UN Envoy to Yemen Warns of Fighting Spreading to Oil-Rich Marib

(Bloomberg) -- The United Nations envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths has warned of intensifying fighting in the oil and natural gas-rich province of Marib.

“Yemen is at a critical juncture: it will either silence the guns and resume the political process, or we will slip back into large-scale conflict and suffering,” Griffiths told reporters after a visit to Marib on Saturday.

“Marib has been a haven for hundreds of thousands of displaced Yemenis,” he said after meeting with officials, civil-society activists and tribal leaders. “Just last week, thousands of families arrived here fleeing fighting in Al-Jawf. The parties need to ensure that Marib will remain a haven not the next epicenter of the war.”

Griffiths urged parties to implement an immediate de-escalation process.

The UN envoy’s visit to Marib, located to the east of the capital Sana’a, comes days after Shiite Houthi rebels seized control over parts of neighboring region Al-Jawf, including its provincial capital.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mohammed Hatem in Dubai at mhatem1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Riad Hamade at rhamade@bloomberg.net, Gordon Bell, Christopher Sell

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