Sanaa welcomes Al-Azhar’s call to end wars, affirms lack of justification for Yemen war

SANAA, Oct.21 (YPA) – Sanaa chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam welcomed a call by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, to end regional conflicts, asserting that the situation between Yemen and Saudi Arabia remains the most prominent and urging that facts regarding the Saudi-led military campaign since 2015 be presented to public opinion.

In a message to the Grand Imam, Abdulsalam stated that the Yemeni people never posed a threat to Saudi Arabia nor initiated hostilities against it. He explained that pre-March 2015 disputes were domestic and manageable through dialogue, independent of external military intervention.

Abdulsalam noted that he was commissioned in early 2015 by leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi to deliver a reassuring message to the Saudi leadership, clarifying that Yemen’s internal developments posed no challenge to the Kingdom and expressing readiness for political settlement. He stated the message was conveyed during the reign of the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, but subsequent developments under King Salman escalated toward military intervention.

He stated that the Saudi-led military operation launched on March 26, 2015, under the name “Decisive Storm,” lacked justification and exacerbated the domestic crisis rather than containing it through political means. Abdulsalam emphasized that regional Arab states should have promoted mediation and peaceful resolution rather than military intervention.

Abdulsalam asserted that the military campaign and blockade resulted in extensive civilian casualties and severe humanitarian suffering without achieving its stated objectives. He reiterated his welcome of Al-Azhar’s call for peace, expressing hope for regional de-escalation, the alleviation of humanitarian suffering, and the promotion of dialogue based on justice and dignity.

 YPA