Yemen committed to peace, its president says

BEIJING, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Yemeni President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in Beijing, said he was resolved to solve his country's national security issues in the most peaceful way possible.

"We solve problems in a peaceful way," he said in an interview with China's official Xinhua News Agency. "The key is to safeguard Yemen's security, stability and unity."

The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week it was able to remove the dead and wounded from Dammaj, a city in northern Yemen, following heavy fighting between Houthis, a Shiite rebel group, and military forces. The ICRC said it entered the area after both sides brokered a truce.

The Shiite rebellion in northern Yemen, the presence of al-Qaida and separatist ambitions in the south of the country are among the many national security challenges for Yemen's president.

He told Xinhua his country's poor economy was forcing some members of Yemeni society to turn to violence. He said Tuesday he was counting on countries like China to invest in the country.

Terrorism, however, is a global issue that requires an international effort to combat, he said.

Hadi is in China through Friday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.