Following months of uncertainty and aggravated tensions in the northern province of Amran as Houthis militants have sporadically clashed with local tribesmen for control over territories, UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar confirmed that he had secured an agreement with the Houthis (Shi’ite group organized under the leadership of Abdel-Malek al-Houthi) which sets the terms for disarmament.
“The Houthis have agreed to a new initiative by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to promote dialogue related to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration,” he told reporters late on Thursday in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.
It is important to note that if the Houthis have come over the past months to agree to a series a truce and cease-fires, it is the first time they have been willing to discuss disarmament, a breakthrough experts have said could bode well.
With Yemen Constitutional Committee having announced the first draft constitution will be ready for review in three month-time, President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi have been keen t set his house in order, starting with security. While President Hadi has spent most of the first two years of his presidential term focused on breaking Yemen former regime’s old ties through the reorganization of the armed forces and the government, his focus has now quite dramatically changed to Yemen security dossier.
The move was first heralded by the appointment of a new Interior Minister, Abdo Hussein al-Tareb; quickly followed by last week massive military operation against al-Qaeda position in southern and central Yemen.
Brokering a lasting and meaningful truce with the Houthis will be crucial to ending tribal-related violence in Yemen highlands and bring factions to discuss their difference in the political arena, away from the clashes of weapons.