Houthi supporters shout slogans and hold up guns during a rally against the Saudi-led war and blockade imposed on Yemen, in Sana’a, Yemen, on August 8, 2021. The U.N. announced in a press statement Friday that the warring parties have agreed to a two-month truce starting Saturday. File Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA-EFE
April 1 (UPI) — Warring parties in Yemen have agreed to a two-month truce, which will pause all offensive and military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen.
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said in a press statement that the truce comes into effect Saturday.
“I thank the parties for working with me and my office in good faith and making the necessary compromises to reach this agreement,” Grundberg said in the statement, “The aim of this Truce is to give Yemenis a necessary break from violence, relief from the humanitarian suffering and most importantly hope that an end to this conflict is possible.”
The U.N. press statement said the parties have also agreed to allow fuel ships to enter ports in Hudaydah and for commercial flights to operate in and out of Sana’a airport.
The war in Yemen started as a civil war in 2014. Houthis seized control of Saada Province and then captured the capital, Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia did not want Yemen to be controlled by the Houthis, so it began air strikes against Houthis along with allied Arab states.
The United States, Britain and France supported the Saudi coalition.
Grunberg said in the U.N. press statement that he will intensify his work with the parties to the Yemeni war “with the aim to reach a permanent ceasefire, address urgent economic and humanitarian measures and resume the political process between the Yemeni parties.”
