The United Nations envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said that the country is a critical juncture, calling for silencing the guns to avoid slipping back into conflict and chaos. “Yemen is at a critical juncture: it will either silence the guns and resume the political process, or we will slip back into large-scale conflict and suffering,” Griffiths told reporters Sunday after a visit to Marib, located to the east of the capital Sanaa. “Marib has been a haven for hundreds of thousands of displaced Yemenis,” he said after meeting with officials, civil society activists, and tribal leaders. “Just last week, thousands of families arrived here fleeing fighting in Al-Jawf. The parties need to ensure that Marib will remain a haven not the next epicenter of the war.” Griffiths urged parties to implement an immediate de-escalation process. He said: "Fighting needs to stop now. Military adventurism and the quest for territorial gains are futile. They will only drag Yemen to many more years of conflict. This is not a war that can be won on the battlefield, and the years of this war have shown us that. "There is no alternative, none at all, to a negotiated solution based on an early resumption of the political process, and it’s my task to guide with the help of the parties in Yemen." Griffiths continued: "I am here on a one-day visit... I’m here to meet with local authorities, tribal chiefs, civil society, women and youth as well as displaced Yemenis to listen to their concerns and to make sure through you that world hears them through me."