Saudi delegation in Yemen for peace talks with rebels
A Saudi delegation was in Yemen's capital on Sunday to negotiate a potential new truce with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control the city, diplomats said, as Riyadh sought a way out of the war. The Saudi officials are "in Sanaa to discuss moving forward to create peace in Yemen," said a Yemeni diplomat based in the Gulf region, information that was confirmed by a second diplomat. Saudi officials did not respond to requests for comment. The delegation's arrival comes roughly a month after China helped broker a surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, fuelling hopes for progress on ending the Yemen conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The top Saudi and Iranian diplomats met in Beijing on Thursday, pledging to work together to bring "security and stability" to their turbulent region. Omani mediators arrived in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Saturday. The Houthis seized the city in 2014, triggering the conflict with the internationally recognised government which has been backed for eight years by a military coalition led by Riyadh. A truce announced roughly a year ago has significantly reduced active hostilities within Yemen, and is still largely respected even though it officially expired in October. (AFP)