The United States will officially remove the Iran-backed Houthi militia from its list of terrorist organizations next week, a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday.“Effective February 16, I am revoking the designations of Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended,” Blinken said.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The US official said the decision came as a result of the “dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.”“The revocations are intended to ensure that relevant US policies do not impede assistance to those already suffering what has been called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” Blinken added.Washington hopes that the move will encourage warring sides to engage in dialogue.But the Houthis continue to carry out malign activity, Blinken said. This includes taking control of large areas of Yemen by force, attacking US partners in the Gulf, kidnapping and torturing citizens of the US and many of its allies, diverting humanitarian aid and brutally repressing Yemenis in areas they control.Nevertheless, Blinken said the US would continue to designate individuals that launch missile attacks into Saudi Arabia.“Actions and intransigence” by the Houthis prolongs the war in Yemen and “exact serious humanitarian costs,” he said.Read more:Biden’s rushed US policy moves on Yemen could backfire, analysts saySaudi Arabia is a key partner in the fight against terrorism: PentagonSaudi Arabia says Houthi drone used in Abha airport attack a replica of Iranian UAV
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US to remove Yemen’s Houthis from terror list next week: State Department
