ADEN — Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi criticized the US's special envoy to the country in a sharply-worded letter to the UN chief, describing him as legitimizing Iran-backed Houthi militia .

The five-page letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and dated May 22, outlines a litany of grievances directed at UN special envoy Martin Griffiths, criticizing "his insistence on dealing with the rebels as a de-facto government," referring to the Houthis.

The letter states that Griffiths has failed to properly oversee an agreement struck last year in Stockholm for a cease-fire and withdrawal plan for the port city of Hodeidah, and has not dealt with issues surrounding detainees and hostages.

"It is clear the envoy has a weak understanding of the nature of Yemen's ongoing conflict, especially the ideological, intellectual, and political elements of the Houthi militias and their fundamental rejection of the principles of democracy and the peaceful rotation of power," stated the letter. — Reuters