Hundreds Of Thousands Rally in Yemen’s Capital In Support Of Rebels

More than 900,000 Yemenis gathered in Sana’a with flags and pictures of the newly-elected Political Council leader Saleh al-Sammad to show their support on Saturday.

The talks ended in early August, with the government and Houthi rebels failing to come to an agreement.

The march in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, was in support of a new combined governing council the rebels and Saleh announced late last month, but which was immediately rejected by the internationally recognized government and the United Nations.

Last week, the Houthis convened the country’s parliament for the first time in two years, angering President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi, who called it a “violation” of the country’s constitution.

“This could devastate the chances of peace talks”.

Once the mountain had been recaptured, it was easy for loyalist forces to also take control of the surrounding hills and begin sweeping the area for mines, Mr Al Haq said.

Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries have been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi’s request despite a ceasefire agreed shortly before.

As the rally was underway, three air strikes targeted the presidential compound located 600 meters away from the square without causing casualties, residents told Reuters.

A Saudi national was killed and six others injured in a missile attack in the southern city of Najran on Saturday, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The central bank’s governor dismissed the reports of new board appointments as “groundless” in an emailed statement.

According to the spokesman, pro-government forces managed to seize control of the al-Bayad mountain near Sanaa.

The central bank has been considered the last bastion of the impoverished country’s financial system, paying salaries to state employees on both sides of the front lines and guaranteeing food imports as Yemen approaches starvation.