Saudi-backed Yemen govt hails US sanctions on Houthi leaders

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government hails the US Treasury Department sanctions on five leaders of the Houthi group, the official Saba News Agency says.

Washington has reacted to the committing violations against Yemenis, imposing the sanctions against the Houthi leaders. On the blacklist is Abdul Hakim Al-Khawani, the head of the group’s intelligence apparatus.

As the Yemeni Foreign Ministry said, Washington’s decision “comes as a victory for the civilian victims against the tyranny and crimes of these terrorist militias [the Houthi group]”.

The Yemeni government said it looks forward to similar steps by the international community to “deter Houthi militias, which have not stopped committing crimes and grave violations against civilians.”

Since 2014, Yemen has been beset by chaos and violence when the Houthis overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The situation has deteriorated one year later when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.