© REUTERS/ Fawaz SalmanMembers of the Yemeni army ride on the back of military trucks near the Red Sea coast city of al-Mokha, Yemen, January 23, 2017
Saudi Arabia shares Russia's stance on situation in Yemen, in particular, Riyadh agrees that there is no military solution to the crisis, speaker of the upper house of Russia's parliament Valentina Matvienko said Sunday.
"We discussed of course the situation in Yemen. I paid attention to the fact that Yemen experiences a humanitarian catastrophe, over 18 million people have no food, necessary assistance, and it is necessary to provide humanitarian aid to this country... And the minister said that they also understand that there is no military solution to the Yemeni problem," Matvienko said after a meeting with the Saudi foreign minister.
According to Russian lawmaker, Adel al-Jubeir stressed that all attempts to reach ceasefire in Yemen unfortunately failed, expressing hope at the same time that the issue would be discussed at the diplomatic level in the near future.
Matvienko arrived with an official visit in the Saudi capital early on Sunday.
Yemen's civil war between the internationally recognized Aden-based government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi movement backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh erupted in March 2015. According to the UN reports, over 50,000 civilians have been killed or injured since the beginning of the conflict, including thousands of children.
Comment: A Saudi Arabian patrol guard
was killed on Sunday by a blast on the border with Yemen, local media reported, citing the country's Interior Ministry.
As a result of the explosion in the country's Jazan province, three other servicemen were injured and hospitalized, the SPA news agency reported.
The border guards authorities have launched investigation into the incident, the news agency specified.
Thousands of Yemenis have staged a
mass rally in the capital Sanaa to protest against the Saudi bombing which recently entered its third year. They have also urged the Houthi rebel authorities to intensify the battle against the "5th column" and alleged Saudi spies.
Demonstrating against the ongoing military campaign of the Saudi-led coalition which began in March 2015, the protesters marched to mobilize more tribal fighters to oppose the coalition-backed Yemeni government forces which control parts of the country.
The crowd urged the Houthi government - the Supreme Political Council - to declare a state of emergency which will grant loyalists with more powers to implement internal security measures in areas under their control.
The emergency powers will also enable the Houthis to hunt down alleged Yemeni supporters of the so-called "fifth column" of the Saudi-led military coalition.
...
The massive event proceeded along the Airport Road. A number of key speakers urged unity and called for the creation of an internal front to face the Saudi war machine and the alleged traitors whom they accuse of working for the Saudi monarchy.
Comment: A Saudi Arabian patrol guard was killed on Sunday by a blast on the border with Yemen, local media reported, citing the country's Interior Ministry. Thousands of Yemenis have staged a mass rally in the capital Sanaa to protest against the Saudi bombing which recently entered its third year. They have also urged the Houthi rebel authorities to intensify the battle against the "5th column" and alleged Saudi spies.