Yemeni government-in-exile will return to 'liberated territory'

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government-in-exile will return to Yemen when any territory is retaken from the forces of the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, according to a government spokesman.

In an interview with al-Araby al-Jadeed, Yemeni government spokesman Rajeh Badi asserted that the "legitimate government headed by Yemeni vice president Khaled Bahah will return to the country... as any Yemeni province or city is liberated from the Houthis. Our return does not depend on the liberation of Aden only."

Badi denied that Bahah's appointment as Yemen's vice president, a move welcomed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, was an alternative to the president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi. He said: "This appointment, which was completely supported by President Hadi, will strengthen the work of the presidency."

Badi said Bahah was "respected by all political factions in the country" and that he was the Houthi preferred choice for president.

When asked about civilian casualties in the Saudi-led offensive, Badi said the government did not have accurate figures, "but there are estimates that the number is in the hundreds".

Badi said Hadi's government had formed a new committee to oversee the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemenis.

"The Houthis prevented humanitarian aid from being delivered to Yemeni citizens in the provinces and cities under their control," he said. "The country needs more than the UN stated, as it asked for $275m of aid for Yemen."

Badi thanked the GCC for the aid they were providing but said there was no fuel and little to no food, water and medicine in Yemen.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.