Yemen urges international pressure on Houthis to lift blockade

JAKARTA — Yemen's government has asked the international community to increase pressure on the Houthi movement to lift blockades, especially in Taiz Province, so that aid and basic goods can reach local residents, according to Antara. The request was made on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, during a visit by Yemen's ambassador to Indonesia, Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh, to the Antara news agency's office in Jakarta.

"We ask the international community to press the Houthis to open the blockades in Yemen, particularly in Taiz Province, and to make it easier for the logistics that the Yemeni people need to enter," Balfakeeh said, according to Antara.

Balfakeeh said the blockade has held back the entry of aid and logistics, including access to water in Taiz Province, and has worsened conditions for civilians. He said many Yemenis have left their homes and need protection. He also said the Houthis have been accused of kidnapping, detaining and torturing residents. Antara did not give details or sources for these accusations.

The ambassador said Yemen's government also wants international support for a proposal it has made to the United Nations. The proposal asks that the Houthis be placed on the UN list of international terrorist groups. Balfakeeh said this step does not mean the government rejects a peaceful settlement of the conflict. He said peace efforts under UN auspices over about 12 years have not produced the results hoped for. In his view, the Houthis used periods of ceasefire to strengthen their capabilities.

Balfakeeh also asked the Indonesian government to provide humanitarian assistance to Yemenis and to support Yemen's steps at the United Nations and the UN Security Council. He said he was optimistic that the military operation known as Fajr Yemen (Fajr Yemen) could help restore security and stability in the country. He said he hoped it would make Yemen safe and stable again, with positive effects for regional and global security.

Antara's chief executive, Abdul Hakim, said during the visit that he hoped the tensions in Yemen would end soon. He said Indonesia's relations with Yemen are long-standing. Antara's report said about 7,000 Indonesian citizens live in Yemen, most of them studying there. Hakim said he was concerned about the continuing escalation of the conflict. "We hope that what is happening, the tensions in Yemen, can end and move toward peace," Hakim said.

It is not clear from the Antara report whether the Houthis have responded to the request or to the proposal to list them as a terrorist group. The report does not say whether the proposal has been submitted formally to the United Nations or when a decision might be taken. The report also does not give new figures on casualties or displaced people in Taiz Province, and it does not say how the blockade is being enforced.

Background

Taiz is one of Yemen's main cities and lies in the south-west of the country. The Antara report describes the conflict as a long-running one and says the UN-led peace efforts have lasted about 12 years. It does not give further detail on the events of those years.

Antara also reported that Balfakeeh said the conflict is not between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, but between the government and the Houthis. That statement appears in a related Antara article, which was listed alongside the main report and was not available in full.