Yemen rebels head to Geneva talks as forces gain ground

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / AFP

Sanaa (AFP) - A delegation of Yemeni rebels headed Sunday for UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva as their forces gained ground by seizing a provincial capital near the border with Saudi Arabia.

After repeatedly delaying their departure, the delegation left from the capital Sanaa aboard a UN plane for the Swiss city, where the talks are due to start on Monday, a day late.

The UN's peace envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said in a statement that Monday would see the start of "preliminary inclusive consultations" bringing together the country's warring factions for the first time.

He appealed for participants to take part "in good faith and without pre-conditions, and in a climate of trust and mutual respect".

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-rebels-seize-provincial-capital-near-saudi-border-130026924.html

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Houthi Rebels in Yemen Seize a Capital

Houthi rebel fighters seized the capital of a northwestern Yemeni province bordering Saudi Arabia early Sunday, tightening their control of the country despite a monthslong, Saudi-led bombing campaign intended to force a retreat.

The capture of the city, Hazm, capital of Jawf Province, highlighted the steady Houthi advance into most of Yemen’s 21 provinces over the past 10 months. In late March, Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Arab states began a military campaign against the Houthis with the goal of restoring President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis, to power.

Witnesses said that after the Houthi advance on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes on Hazm that lasted several hours and struck civilian areas, killing at least 20 people.

The capture of the town appeared to give the Houthis another bargaining chip in United Nations-sponsored peace talks that are scheduled to begin Monday in Geneva. The capital, Sana, is already dominated by the Houthis, who are fighting for control of other major cities, including Aden and Taiz.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/15/world/middleeast/houthi-rebels-in-yemen-seize-a-capital.html

Tough adversary.

[bemildred]

2. I think the bombing is helping the Houthis win over the other tribes.

Nothing like a bombing campaign to unite people against the perps.