no time to lose.
“We cannot underestimate the risks that these events pose for the future of the country.”
Aden is the temporary base of Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s resigned regime.
Scores were killed and hundreds wounded in the clashes in Aden earlier this month, spurring the calls for de-escalation from the Arab Coalition that is fighting the Houthi Ansarullah movement.
But Griffiths said recent actions were unacceptable.
“A continuation of this current situation is simply untenable. At this time ... it is difficult to know where events will lead us,” he said.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
