Mohammad Abdul Salam, spokesman for the Ansarullah movement and head of the Yemeni National Salvation Government’s negotiating team, called the presence of British troops in the east of the country unoccupied.
Abdul Salam said in a special interview with Al-Khanadaq news-analytical website today, Saturday: “This is not a new issue and foreign troops have been in the area for more than two years. The presence of foreign troops in Yemen has been rejected, which is why we believe that any foreign force in Yemen is considered an occupying force, and that the Republic of Yemen and its army have the right to confront and target any foreign troops.”
Residents of the eastern Yemeni province of Al-Mahra staged an unprecedented demonstration on Friday in protest of the Saudi military’s move to welcome British troops in the province, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops from their province and Yemen.
The spokesman of Ansarullah Yemen continued: ‌ “The British forces present in Al-Mehra and Suqtari (an island in southern Yemen) are the occupying forces. The presence of the British in the nut is related to the interests of Britain, the United States and Israel and is not limited to the nut, they are also present in Socotra. “Socotra is a remote island in the heart of the ocean. Nothing happens and has nothing to do, directly or indirectly, with military developments in Yemen.”
Saudi sabotage in pursuit of peace
He also spoke about Saudi Arabia’s reaction to the recent initiative of Yemeni Ansarullah leader Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin al-Houthi regarding the ceasefire in Ma’rib province: “The Saudi side is not really looking for a political solution, it is not looking for a humanitarian solution. It wants something like leaving the conflict and leaving the crisis as it is.”
Recently, Badruddin al-Houthi presented a plan focusing on the humanitarian situation in Ma’rib province and some Yemeni provinces, and the Yemeni side proposed this plan to Saudi Arabia through Oman.
The head of the Yemeni negotiating delegation on the mediation of the Omani side said: “This mediation continues and we do not believe that the closeness of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Oman will affect the historical and strategic role of Muscat in the war and its clear positions regarding the war in Yemen and the invasion of this country.”
The Omani government has tried for years to end the war against Yemen as a mediator and sometimes host, but the sabotage of the hostile Saudi side has prevented peace in Yemen, according to UN officials.
Abdul Salam: Iran is a country with an independent and stable policy
“The Sultanate of Oman has positive relations with the West and Iran; “Iran also has an independent, calm, stable and passive policy.”
He welcomed the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, saying “we encourage this dialogue and believe that it can contribute to stability in the region.”
Operations against Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not stopped
Abdul Salam said that regarding the situation on the ground on the conflict fronts, he said that no missiles or drones had been stopped on any of the operations fronts.
He also said about the situation in Ma’rib province: “[The] situation may not be understood, but many cities in Marib have fallen with God’s help, and these areas are vast, and some of these areas in Marib are almost larger than some Gulf countries or two of them. That is why the (extent) of the war continues and the priority of military operations continues.”
He continued: “Some conditions and some situations and credits and military obstacles may just be discussed, but whether the war is stopped or a ceasefire or a political decision to stop military and missile operations, there is also nothing, whether the operation is against Saudi Arabia or not. “