Saudi forces
© AFP 2018 / Saleh Al-Obeidi
The Saudi-led coalition, supporting the Yemeni internationally-recognized government in the civil conflict with the Houthis, has agreed to allow the UN to evacuate up to 50 injured rebels to neighbouring Oman after the visit of UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the UK Foreign Office said.

"The Saudi-led Coalition have agreed to the evacuation of wounded Houthis from Yemen, one of the key stumbling blocks to the UN Geneva talks in September. Subject to final reassurances, Coalition forces will now permit the UN to oversee a Houthi medical evacuation, including up to 50 wounded fighters, to Oman, ahead of another proposed round of peace talks in Sweden later this month," the office said in a statement published on its official website.

According to the office's statement, during his trip, the foreign secretary had meetings with the Yemeni government as well as the Saudi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ones.

"Serious consideration is being given to a set of political ideas and confidence-building measures that would allow for the start of political talks in Sweden by the end of November," the statement continued.

In September, the United Nations attempted to hold peace talks between the warring parties in Geneva, however, the negotiations never took place, with the Houthi side claiming that the coalition had prevented them from leaving the country. The coalition said the Houthi delegation were free to leave Yemen, but failed to use the opportunity.

Another attempt to hold the talks might take place soon, as the United Nations said in late October that the organization was awaiting answers from the three sides on whether they would attend peace talks in Sweden within 30 days.

The civil war between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels broke out in 2015. The Houthis went on to seize vast territories in the northwest of the country, occupying the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. The Yemeni government was forced to move to the city of Aden, in the south of the country, making it Yemen's de facto capital.

However, the Yemeni president was later forced to flee the country to Saudi Arabia when the rebels were approaching Aden. The Saudi-led coalition interfered in the conflict to prevent the Houthi's advancement in the south and has been carrying out airstrikes ever since.