SANAA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group announced on Saturday the issuing of a freshly minted 50-riyal coin.
A new metal coin of 50 riyals will be put into circulation starting Sunday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, citing a statement by the Houthi-controlled central bank in the capital Sanaa.
"Minting the new coin comes as part of our commitment to finding solutions to the problem of damaged banknotes and enhancing the quality of national currency," it said.
The Houthi-controlled central bank said the new currency will not affect exchange rates, which are under Houthi control.
This is the second new coin issued to the local market in northern Yemen by the Houthi group in less than a year and a half. In March 2024, the Houthi group minted and issued a new coin of 100 riyals, which was rejected by the internationally recognized government based in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden.
The Houthis had banned the entry of the internationally recognized government's banknotes into the areas under its control.
The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since a civil war in Yemen broke out in late 2014. ■
