Presidential council head hails Saudi, Omani role in positive developments in Yemen

RIYADH: The president of Yemen’s leadership council has praised the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Oman for recent positive developments toward peace in the country, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said.
Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi met Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, on Sunday. 
The council was briefed about meetings held with Houthis in Sanaa between 8 and 13 April, the statement said.
Al-Jaber said after a meeting with the leaders of the Iran-backed Houthi militia that the talks aim to revive a ceasefire and end a conflict in Yemen that has raged for eight years.
The envoy said he also wants to “support the prisoner exchange process and explore venues of dialogue between Yemeni components to reach a sustainable and comprehensive political solution.”
Since the meetings, hundreds of prisoners have been exchanged between government-controlled Aden and Sanaa, reuniting with their families ahead of next week’s Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr.
The council said the efforts underscored the importance of moving forward with the necessary humanitarian steps to alleviate the suffering of Yemeni in all Governorates, according to the statement.