Yemen president 'rejects UN peace proposal'

Hadi "received Ould Cheikh Ahmed and refused to take the UN proposal" handed to him by the envoy, a source told AFP.

Contents of the roadmap which the envoy presented to the rebels on Tuesday have not been made public, but according to informed sources its terms include easing Hadi out of power.

The report stated that vice-president Ali Mushin al-Ahmar should step down and Hadi will be given a largely symbolic position without much power.

"As part of the signing of a complete and comprehensive agreement, the current Vice President will resign and President Hadi will appoint a new Vice President," the peace plan stated.

"After the completion of the [Houthi] withdrawal from Sanaa and the handing over of heavy and medium weapons (including ballistic missiles) Hadi will transfer all his powers to a Vice President, and the Vice President will appoint a new Prime Minister ... (who will form) a national unity government.”

Yemen has been rocked by conflict since the Houthis overran the capital Sanaa and other large parts of the country in 2014, prompting military intervention by a Saudi-led coalition in March last year in support of the internationally recognised government of Hadi.  

The war has raged for 19 months at a cost of more than 10,000 lives, while millions have been displaced.