Yemeni president reaches deal with Houthi rebels

SANAA, Yemen, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi reached a peace deal with Houthi rebels Wednesday after the group occupied keys parts of the capital, including the presidential palace.

Hadi's palace was claimed Tuesday by the rebels, Shiite Muslims who regard themselves as marginalized by Yemen's Sunni government. Clashes in the capital of Sanaa killed nine and injured 67 Monday, and Hadi's personal home was also shelled.

The new tentative deal between Hadi and the rebel group would give the Houthi rebels a greater political role.

A new constitution opposed by the rebels would also be amended to include fair representation for diverse groups. In return, the rebels would withdraw fighters from Sanaa.

The deal could be a concern for the United States, which considers the Yemeni government its ally in the fight against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula based in Yemen. The group claimed responsibility for the attack that left 12 people dead at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Ed Adamczyk contributed to this report.