DUSHANBE, April 22, 2015, Asia-Plus – International media outlets report Saudi Arabia has declared end to Yemen air strikes after four weeks of bombing.
CNN
reports a Saudi-led coalition Tuesday ended its “Operation Decisive Storm” — its nearly month-long airstrike campaign in Yemen — and a new initiative is underway.
“Operation Renewal of Hope” will focus on the political process.
The Guardian
reports that speaking at a news conference in Riyadh, the coalition spokesman, Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri said on Tuesday that the campaign’s objectives had been met as the rebels’ military capabilities were destroyed. The campaign of air strikes, known as Operation Decisive Storm, would cease at midnight.
He said the Houthi rebels no longer posed a danger to civilians and the new phase, called Renewal of Hope, would focus on rebuilding the country while denying the rebels operational movement, protecting civilians and supporting evacuation and relief operations.
But he did not rule out future air strikes,
CNN
reports. “We will continue to have our operation,” he said. “Inside a city like Aden we will continue to protect civilians to prevent these militias from sustaining their operations,” he said, referring to the southern port city which has seen fierce fighting in recent weeks.
CNN
quoted a senior Saudi official as saying that the Houthis agreed to “nearly all demands” of the U.N. Security Council. Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his family will leave Yemen and never return for a position in politics, he said.
CNN
reports that a statement from the Saudi Embassy in Washington outlined objectives of the next phase of operations, including protecting civilians, enhancing humanitarian and medical assistance, confronting terrorism and creating an international coalition to provide maritime security.
Five Gulf states, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco and several other Sunni Muslim countries launched a series of airstrikes against the Shia Houthi rebels, who had gained control of the capital and large swathes of territory in the west of the country on March 25.
