Euronews speaks with Saudi Arabia's Major General Ahmad Hassan Mohammad Asiri about the conflict in Yemen.
ADVERTISEMENTThe war in Yemen has generated the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the United Nations.
In three years, the poorest country in the Arab World has been devastated by conflict.
On the anniversary of the war, Euronews correspondent Anelise Borges spoke exclusively with Saudi General Ahmad Asiri, former spokesperson for the Arab coalition fighting in Yemen, who said Ryiadh is looking for a political resolution to the conflict.
Euronews: "You want the Yemeni parties to come to the negotiating table… but if there are planes flying in the sky and bombing people… how can they come to the negotiating table. The fighting must stop first no?"
Asiri: "I think you missed the explanation. There is no fighter jets flying and bombing people. What we are doing in Yemen. We are working against the militias. It’s the same standard that we worked with the international community in the international coalition against Daesh. We cannot give up. If we give up we end up with Hezbollah in Yemen."
Euronews: "The UN estimates that 3 million people were forced from their homes and 10,000 were killed — including civilians — since the violence started in 2015."
Asiri: "This number is not an accurate number."
Euronews: "Are there more?"
Asiri: "No there are less. I don’t think this number has been verified well through the UN because there is no UN on the ground."
If and when a political solution is found for Yemen, the country will be presented with another enormous task: rebuilding a nation that has been brought to its knees by years of conflict, famine and disease.