Yemen's FM says nationals who fled to Morocco bear no responsibility

Yemen’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Aouad Benmbarek said his people are clinging to their homeland, and those who fled to Morocco are not to blame, given the harsh living conditions in Yemen.

The Yemeni government official emphasized that his country is experiencing an internal displacement crisis, with many people forced to flee their cities due to the Houthi militia’s threat, while some have even left the country all-together.

Morocco’s High Commission for Planning (HCP) conducted a survey on forced migration by the end of 2021, revealing that Yemenis placed second with a total number of 1,171 refugees, representing 12.3% of the overall migrants and refugees to Morocco.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the number of refugees in Morocco reached almost 20,000, in addition to asylum seekers, according to the UN organization’s latest data.

Morocco used to be a transit destination for most migrants, while now, it is both a transit and a host country, said UNHCR.

Benmbarek considered his visit to Morocco “very successful, and a great opportunity for the two brotherly countries,” praising the Moroccan positions on the Yemeni truce, and on countering Iranian hegemony in the region.

“Morocco is clear on this issue, and Yemen is also supportive of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity,” he added.

The Yemeni Minister also spoke on some aspects of the situation in his country, noting that the truce began six months ago, and that it includes a military ceasefire and the lifting of the siege on Taiz, the rest of the governorates, as well as the port of Hodeidah, but that it ended on October 2nd.

Benmbarek stated that the Houthis have attempted to block the truce and have not respected it, revealing that 1,400 soldiers and officers were victims of these violations, and 94 civilians were injured as a result of mines and sniper attacks, but “the legitimate government is keen to maintain the truce.”

The government official accused the Houthis of serving Iranian agendas and not respecting the peace agreements in Kuwait and Stockholm, and looting the wealth of the Yemeni people.

“Before the truce, the Houthis stole 45 billion Yemenis, and during it 200 billion,” he further stated.

Benmbarek complained about the illogical demands the Houthis require to prolong the truce, including the attempt to travel with a Houthi passport that is not recognized internationally, adding that “the government is proactive in dialogue and has goodwill, but the Houthis have to think about the Yemeni people and abandon regional expansionist agendas.”