The United Nations is stepping up diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in Yemen as fighting intensifies along the country’s western coast.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said he met with Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdul-Salam in Muscat over the weekend. The talks focused on finding ways to prevent the latest escalation from worsening. Grundberg also held discussions in Riyadh with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and regional actors, including Saudi Arabia.
The renewed fighting has reportedly caused at least 838 deaths and more than 3,640 injuries, while over 145,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen, according to UN figures cited by AP. Thousands more have crossed the sea into Djibouti.
The situation is also raising international concerns because the fighting has moved closer to the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an important maritime route for global trade. The UN has urged the parties to exercise restraint and pursue a negotiated settlement rather than allowing the conflict to become further connected to wider regional tensions.
News as Reported.
