UN chief says all sides in Yemen should comply with resolution

UNITED NATIONS, April 15. /TASS/. All parties in Yemen are to immediately start implementing the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Mr. Ban has taken into consideration the request on stepping up mediating efforts with the goal of resuming the inter-Yemeni dialogue. The UN chief hopes that the resolution will lead to the conflict de-escalation, end of violence and returning to talks under the UN auspices, Dujarric said. On Tuesday, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2216, which stipulates a ban on deliveries of weapons to Shiite rebels from the Ansar Allah movement (Houthis). The document condemns unilateral actions of Houthis and envisions putting on Security Council sanctions lists rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, as well as Ahmed Saleh - a former Yemeni president’s son. Russia’s permanent representative to the global organization Vitaly Churkin said Russia abstained during voting, as "constructive proposals of the Russian delegation were not duly taken into account" when the draft resolution was being agreed. The diplomat said the document’s authors "refused to document demands Russia insisted upon to all parties to the conflict to cease fire and launch peaceful dialogue." Besides, the resolution "does not duly reflect serious consequences of the hostilities for the civilian population in Yemen and does not clearly enough formulate the task to establish compulsory and regular humanitarian pauses." Confrontation between Yemeni authorities and Shiite rebels - Houthis - became more intense in August 2014. In January 2015, the military wing of Houthis, Ansar Allah, captured the country’s capital Sanaa. Under pressure from rebels, President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the government led by Khaled Mahgouz Bahah resigned. The Yemeni president was forced to move to Aden. After Houthis entered the city on March 25, he left the country. Hadi called on Persian Gulf monarchies to interfere. On March 26, Saudi Arabia, supported by aviation of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, launched an air operation against Houthis. The coalition was joined by Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan. According to the World Health Organization data as of April 6, a total of 643 people have been killed in airstrikes since their start and another 2,226 have been wounded. Read more