Hadi Says Riyadh Offers $10 Billion to Support Yemen, Senior Maj. Gen. Killed

Jeddah, Aden- Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia pledged $10 billion to his country, including a total of $8 billion to be spent on the reconstruction of government-held areas, with another $2 billion as a deposit in the central bank to shore up the Yemeni riyal.

“Saudi Arabia has provided Yemen with $10 billion,” Hadi said during a meeting of his Aden-based government on Wednesday.

Hadi urged his government to focus on “urgent priorities” in the retaken areas such as electricity, water supply, roads and health.

Saudi Arabia heads the international coalition against the Houthis since March 2015.

Commenting on the Saudi initiative, Yemeni political and media activist Firas al-Yafei said: “The new donation comes in the framework of the honest and brotherly Saudi support to Yemen.”

Meanwhile, the Yemeni government called on the international community to help



remove the large number of mines planted by Houthi militias and Saleh rebels in the areas that were under their control.

Press Secretary for Prime Minister Ghamdan al-Sharif said: “Our people still suffer from the repercussions of landmines and other explosive devices left behind by rebel militias. These mines, which are internationally banned, are now threatening civilians and killing the innocent, especially women and children.”

Separately, rebel militias killed on Wednesday the country’s deputy chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Seif Al-Yafie in the Red Sea port of Al-Mokha.

Al-Yafie was killed when a ballistic missile launched by Houthi militias struck his vehicle in the port city.

The assassination of “the engineer of Al-Mokha liberation” came one day after Al-Yafie held talks with Hadi to discuss efforts to liberate other Yemeni coastal areas, including al-Hadidiya, the main access point for smuggling arms to rebel militias.