UN Chief, Oman Deputy Prime Minister Discuss Stability in Yemen

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said on Tuesday exchanged views on the best way to promote peace and stability in Yemen and on upcoming Syria's Donors Conference opening, according to a statement published on the UN website.

"The Secretary-General met today with H.H. Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers of Oman. They exchanged views on the best way forward to bring peace and stability to the country [Yemen], as well as on the Syria Donors Conference opening in London tomorrow," the statement read.

Ban also welcomed Oman's contribution and support for the Yemeni talks.

Yemen has been in a state of military conflict between government forces and the armed Houthi political opposition since 2014.

Since late March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions at the request of Yemeni President-in-exile Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.

The Saudi-led coalition has been sharply criticized for causing hundreds of civilian casualties in the military campaign in Yemen. According to the Yemeni Health Ministry, the bombardments of the coalition in the country have killed over 7,000 people and injured over 16,500.