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Kerry Heads to KSA on Yemen ’Peace Push’

Kerry Heads to KSA on Yemen ’Peace Push’
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US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Saudi Arabia later on Wednesday to push for "peace" in Yemen after UN-brokered talks collapsed despite world concern over mounting civilian casualties.

Kerry Heads to KSA on Yemen ’Peace Push’

Over two days, Kerry is to meet Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and other Gulf ministers.

He will also meet UN Yemen envoy Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed and Britain's Under Secretary of State for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood.

The kingdom leads an Arab coalition that began air raids in March last year and later sent in ground forces to support Yemen's fugitive president Abed Rabboh Mansour Hadi.

As the civilian death toll continues to climb, the kingdom is facing mounting criticism from human rights groups.

But there is little expectation of a breakthrough from Kerry's latest visit to the kingdom.

Peter Salisbury, associate fellow at London's Chatham House think tank, told AFP there is "mounting pressure" from certain groups within the US government to see the war ended as soon as possible.

"However, the Americans are limited in their ability to produce a meaningful political settlement."

He said the current international approach, relying on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, essentially demands surrender by the rebels who control the capital Sanaa.

"Demanding that they surrender unconditionally simply isn't going to work and my expectation is that, in a best case scenario, we will see many more months of war," Salisbury said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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