International crises: the Houthi battle for control of Ma'rib adds disaster in Yemen
English - Tuesday 21 April 2020 الساعة 08:04 pm
Aden, Newsyemen:
The International Crisis Group said that the Houthi battle for control of Marib could add a new disaster in Yemen to what is already the most serious humanitarian emergency in the world.
In a field report published on its official website, entitled "Behind the Front Lines in Marib", the group noted that the International Organization for Migration estimates that 800,000 people fled the fighting in other parts of Yemen to Marib in search of a safe haven.
Expert report author Peter Salisbury said that Yemen has changed profoundly over the decade he has worked there. Now, after five years of Saudi-led intervention, there is a possibility that the fighting in the north again will radically reshape the country's political landscape.
The report warned that if the Houthis won the battle for control of Marib, they would have won the war in control of northern Yemen, at least for the time being, making international efforts to end the conflict more difficult.
It said that Marib and Al-Jawf are central to understanding the different interests of the mix of forces fighting the Houthis, their capabilities and their views, adding: "Without taking these issues into consideration, it is unlikely that any peace process will succeed."
It continued: "Worse, the battle for control of Marib could add a new catastrophe to what is already the most serious humanitarian emergency in the world - a situation that could get worse soon if the Covid-19 pandemic hit Yemen severely, as it can lead to displacement of more than a million people, of whom had originally escaped fighting in other parts of the country.
It pointed out that the Houthis repeatedly target the military buildings in Marib with missiles.
"It has become increasingly clear that stopping the war will not automatically bring peace to Yemen, as there is a lack of communication between politicians at the national level and the armed groups that control matters on the ground - and between these two groups of players and society in general," the report said.
The International Crisis Group stressed that a settlement not carefully constructed could spread the seeds of future conflict.
