Sanaa (Yemen), February 10: UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths on Tuesday expressed concern over resumption of attacks by the Houthi rebels on Yemen's central governorate of Marib.
"Extremely concerned about the resumption of hostilities in the governorate of Marib by Ansar Allah (Houthi rebel group), especially at a time of renewed diplomatic momentum to end the war in Yemen and resume the political process," Griffiths tweeted.
"A negotiated political settlement that meets the aspirations of the Yemeni people is the only sustainable solution to end this conflict," the UN envoy added.
In the past two days, the Houthis launched a large-scale ground offensive and missile attacks on several front lines around Marib, killing at least 20 soldiers and wounding dozens of others, a local government source told Xinhua. All attacks were repelled by the government forces, according to a government statement reported by the Yemeni official TV.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi militia seized control over several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.
Source: Xinhua