United Nations, March 23 (RHC)-- The United Nations special envoy to Yemen says the severe political conflict is leading the Arab country towards a civil war. “Events in Yemen are leading the country away from political settlement and to the edge of civil war,” Jamal Benomar told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in a video briefing from Qatar on Sunday.

“Emotions are running extremely high and, unless solutions can be found, the country will fall into further violent confrontations,” he added. The UN official stressed that “peaceful dialogue” is the only solution to Yemen’s conflict, calling on all the involved sides to “deescalate” the tension in the strife-torn country.

He also said that the Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is the only beneficiary of the deepening schism between rival political parties in the country. If the AQAP acquires more power, Yemen might turn into another Libya or Syria, Benomar warned, referring to Takfiri terrorist groups active in the two countries.

Following Benomar’s address, the Security Council expressed its “strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity” of Yemen, stressing that “the solution to the situation in Yemen is through a peaceful, inclusive, orderly and Yemeni-led political transition process that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people for peaceful change and meaningful political, economic and social reform.”