Yemen’s presidential council to restructure army, security forces

Aden

: Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has declared a new plan for unifying the pro-government Yemeni army and security forces in the war-ravaged Arab country.

According to a statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, a high-ranking military committee was formed by the PLC on Monday to begin restructuring the pro-government army and security forces in a step aimed at maintaining peace and security in Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rashad Al-Alimi, PLC President, approved the formation of “the joint military committee entrusted with realising security and stability, as well as restructuring the armed and security forces.”

The 59-member committee, led by Haitham Qassem Taher, would also strive to avert internal conflicts among Yemeni pro-government forces in Aden and elsewhere, according to the statement.

The newly-approved committee will “adopt policies prohibiting the emergence of armed conflicts throughout Yemen, taking necessary steps to realise the integration of armed forces under unified leadership in accordance with the rule of law, and ending all armed conflicts,” the statement said.

All Yemen’s intelligence units will be also included in the restructuring and evaluation operation approved by the PLC.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa.