Omani delegation visits Sanaa in truce push as deadly clashes hit Yemen's south

An Omani delegation on Tuesday paid its second visit in a month to the Yemeni capital Sanaa to help revive peace talks, as deadly clashes erupted in the war-torn country's south.

The Omanis met with Houthi representatives led by negotiator Mohammed Abdul Salam to "discuss latest developments", the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported.

Abdul Salam said the meeting came "as a continuation of recent meetings".

Omani delegates were in Sanaa in December to help revive peace negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the country’s protracted civil war.

Yemen has been ravaged by war since 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured Sanaa from the internationally-recognised government, which was forced to flee south.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war a year later, backing government forces and bombing Houthi-controlled areas.

A truce between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthi rebels was agreed and twice renewed in 2022, but attempts to keep the ceasefire running stalled in October.

The Omani visit came as three members of forces tied to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) were killed in clashes with the ‘Popular Resistance’ loyal to the Yemeni government on Tuesday, according to reports.

The clashes took place in the Abyan governorate in southern Yemen.

More than 200,000 people have died as a result of the war.

Much of the country has been left in abject poverty, with more than 80 percent of the population dependent on aid.