The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday imposed an arms embargo on Yemen’s Houthi rebels and their supporters, in a move that further isolates the insurgents but may have only a limited effect on the fighting in the impoverished country.
The resolution passed 14-0, with Russia abstaining. It was approved three weeks after launched airstrikes in its neighbor to weaken the rebels, who have taken control of Yemen’s capital and other key sites.
Saudi Arabia and its allies in the military offensive claim the mostly Shiite insurgents are backed by Shiite power Iran. The Iranian government denies it has a direct hand in the conflict.
The attacks by Arab warplanes have failed so far to significantly drive back the rebels as Yemen sinks deeper into a humanitarian crisis.
[]
Many residents in Yemen fear that the fighting could become a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran, resembling the sectarian-driven conflicts that have torn apart Syria and Iraq.
Yemen is awash in weapons, and it is unclear whether the newly imposed embargo can effectively deny arms to the Houthis and their allies. The rebels have acquired significant arms caches over the years and gained more firepower by capturing military bases during the recent fighting. In addition, Yemen’s military has splintered, with rogue army units sharing everything from AK-47 rifles to anti-aircraft guns with the insurgents.
The U.N. measure, sponsored by Jordan, orders a halt to any arms shipments to the rebels, and specifically mentions Houthi leader Abdul-Malek al-Houthi and four others, including ex-president and his son.
Saleh and his son, Ahmed, are widely accused of aiding the Houthis in capturing the capital, Sanaa, in September and encouraging the attacks that have laid waste to the strategic port city of Aden in the south.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry that Iran was helping the Houthis. “There are obviously supplies that have been coming from Iran,” he said. “There are a number of flights every single week that have been flying in.”
Russia, one of five countries on the Security Council with veto power, had called for an arms embargo imposed on all sides in the conflict. Earlier this month, Moscow also proposed a resolution calling for pauses in the fighting to allow provision of humanitarian aid.
Russian officials have drawn parallels with Ukraine, where the Russian-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted last year by pro-Western demonstrators. In Yemen, the pro-Western president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, fled to Saudi Arabia last month to escape advances by the rebels.
“Russia is saying that if you compare the issue to Ukraine, the international community is doing the exact opposite in the case of Yemen and Hadi,” said Lina Khatib, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. “So Russia’s stance in this particular conflict is not as much about supporting Iran and the Houthis as it is about a political battle with the United States and West more generally.”
[]
In Madrid, meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, proposed a plan to halt the Yemen crisis that involves restarting dialogue and enabling to enter the country, which is running dangerously low on food, fuel and medicine.
“This issue should be resolved by the Yemenis,” Zarif was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency at a conference. “Iran and Saudi Arabia need to talk but we cannot talk to determine the future of Yemen.”
In another front in Yemen’s multi-layered conflicts, Yemen’s powerful al-Qaeda branch, known as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, said Tuesday that its top religious leader, Saudi-born Ibrahim al-Rubaish, was killed in a drone strike two days ago, the Associated Press reported.
There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials. The al-Qaeda group has been targeted by a U.S. drone campaign for years.
SuperFan Badge
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
|
Culture Connoisseur Badge
Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
|
Fact Checker Badge
Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to .
|
Washingtologist Badge
Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
|
Post Writer Badge
This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum Badge
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
|
Weather Watcher Badge
Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
|
World Watcher Badge
World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
|
Post Contributor Badge
This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.
|
Post Recommended
Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
You must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in , as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the tab.
To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.