Oman Tries to Persuade Saudi-Led Coalition to Stop Attacking Yemen – Source

SANAA (Sputnik) — Oman is making considerable diplomatic efforts to persuade the coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia to stop conducting airstrikes against Yemen and return to the dialogue, a source in the government of Oman told Sputnik Sunday.

Early on Thursday an international coalition led by Saudi Arabia started conducting airstrikes against the positions of Houthi rebels – main opposition group in Yemen. The attack came as a response to a request by the ousted Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. On Saturday Human Rights Watch said that the airstrikes claimed lives of 34 civilians.

The source told Sputnik that Omani diplomats are approaching the politicians from Gulf states and beyond in an attempt to put an end to Yemeni hostilities as the conflict in Yemen is likely to have a negative impact on the whole region.

The situation in Yemen has been rapidly deteriorating since August 2014 when protests of the Shiite Houthi opposition swept the country. The Houthi rebels forced Hadi and his government to resign in late January 2015. In February, Hadi fled his house arrest and is now living outside the country.