A UAE paper has said that the plan for government ministers to return to Aden next week and begin the task of rebuilding Yemen from the inside is a welcome development that shows that some form of stability might be tentatively returning. "However, the bigger picture is that the conflict is far from over, with Houthi rebels still occupying key positions in and around the capital, Sanaa. The campaign is poised at a dramatic point as Saudi-led coalition forces prepare to reclaim the city," said The National in an editorial on Thursday. Now that coalition forces have secured Aden, the return of the ministers will soon be followed by Yemen's internationally-recognised president, Abdrabu Mansur Hadi. Marib province, where steadfast opposition has held off the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni military factions still loyal to ousted president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is likely to be the launching point for the coalition to retake Sanaa. After the tragic events of last Friday, nobody could doubt the GCC's unwavering commitment to the security of Yemen and the restoration of the country's legitimate government. Last Sunday, 1,000 Qatari soldiers with 200 armoured vehicles arrived in Marib, marking the first time that Qatar ground troops have participated in the Saudi-led coalition. The message of unity this sends is an important one about the resolve to free Yemen from the stranglehold of the rebel forces. At this point, with the liberation of Sanaa yet to begin, the Houthi rebels and the renegade military forces still loyal to Mr. Saleh ought to reflect on the well-being of the country or whether they want to remain mired in their narrow worldview that has wrought such terrible destruction on Yemen. Houthi-led rebels in Sanaa have been taking refuge in civilian areas and are reportedly using civilians as human shields, while continuing to shell civilian areas under government control in cities such as Taiz. All this demonstrates a lack of care about the welfare of ordinary Yemenis that bodes ill ahead of the battle for Sanaa. Contrast that to the goals of the Saudi-led coalition, which is linking the military campaign to restoring the legitimate government of President Hadi to a humanitarian initiative to improve the lives of ordinary Yemenis. Yemen: We Care, which raised more than AED500 million even as UAE soldiers were paying the ultimate price in support of the country's liberation, is just one small part of this philosophy. Ahead lie the goals of giving young Yemenis the prospect of good jobs, food and water security, and other responsibilities ignored by the rebels," concluded the Abu Dhabi-based daily.
