Statement from 17 February 2017

Statement by  The  Government of  the  Republic of  Yemen issued on 17  February 2017

The  Government of  the  Republic of  Yemen  affirms  that  its  national  army  operations supported by  the Arab Coalition to liberate the West Coast areas controlled by (Houthi Saleh) militias where Yemeni citizens are suffering from  repression and massive violations of human rights, enforced disappearances, forced recruitment of young people and children, extrajudicial killings, denial  of  humanitarian aids  and the  bombing of  houses) come within the efforts of the government to end this suffering and come within its core duties and  responsibilities to  protect  its  citizens rights  from  the violations perpetrated by  (Houthi-Saleh) militias  who  do  not  respect any  international conventions or human  rights  laws. The  Yemeni  government reminds the  international organizations about  (Houthi-Saleh)  actions  with  regard to humanitarian supplies coming via Hodeidah port, where the coup leaders sell such  assistance, particularly petroleum products and food supplies, in the black  market to obtain  funds  to  help finance their continued military operations while the  people of Hodeida governorate are  suffering from  famine. The government of the Republic of  Yemen confirms that  it  works  in  cooperation with  King Salman Center  for  Relief  and  Humanitarian Works, Emirates Red Crescent and other relief  organizations to provide the necessary relief  for  the affected  people  and  rehabilitate vital  facilities  in  the  city of Mokha and  other towns in the southern Red Sea area after liberation from the (Houthi-Saleh) forces who had  used  those areas for threatening the  international shipping lanes  and  for  arms trafficking. In  this  regard, the national army demining teams had removed hundreds of forbidden landmines from  the  city  of  Mokha and subsequently called on citizens to return to the city.