YEMEN Press Agency

Bin Salman tries to phone President al-Mashat

SANAA, Oct. 19 (YPA) – Saudi Arabia had begun a direct conversation with President of the Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat on halting the fighting in the Yemeni-Saudi border and air strikes, Al-Jazeera TV channel said on Friday.

The channel quoted a political source, which it did not name, as saying that “Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman (brother of Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman) speaks directly with President of the Supreme Political Council of Houthis, Mahdi al-Mashat.”

It said on its website, citing the source: “The direct contact took place between the two sides after the start of the unilateral truce announced by the Houthis in late September, and was launched by al-Mashat in an initiative that represented a real trend towards ending the war.”

Al-Jazeera reported that the political source told it that “Khalid bin Salman offered to al-Mashat to form a committee from both parties to reduce the escalation, and to reach a full ceasefire agreement between the parties on the Saudi-Yemeni border.”

 

YPA