Daily Times

MUSCAT: In an effort to end Yemen’s 19-month conflict, United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with officials in Oman, state media in Muscat said on Monday.

Kerry and Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi discussed the “sultanate’s peaceful role in Yemen,” a state news agency reported.

Before President Barack Obama’s administration ends – on January 20, Kerry is expected to meet ruler Sultan Qaboos in one of his last trips as secretary of state.

The US diplomat has been pushing for a settlement of Yemen’s conflict – which escalated with the intervention of the Saudi-led alliance to support the government against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in March 2015.

Oman – one of the few Arab states to have good relations with Iran – has used its links to mediate peace talks between the insurgents and Yemen.

It is the only Arab country in the Gulf which is not part of the Saudi-led coalition, although it maintains good relations with Saudi Arabia.

More than 7,000 people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded in Yemen since March 2015, and the UN says that millions are in need of aid.

Another 21 million people urgently need health services, according to the UN health agency.

Kerry is set to travel to Abu Dhabi for talks on regional conflicts, including Syria.