Hope for a breakthrough in the conflict in Yemen. Representatives of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels are preparing to visit Saudi Arabia. A first visit publicly announced since a military coalition led by Riyadh began a conflict against them in 2015, said Thursday, September 14, Yemeni sources.

"Preparations are underway for the visit of a Houthi delegation to Riyadh in the next 72 hours," a Yemeni government official close to the matter told AFP in a statement confirmed by the Houthis and Western diplomatic sources.

A Western diplomat in Yemen said the Houthis' visit could take place "today" (Thursday) or in the next two days.

Ali Al-Qhoom, a member of the Houthis' political council, also announced the visit on X (ex-Twitter). He added that the Houthi rebel delegation would travel to Saudi Arabia on an Omani plane.

Contacted by AFP, Saudi officials did not immediately respond.

Towards a lasting ceasefire?

The announcement of the visit comes five months after Saudi officials held talks in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Among the demands made by the Houthi rebels at the time were the payment of their civil servants' salaries by the Yemeni government and the launch of new destinations from Sanaa airport, which was closed for a long time until flights resumed with Jordan and Egypt last year.

On the ground, the UN-brokered ceasefire continues to hold to a large extent even though it officially ended last October.

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This rapprochement with the Saudis also comes several months after a warming of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which were at loggerheads for years on various issues.

Yemen, the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula, has been plunged for eight years into a war between Houthi rebels and the government, backed by a military coalition led by Riyadh.

With AFP

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