The U.N. envoy to Yemen has expressed optimism after meeting with the top leader of the Houthi rebels in a bid to end the country’s devastating civil war.

In a statement issued before his departure from the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, Martin Griffiths said the rebels expressed a “strong desire for peace” and discussed “concrete ideas for achieving peace,” without elaborating.

 

He said he may meet with President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in the southern city of Aden.

A Saudi-led coalition allied with Hadi’s internationally recognized government has been at war with the Houthis since 2015, and previous peace efforts have failed.

The U.N. hopes to prevent a full-scale coalition assault on the port city of Hodeida, a vital lifeline for a country already teetering on the brink of famine.
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