WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to Saudi Arabia and Oman on Tuesday for talks with senior government officials aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Yemen, the State Department said.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have been battling a Saudi Arabian-led military coalition for more than six years in a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed Yemen to the brink of famine.
The movement has kept up cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and its offensive in Yemen’s gas-rich Marib after Riyadh in March proposed a nationwide ceasefire deal that includes reopening air and sea links to Houthi-held areas.
The State Department cited the “devastating consequences” of the Houthi offensive on Marib, and said Lenderking will continue to press for the unimpeded flow of goods through all ports and will work on an international consensus to halt the offensive.
The U.S. envoy’s discussions “will focus on achieving an urgent comprehensive, nationwide, and sustainable ceasefire to ensure the regular and unobstructed delivery of essential commercial goods and humanitarian assistance throughout Yemen and a transition to an inclusive political process,” the State Department said in a statement.
Lenderking will continue to work with UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, it said.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Nick Macfie)
