[Al Arabiya Latest] Yemen is close to reaching a deal with northern Shiite rebels, a government official said on Wednesday, aiming to end a war that has raged on and off since 2004 and drawn in neighboring Saudi Arabia.The government and rebels have been exchanging proposals in recent days to settle the conflict, one of three that the government is fighting on its territory, and Sanaa was waiting for a final agreement from rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. "A deal is expected to be finalized soon with the Houthis to end the war," the official said.
He said the development comes "in light of al-Houthi's acceptance of the six conditions," put forward by the Sanaa government, which included a recently added condition to pledge not to attack neighboring Saudi Arabia.
Yemen said last week it had handed the rebels from the Shiite minority a timetable for implementing the government's ceasefire terms, a week after rejecting their truce offer because it did not include a promise to end hostilities with Saudi Arabia.