Yemen is on the brink of a civil war, warned the UN special envoy to Yemen on Thursday.
Jamal Benomar said on al-Arabiya TV Wednesday that the situation is becoming more grave as Houthi fighters advance in southern territories and confront Sunni tribes. The Houthis, a Shiite Muslim militia backed by Iran, overtook Yemen's capital in September and forced Western-backed President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to resign.
"We believe the situation is very dangerous," Benomar said on al-Arabiya.
Benomar went on to say every political party is partly responsible for the chaos that's erupted in Yemen. "They are all party to what has happened so far, they have all made mistakes and follies, and sometimes groups resorted to violence to realize political aims."
Last week the Houthis issued the country a new constitutional declaration, which was promptly rejected by other political factions.
The violence and political unrest has led several countries to close their embassies in Yemen — the US, Britain, and France. The Middle East Monitor reported Houthi rebels seized 20 US embassy vehicles Thursday shortly after its evacuation.
