OIC praises US plan to designate Houthi as terror group

ANKARA

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed Thursday the US decision to designate the Houthi rebels as a terror group.

"It is a crucial step to strengthen the efforts geared to combat terrorism and stem its financing at the international and regional levels, as these terrorist rebels, supported by regional entities and groups, pose real risks to international peace and security," OIC's Secretary General Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen said in a statement.

The move would foster efforts of UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths to achieve a political solution to the crisis in Yemen, said Al-Othaimeen.

The decision to blacklist the Houthi rebels as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” will compel its leaders to engage in serious peace negotiations, he added.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced plans last Sunday to designate Houthi rebels as a terror organization and mark three leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict has claimed 233,000 lives.