Minister of Defense General Lieutenant Mohammad al-Maqdashi met Tuesday
separately with US Charge D'Affairs and the Military Attaché of US
Embassy in Yemen Catherine Westley and Colonel Mark Whitman discussing
with them military and security cooperation.
The two parties discussed also efforts of fighting terrorism and extremism and qualifying Yemeni military forces in this field.
Al-Maqdashi praised efforts of the US to Yemen's legitimacy under President Hadi and support of realizing peace on the bases of the three internationally agreed upon references: the GCC Initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and UN Resolution 2216.
He confirmed that the Yemeni military forces are performing their national duty of fighting Iran- backed Houthi militia's rebellion and fighting terrorist groups.
He made it clear that Houthi militia is continuing committing crimes against Yemeni people and crimes of shelling and targeting populated cities, recruiting children as soldiers and spreading extremist thoughts in the society.
He pointed out that there is cooperation between Houthi militia and Islamic State or Daesh, having the same doctrine and criminal acts.
The minister touched upon Iranian threat to the national and international security and to international interests in the region by continuous support to Houthi militia by improved weapons and rockets.