Yemen retracts tribal gathering warning as Saudi-led coalition rejects Houthi claims

• Yemen’s Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili apologized for a Defense Ministry warning that tribal gatherings could be considered legitimate military targets, calling it “incorrect and unacceptable.”
• Al-Aqili said he had ordered an immediate investigation and stressed that Yemeni armed forces would not target tribal or civilian gatherings.
• He accused the Houthis of exploiting the erroneous statement to sow discord between Yemeni tribes and government forces.

Yemen’s Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili has apologized Thursday for a warning issued by the Defense Ministry that tribal gatherings could be considered legitimate military targets, describing the statement as “incorrect and unacceptable,” while the Saudi-led coalition has separately denied allegations that it threatened to target tribal and civilian gatherings.

In a statement published on Oct. 22, al-Aqili said he had ordered an immediate investigation into the ministry’s warning and apologized to Yemen’s tribes on behalf of himself and ministry personnel.

He stressed that Yemeni tribes were central to the government’s efforts to restore state authority, adding that the armed forces would not target any gathering, whether tribal or civilian, and reaffirming their commitment to international humanitarian law. He also accused the Houthis of exploiting the erroneous statement to sow discord between tribes and government forces.

Separately, the Saudi-led coalition’s Joint Forces Command rejected Houthi allegations that it had threatened to target Yemeni tribal and civilian gatherings. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki described the claims as “completely baseless,” accusing the Houthis of using them to mislead public opinion and draw tribal communities into armed conflict.

The coalition also emphasized the historical and social ties between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s tribes, reiterating its stated commitment to Yemen’s stability and security.

The statements follow a warning issued by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government on Oct. 22 that tribal rallies and other civilian gatherings in Houthi-controlled areas could be treated as “legitimate military targets.” The warning prompted backlash, with the subsequent apology acknowledging the statement as erroneous. The Houthis had condemned the warning, while the Saudi-led coalition separately rejected allegations that it had threatened to target tribal and civilian gatherings, accusing the movement of spreading misleading claims.

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