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UN Seeks Extension of Faltering Yemen Peace Talks

The agreement proposed by the United Nations envoy includes clauses on both the Houthis and Saleh forces laying down arms, withdrawing for the Yemeni capital Sana, as well as the cities of Taiz and Hudaydah, and creating a military committee responsible for overseeing the process, the Sky News Arabia channel reported.

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The rebels overran Sanaa in September 2014 and expanded their control to other parts of Yemen.

Yemen, home to what the United States sees as Al-Qaeda s deadliest franchise, descended into chaos after the 2012 ouster of longtime strongman Saleh.

The Houthis, whose delegation remained in Kuwait, insist on a political share in a new national unity government and they oppose President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, demanding to transfer his authorities to the new government.

The negotiations started in April have slowed the nationwide fighting that has killed at least 6,400 people and caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Across the country, at least 14 million people, more than half of the population, are in need of emergency food and life-saving assistance.

The proposed peace deal is broadly in line with the demands of Mr Hadi’s Saudi-backed government.

“Now that we have signed a draft arrangement, the ball is no longer in our court but in theirs”, he said, underscoring the importance of announcing in the end of consultations which party is responsible of aborting a final agreement.

“The government’s delegation’s return to Kuwait hinges on whether the opposing sides sign the agreement, if not, then the talks would be futile”, he said.

There has been no official reaction from the Houthis, who have previously refused to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which stipulates the withdrawal of armed groups from all cities.

The coalition said Houthi fighters, backed by troops loyal to Saleh, tried to breach the Saudi border at the Rabou’a area on Saturday, igniting heavy fighting.

The official Kuwait news agency reported that both delegations were studying his proposals.

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and ambassadors from 18 other nations supporting Yemeni peace efforts endorsed the continuation of the Kuwait talks and condemned the Houthis’ announcement that they were forming a “supreme political council”.

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The jihadist rivals have exploited the turmoil to boost their activities in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country.

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