The Saudi-led coalition launched an air raid Saturday on a cave in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, used by Huthi rebels to stockpile drones, a spokesman said.

The cave near the presidential palace in Huthi-held Sanaa contained drones to be used in "terrorist operations", Colonel Turki al-Maliki said.

The "military target, a cave used by the terrorist Huthi militia to stockpile drones was destroyed," he said, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Earlier this month, the coalition said that Saudi air defences intercepted two drones launched by Huthi rebels from Yemen that targeted Khamis Mushait, home to a major airbase in the southwest of the kingdom.

And in January the Huthis launched a drone attack on Yemen's largest airbase, Al-Anad, north of the southern port of Aden, during a military parade.

Eleven people were wounded in the attack, including Yemen's deputy chief of staff Major General Saleh al-Zandani who later died of his injuries.

Seven other loyalists -- including a high-ranking intelligence official -- were killed in the attack.

Yemen is mired in a grinding conflict between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and a government-backed up by a Saudi-led coalition.&nbsp;

The Saudi-led coalition launched its first raids on rebel strongholds in March 2015 in a bid to bolster President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who now lives in Riyadh.

Since then the conflict has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the toll could be five times higher.

The unrest has also pushed the country to the brink of famine.

The Saudi-led coalition launched an air raid Saturday on a cave in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, used by Huthi rebels to stockpile drones, a spokesman said. The cave near the presidential palace in Huthi-held Sanaa contained drones to be used in "terrorist operations", Colonel Turki al-Maliki said.

The Saudi-led coalition launched an air raid Saturday on a cave in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, used by Huthi rebels to stockpile drones, a spokesman said. The cave near the presidential palace in Huthi-held Sanaa contained drones to be used in "terrorist operations", Colonel Turki al-Maliki said. The "military target, a cave used by the terrorist Huthi militia to stockpile drones was destroyed," he said, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. Earlier this month, the coalition said that Saudi air defences intercepted two drones launched by Huthi rebels from Yemen that targeted Khamis Mushait, home to a major airbase in the southwest of the kingdom. And in January the Huthis launched a drone attack on Yemen's largest airbase, Al-Anad, north of the southern port of Aden, during a military parade. Eleven people were wounded in the attack, including Yemen's deputy chief of staff Major General Saleh al-Zandani who later died of his injuries. Seven other loyalists -- including a high-ranking intelligence official -- were killed in the attack. Yemen is mired in a grinding conflict between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and a government-backed up by a Saudi-led coalition. The Saudi-led coalition launched its first raids on rebel strongholds in March 2015 in a bid to bolster President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who now lives in Riyadh. Since then the conflict has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the toll could be five times higher. The unrest has also pushed the country to the brink of famine.

Saudi Arabia coalition destroys Yemen rebels' drone cave

In this segment of WION, we brings you top headlines off the day. Watch full video to know more.

Mali PM and his government resigns 4 weeks after massacre

President Donald Trump has vetoed a bill Congress passed to end the United State's military assistance in the Saudi Arabia-led war in Yemen.

Donald Trump vetoes bill to end US involvement in Yemen war

Yemen: A humanitarian crisis with thousands dead

The conflict in Yemen, described by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, originated with the&nbsp;political transition that occurred in the country following the uprising of the Arab Spring.

The transition from the longtime authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in 2011 was expected to bring stability to Yemen.

The new government under Hadi, however, struggled to deal with several problems.

Besides corruption, unemployment and food security, Hadi also faced difficulty in handling the security personnel who continued to exhibit loyalty to Saleh.

Hadi's government also faced attacks from the jihadists.

Taking advantage of the weak Hadi government, Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority who had fought series of rebellions against Saleh during the previous decade, took control of their northern heartland of Saada province and neighbouring areas.&nbsp;

Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority's Houthi movement was also supported by many ordinary Yemenis - including Sunnis.

The Houthis and security forces loyal to Saleh then attempted to take control of the entire country, forcing Hadi to flee the country in March 2015.

The crisis in Yemen escalated in 2015 after the intervention of the Shia power Iran, Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Arab states.

The rebels in the country, backed by Iran, fought against the Saudi-led military coalition which supported the government.

The war has since then left about 10,000 dead, the World Health Organisation states. The United Nations has also defined the conflict in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Here is a broad overview:

Riyadh enters the war

Houthi fighters from the Zaidi Shiite minority, opposed to the central government for a decade, launch their offensive in mid-2014, seizing swathes of territory.

Their conquests include the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port of Hodeida, a crucial entry point for imports and humanitarian aid.

A coalition led by regional Sunni power Saudi Arabia comes to the embattled government's aid on March 26, 2015, launching air strikes on rebels.

Their intervention is requested by Hadi, who moved to the southern city of Aden after the fall of Sanaa.

Riyadh has since deployed 1,50,000 troops and 100 fighter planes to the conflict, according to Saudi television Al-Arabiya.

The United Arab Emirates contributes 30 fighter jets. The United States says it is providing logistical support and intelligence.

Coalition successes

On March 27 the coalition says it has full control of Yemen's airspace and destroyed aircraft seized by the Houthis.

In July the Yemen government announces it has retaken the entire province of Aden, its first success since the coalition stepped in.

The coalition supplements its air power with hundreds of ground troops.

By mid-August 2015 loyalist forces have retaken five southern provinces. Aden city becomes the de facto capital, with Sanaa still under rebel control.

In October the government reclaims the Bab al-Mandab Strait, an internationally vital shipping route.

Saudi vs Iran

Splits emerge in the rebel camp in 2017 after their ally, ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, makes overtures to the Saudi-led coalition.&nbsp;

Armed clashes rock Sanaa and in December he is assassinated by the Houthis.

In November 2017 Houthi rebels fire a missile in the direction of the international airport in Riyadh.&nbsp;

Intercepted and destroyed, it is the first to reach the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia is enraged, accusing its arch-foe Iran of "blatant military aggression" through its support for the rebels.

Iran denies supplying them with weapons.

Rebels have since regularly fired missiles at Saudi Arabia.

Battle for aid port

In December 2017 government forces make a breakthrough in efforts to reconquer the aid hub of Hodeida when they drive Houthi fighters out of a town en route.

As they press their advance, the insurgents' second-in-command, Saleh al-Sammad, dies in a coalition air raid in April 2018.

In June government fighters, backed by Saudi and Emirati land forces, launch an offensive on Hodeida.

With international players stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the war, government forces say in November they have orders to halt operations against the rebels.

Rebel leaders and Yemeni officials meet for UN-brokered talks in Sweden in December.&nbsp;

After a week of meetings, a ceasefire in Hodeida is announced.

It comes into effect on December 18, 2018, but both sides accuse each other of violations.

A UN-led ceasefire monitoring team deploys to the city from December 22 but is unable to secure the pullback of armed forces, as agreed in the peace deal.

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The conflict in Yemen, described by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, originated with the political transition that occurred in the country following the uprising of the Arab Spring.

The conflict in Yemen, described by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, originated with the political transition that occurred in the country following the uprising of the Arab Spring. The transition from the longtime authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in 2011 was expected to bring stability to Yemen. The new government under Hadi, however, struggled to deal with several problems. Besides corruption, unemployment and food security, Hadi also faced difficulty in handling the security personnel who continued to exhibit loyalty to Saleh. Hadi's government also faced attacks from the jihadists. Taking advantage of the weak Hadi government, Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority who had fought series of rebellions against Saleh during the previous decade, took control of their northern heartland of Saada province and neighbouring areas. Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority's Houthi movement was also supported by many ordinary Yemenis - including Sunnis. The Houthis and security forces loyal to Saleh then attempted to take control of the entire country, forcing Hadi to flee the country in March 2015. The crisis in Yemen escalated in 2015 after the intervention of the Shia power Iran, Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Arab states. The rebels in the country, backed by Iran, fought against the Saudi-led military coalition which supported the government. The war has since then left about 10,000 dead, the World Health Organisation states. The United Nations has also defined the conflict in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Here is a broad overview: Riyadh enters the war Houthi fighters from the Zaidi Shiite minority, opposed to the central government for a decade, launch their offensive in mid-2014, seizing swathes of territory. Their conquests include the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port of Hodeida, a crucial entry point for imports and humanitarian aid. A coalition led by regional Sunni power Saudi Arabia comes to the embattled government's aid on March 26, 2015, launching air strikes on rebels. Their intervention is requested by Hadi, who moved to the southern city of Aden after the fall of Sanaa. Riyadh has since deployed 1,50,000 troops and 100 fighter planes to the conflict, according to Saudi television Al-Arabiya. The United Arab Emirates contributes 30 fighter jets. The United States says it is providing logistical support and intelligence. Coalition successes On March 27 the coalition says it has full control of Yemen's airspace and destroyed aircraft seized by the Houthis. In July the Yemen government announces it has retaken the entire province of Aden, its first success since the coalition stepped in. The coalition supplements its air power with hundreds of ground troops. By mid-August 2015 loyalist forces have retaken five southern provinces. Aden city becomes the de facto capital, with Sanaa still under rebel control. In October the government reclaims the Bab al-Mandab Strait, an internationally vital shipping route. Saudi vs Iran Splits emerge in the rebel camp in 2017 after their ally, ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, makes overtures to the Saudi-led coalition. Armed clashes rock Sanaa and in December he is assassinated by the Houthis. In November 2017 Houthi rebels fire a missile in the direction of the international airport in Riyadh. Intercepted and destroyed, it is the first to reach the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia is enraged, accusing its arch-foe Iran of "blatant military aggression" through its support for the rebels. Iran denies supplying them with weapons. Rebels have since regularly fired missiles at Saudi Arabia. Battle for aid port In December 2017 government forces make a breakthrough in efforts to reconquer the aid hub of Hodeida when they drive Houthi fighters out of a town en route. As they press their advance, the insurgents' second-in-command, Saleh al-Sammad, dies in a coalition air raid in April 2018. In June government fighters, backed by Saudi and Emirati land forces, launch an offensive on Hodeida. With international players stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the war, government forces say in November they have orders to halt operations against the rebels. Rebel leaders and Yemeni officials meet for UN-brokered talks in Sweden in December. After a week of meetings, a ceasefire in Hodeida is announced. It comes into effect on December 18, 2018, but both sides accuse each other of violations. A UN-led ceasefire monitoring team deploys to the city from December 22 but is unable to secure the pullback of armed forces, as agreed in the peace deal. (With inputs from AFP)

The Saudi-led coalition carried out air strikes in<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/in-yemen-saudi-arabia-could-be-nearing-the-inflection-point-199620"> Yemen against two Houthi </a>targets in Sanaa, the capital, early on Wednesday, its spokesman said.

The coalition said the strikes targeted a Houthi drone-manufacturing plant and a warehouse containing launch pads. Residents said a house was also hit, but no casualties were reported.

Saudi Arabia leads a Western-backed alliance of Yemeni and Arab forces that has been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in neighbouring Yemen since March 2015, after Houthi forces drove Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. They are fighting to restore Hadi's internationally recognized government.

The Houthis, who say their revolution is against corruption, control Sanaa and most population centers. The strikes hit the al-Jeraf neighbourhood in north Sanaa.

Houthi-run Masirah TV said a fire broke out in a plastics factory as a result of air strikes early on Wednesday.

The UN&nbsp;has said that a blast in Sanaa near two schools on Sunday killed 14 children and injured more.

"It was almost lunchtime and students were in class. The blast shattered the windows and unleashed a burst of shrapnel and broken glass into the classrooms," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF's Middle East head.

It is unclear what caused the blast and UN&nbsp;Yemen aid coordinator Lise Grande called for efforts to pinpoint the circumstances "that led to this tragedy".

Yemen’s war has killed tens of thousands of people - some of them by coalition air strikes - and driven 10 million to the brink of famine. The country is also suffering its third major outbreak of cholera since the conflict began.

A peace process that began with a December agreement has stalled and, although a ceasefire largely holds in Hodeidah, Yemen's main port, violence continues elsewhere and has escalated in recent weeks.

The UN&nbsp;is trying to get the parties to pull troops out of Hodeidah and complete a prisoner exchange, two confidence-building measures which could pave the way for further talks.

The Saudi-led coalition carried out air strikes in Yemen against two Houthi targets in Sanaa, the capital, early on Wednesday, its spokesman said. The coalition said the strikes targeted a Houthi drone-manufacturing plant and a warehouse containing launch pads.

The Saudi-led coalition carried out air strikes in Yemen against two Houthi targets in Sanaa, the capital, early on Wednesday, its spokesman said. The coalition said the strikes targeted a Houthi drone-manufacturing plant and a warehouse containing launch pads. Residents said a house was also hit, but no casualties were reported. Saudi Arabia leads a Western-backed alliance of Yemeni and Arab forces that has been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in neighbouring Yemen since March 2015, after Houthi forces drove Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. They are fighting to restore Hadi's internationally recognized government. The Houthis, who say their revolution is against corruption, control Sanaa and most population centers. The strikes hit the al-Jeraf neighbourhood in north Sanaa. Houthi-run Masirah TV said a fire broke out in a plastics factory as a result of air strikes early on Wednesday. The UN has said that a blast in Sanaa near two schools on Sunday killed 14 children and injured more. "It was almost lunchtime and students were in class. The blast shattered the windows and unleashed a burst of shrapnel and broken glass into the classrooms," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF's Middle East head. It is unclear what caused the blast and UN Yemen aid coordinator Lise Grande called for efforts to pinpoint the circumstances "that led to this tragedy". Yemen’s war has killed tens of thousands of people - some of them by coalition air strikes - and driven 10 million to the brink of famine. The country is also suffering its third major outbreak of cholera since the conflict began. A peace process that began with a December agreement has stalled and, although a ceasefire largely holds in Hodeidah, Yemen's main port, violence continues elsewhere and has escalated in recent weeks. The UN is trying to get the parties to pull troops out of Hodeidah and complete a prisoner exchange, two confidence-building measures which could pave the way for further talks.

Saudi coalition conducts air strikes in Yemen against Houthi targets

The US Senate on Wednesday dealt a stinging bipartisan rebuke to Donald Trump's foreign policy and his alliance with Riyadh, voting to end support for the bloody Saudi-led <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/un-warns-a-generation-could-become-lost-to-hunger-in-yemen-197341">war effort in Yemen</a>.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled chamber approved a historic curtailment of presidential war powers that directs Trump "to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/west-asia/in-yemen-a-child-dies-every-10-minutes-from-easily-preventable-diseases-175690">Republic of Yemen</a>" within 30 days.

The Senate vote was 54 to 46, with seven Republicans defying the president and aligning with Democrats.

The text now heads to the Democrat-led House of Representatives, which approved a similar measure that stalled earlier this year, and which is likely to pass the latest effort.

The White House has threatened a veto, calling the measure "flawed" and saying it would harm bilateral relationships in the region and hurt Washington's ability to fight extremism.

But its full passage would set a historic marker. It would be the first measure passed by Congress to invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution to directly curtail a president's use of military powers.

"Today, we begin the process of reclaiming our constitutional power by ending US involvement in a war that has not been authorized by Congress and is clearly unconstitutional," Senator Bernie Sanders, who is running for president in 2020 and is a sponsor of the measure, said on the Senate floor.

Republican Senator Mike Lee concurred, saying Saudi Arabia "is not an ally that deserves our support or our military intervention."

The Saudis, he said, "are likely using our own weapons... to commit these atrocities of war. That's not OK."

The war in Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 14 million people at risk of famine.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization says about 10,000 people have been killed in the war between forces loyal to the Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels. Rights groups say the death toll is far higher.

The United States provides weapons and refueling to the Saudi coalition.

Two days, two rebukes?

The resolution is a reminder that Congress has the legal ability to compel the removal of US military forces, absent a formal declaration of war.

Should it pass Congress, it could force Trump to issue the first veto of his tenure.

The vote may well be the first of two congressional rebukes of Trump in as many days.&nbsp;

On Thursday, the Senate is expected to vote on a resolution -- already passed by the House -- to reverse Trump's emergency declaration on border security, after the president went around Congress in a bid to secure more funding for his wall between the United States and Mexico.

In that case too, he has promised to use his veto.

Wednesday's Yemen vote, and the rare bipartisanship at the heart of it, came as US lawmakers have escalated their opposition to Saudi Arabia after the October murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.&nbsp;

Republicans and Democrats alike have bristled over the White House's apparent embrace of the kingdom and its leadership.

Some members of Congress have publicly stated that they suspect that powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly responsible for the killing, based on the CIA's conclusions.

Sanders, using unusually blunt language about an American ally, said the United States should not "simply follow the despotic lead of a government in Saudi Arabia."&nbsp;

"We will determine our military and foreign pol and not be led around by a murderous regime," he said.

The US Senate on Wednesday dealt a stinging bipartisan rebuke to Donald Trump's foreign policy and his alliance with Riyadh, voting to end support for the bloody Saudi-led war effort in Yemen.

The US Senate on Wednesday dealt a stinging bipartisan rebuke to Donald Trump's foreign policy and his alliance with Riyadh, voting to end support for the bloody Saudi-led war effort in Yemen. Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled chamber approved a historic curtailment of presidential war powers that directs Trump "to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen" within 30 days. The Senate vote was 54 to 46, with seven Republicans defying the president and aligning with Democrats. The text now heads to the Democrat-led House of Representatives, which approved a similar measure that stalled earlier this year, and which is likely to pass the latest effort. The White House has threatened a veto, calling the measure "flawed" and saying it would harm bilateral relationships in the region and hurt Washington's ability to fight extremism. But its full passage would set a historic marker. It would be the first measure passed by Congress to invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution to directly curtail a president's use of military powers. "Today, we begin the process of reclaiming our constitutional power by ending US involvement in a war that has not been authorized by Congress and is clearly unconstitutional," Senator Bernie Sanders, who is running for president in 2020 and is a sponsor of the measure, said on the Senate floor. Republican Senator Mike Lee concurred, saying Saudi Arabia "is not an ally that deserves our support or our military intervention." The Saudis, he said, "are likely using our own weapons... to commit these atrocities of war. That's not OK." The war in Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 14 million people at risk of famine. The World Health Organization says about 10,000 people have been killed in the war between forces loyal to the Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels. Rights groups say the death toll is far higher. The United States provides weapons and refueling to the Saudi coalition. Two days, two rebukes? The resolution is a reminder that Congress has the legal ability to compel the removal of US military forces, absent a formal declaration of war. Should it pass Congress, it could force Trump to issue the first veto of his tenure. The vote may well be the first of two congressional rebukes of Trump in as many days. On Thursday, the Senate is expected to vote on a resolution -- already passed by the House -- to reverse Trump's emergency declaration on border security, after the president went around Congress in a bid to secure more funding for his wall between the United States and Mexico. In that case too, he has promised to use his veto. Wednesday's Yemen vote, and the rare bipartisanship at the heart of it, came as US lawmakers have escalated their opposition to Saudi Arabia after the October murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. Republicans and Democrats alike have bristled over the White House's apparent embrace of the kingdom and its leadership. Some members of Congress have publicly stated that they suspect that powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly responsible for the killing, based on the CIA's conclusions. Sanders, using unusually blunt language about an American ally, said the United States should not "simply follow the despotic lead of a government in Saudi Arabia." "We will determine our military and foreign pol and not be led around by a murderous regime," he said.

Defying Trump, Senate votes to end US support for Yemen war

The US Senate will vote on Wednesday on a resolution to end Washington's support for the Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen, as lawmakers push President Donald Trump to toughen his policy toward the kingdom.

Announcing the vote on Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders called the war "a humanitarian and strategic disaster." Sanders, an independent who is running for president as a Democrat, is a lead co-sponsor of the resolution along with Republican Senator Mike Lee.&nbsp;

The vote on the war powers resolution will be the second within four months in the Senate. The chamber passed the measure by 56-41 in December, a rebuke of Trump amid anger at Saudi Arabia not just over civilian deaths in Yemen, but also the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

To become effective, however, the resolution must be passed by the new Senate, which was seated in January, as well as the House of Representatives. Then it must garner enough votes to override an expected veto by Trump, who has touted the importance of a strategic alliance with Riyadh.

The House passed its own version of the resolution in February, but a procedural issue kept it from a vote in the Senate.

The US Senate will vote on Wednesday on a resolution to end Washington's support for the Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen, as lawmakers push President Donald Trump to toughen his policy toward the kingdom.

The US Senate will vote on Wednesday on a resolution to end Washington's support for the Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen, as lawmakers push President Donald Trump to toughen his policy toward the kingdom. Announcing the vote on Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders called the war "a humanitarian and strategic disaster." Sanders, an independent who is running for president as a Democrat, is a lead co-sponsor of the resolution along with Republican Senator Mike Lee. The vote on the war powers resolution will be the second within four months in the Senate. The chamber passed the measure by 56-41 in December, a rebuke of Trump amid anger at Saudi Arabia not just over civilian deaths in Yemen, but also the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. To become effective, however, the resolution must be passed by the new Senate, which was seated in January, as well as the House of Representatives. Then it must garner enough votes to override an expected veto by Trump, who has touted the importance of a strategic alliance with Riyadh. The House passed its own version of the resolution in February, but a procedural issue kept it from a vote in the Senate.

US Senate to vote Wednesday on Saudi Yemen war resolution

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, 12th March, 2019

Five Yemeni children were killed in an attack on their home in flashpoint Hodeida province, the UN and medics said, months into a ceasefire agreed by the government and rebels.

The UN children's agency (UNICEF) said that the five children were "playing at home" when they were killed on Thursday.

It did not give details on the nature of the attack or the perpetrators.

"Each day, eight children are killed or injured across 31 active conflict zones in the country," UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said in a statement Saturday.

Medics in the Tuhayta district, in southern Hodeida, on Sunday confirmed to AFP that they had transferred dead and wounded children to a hospital in the government-held Khokha district nearby.

The Red Sea province of Hodeida has witnessed some of the Yemen war's most intense fighting, which has eased since the government and Huthi rebels agreed to a ceasefire in the area in December.

The Iran-backed Huthis have battled the government and its allies in a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for control of the impoverished country for four years.

Hodeida, held by the rebels since 2014, has witnessed intermittent clashes between the Huthis and pro-government forces since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18.

Around 10,000 people -- mostly civilians -- have been killed and more than 60,000 wounded since Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the conflict in 2015, according to the World Health Organization.

Rights groups say the real figure could be five times as high.

The conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 10 million people at risk of starvation.&nbsp;

Over 24 million Yemenis -- more than three-quarters of the country's population -- are now dependent on some form of aid for survival, according to the UN.

Five Yemeni children were killed in an attack on their home in flashpoint Hodeida province, the UN and medics said, months into a ceasefire agreed by the government and rebels.

Five Yemeni children were killed in an attack on their home in flashpoint Hodeida province, the UN and medics said, months into a ceasefire agreed by the government and rebels. The UN children's agency (UNICEF) said that the five children were "playing at home" when they were killed on Thursday. It did not give details on the nature of the attack or the perpetrators. "Each day, eight children are killed or injured across 31 active conflict zones in the country," UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said in a statement Saturday. Medics in the Tuhayta district, in southern Hodeida, on Sunday confirmed to AFP that they had transferred dead and wounded children to a hospital in the government-held Khokha district nearby. The Red Sea province of Hodeida has witnessed some of the Yemen war's most intense fighting, which has eased since the government and Huthi rebels agreed to a ceasefire in the area in December. The Iran-backed Huthis have battled the government and its allies in a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for control of the impoverished country for four years. Hodeida, held by the rebels since 2014, has witnessed intermittent clashes between the Huthis and pro-government forces since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18. Around 10,000 people -- mostly civilians -- have been killed and more than 60,000 wounded since Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the conflict in 2015, according to the World Health Organization. Rights groups say the real figure could be five times as high. The conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 10 million people at risk of starvation. Over 24 million Yemenis -- more than three-quarters of the country's population -- are now dependent on some form of aid for survival, according to the UN.

Five children killed in attack in Yemen's Hodeida: UN

These are tough times for Saudi Arabia.

The drama enveloping the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the brutal way in which it was carried out has captured public attention. In reality, however, Saudi Arabia’s real problems began earlier as a result of its conduct of the Yemen War.

Saudi interference in Yemen that culminated in military intervention predates the four-year-old war. Yemen has long been perceived by Saudi Arabia as a threat. That threat went far beyond current Iranian support for the Houthis. In fact, it was Saudi divide-and-rule tactics in Yemen, changing Saudi attitudes towards the Houthis and Saudi Arabia’s global campaign to promote anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian strands of ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim Islam that helped pave the way for the current Yemen crisis.

It is only half a century ago that the Houthis were part of a Saudi effort to confront Arab nationalism. As an aside, Saudis and Israelis cooperated already then with Israeli military aircraft dropping weapons for the Saudi-backed rebels that included the Houthis. The deterioration in Saudi-Houthi relations accelerated just after the turn to this century when the Saudis funded the opening of a Salafi centre on the outskirts of the Houthi capital of Saada.

The centre constituted not only a challenge to the Houthis but also to the power of the Houthi leadership. It successfully appealed to the socially disadvantaged as well as youth who were attracted by Salafism’s egalitarianism, resented the power of the older generation and saw puritan Islam as a vehicle to challenge the traditional hierarchy. Fear of the Wahhabi/Salafi encroachment fuelled the Houthi’s armed fight against the government of the then President Ali Abdullah Saleh, his Saudi-backed successor Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, and ultimately the Saudis themselves, which led to the kingdom’s military intervention in Yemen in March 2015.

To initially counter the threat, the leadership of the Houthis, Zaidis who are Shiites with practices more akin to Sunni Muslim ritual, turned to Iran for support in religious education, a development that further angered the kingdom, and laid the groundwork for a war that has devastated a country that already ranked as one of the world’s poorest.

The Saudi intervention was, however, about more than just confronting an Iranian proxy on its doorstep. For one, if anything, it was the intervention that really drove the Houthis and Iranians closer to one another. Even so, the Houthis remain an opportunity in a far broader Saudi-Iranian rivalry rather than a strategic target for the Iranians.&nbsp;

The Salmans, the king and his son, have since coming to office and despite the emergence of Donald Trump, taken to new heights a far more assertive foreign and military policy that was initially crafted by their predecessors in response to the popular Arab revolts in 2011. Make however no mistake, Saudi Arabia’s new assertiveness is not a declaration of independence from the United States even if the kingdom is expanding its international relations as is evident in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent tour of Asia.

On the contrary, Prince Mohammed made that very clear in multiple interviews. His goal was to force the United States to reengage in the Middle East as the best guarantor for regional stability. The Saudis appear to be operating on the basis of Karl Marx’s Verelendungs theory: things have to get worse to get better. That is the part of the backdrop of the stalled military intervention in Yemen. Dangling Iran as the real threat emanating from Yemen serves the Saudis’ purpose.

In doing so Saudi Arabia has proven to be driven. It is a drive that is fuelled by a perception that Iran poses an existential threat to Saudi Arabia. In fact, that may not be incorrect, certainly from the perception of the monarchy and its ruling family.

Saudi Arabia dazzles with the billions of dollars gained from oil exports that it is able to invest overseas and the investment opportunities it creates in the kingdom itself. But the truth of the matter is that long-term Saudi Arabia’s future is not that of a regional hegemon.

Saudi regional leadership, even if it has been tarnished in Yemen in military and reputational terms, amounts to exploitation of a window of opportunity rather than reliance on the assets and power needed to sustain it. Saudi Arabia’s interest is to extend its window of opportunity for as long as possible. That window of opportunity exists as long as the obvious regional powers – Iran, Turkey and Egypt – are in various degrees of disrepair. For now, punitive economic sanctions and international isolation take care of Iran.

And that is what bites. Iran may not be Arab and maintains a sense of Persian superiority, but it has like Turkey and Egypt assets Saudi Arabia lacks: a large population base, an industrial base, a huge domestic market, a battle-hardened military, a deep-rooted culture, a history of empire and geography that makes it a crossroads. Mecca and money will not be able to compete.

Add to all of these two factors. The Islamic regime came to power in a revolution that preceded the 2011 Arab revolts by 32 years. Moreover, the Iranian revolution toppled a monarch, not a president and an icon of US power in the Middle East.

Perhaps, more importantly, if one disregards the sanctioning of Iran, it is Iran rather than Saudi Arabia that is likely to shape the future energy architecture of Eurasia. Oil, in terms of demand, is a diminishing commodity. If the long-term future is renewables, the medium term will be shaped by gas. Iran has gas, Saudi Arabia does not, at least not the kind of gas it can export. In fact, Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves. Again, disregarding the sanctions, Iran would have in the next five years 24.6 billion cubic metres available for annual piped exports beyond its current supply commitments.

If, indeed, Iran poses an existential threat to the rule of the Al Saud family that it cannot eliminate and at best contain with the support of the United States, the question is what Saudi Arabia’s goal in Yemen is as well as in its broader rivalry with Iran. There are those who coherently argue that Saudi Arabia’s goal in Yemen may have initially been the roll-back of Houthi advances with their occupation of the Yemeni capital Sana’s and large parts of Yemen, destruction of Houthi power and forcing them into a situation in which they would have had to accept a Saudi-dictated end to the war.

Four years into the war, that is not a realistic goal. Short of that, the question is how sincere Saudi and for that matter, UAE interest is in finding a way out of the war. It is conceivable that short of outright victory, Saudi Arabia would want to keep Yemen weak and the Houthis militarily on the defensive. That is at best only sustainable in the short term. The fact of the matter is that the reputational damage Saudi Arabia has suffered is starting to hurt witness measures taken by the US Congress and Germany’s decision to halt arms sales to the kingdom. Conflicts are only ended, if not resolved if the pain of continuing the conflict is greater than the pain of ending it. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia could well be nearing the inflection point.

The problem is that even if the United Nations-mediated peace talks ultimately produce an end to the war, Yemen, if anything, will pose in the post-war era an even greater and more real threat. Yemen for much of post-World War two history has been an afterthought in the international community if it sparked a thought at all. Yet, what a post-war Yemen will represent is a devastated country that largely needs to be rebuilt from scratch, a country whose traumatised population has suffered one the world’s worst humanitarian disasters and will need all the after-care that goes with that.

Beyond the taking care of the most immediate humanitarian issues, there is little reason to believe that investors and governments with massive aid packages and offers of reconstruction will be knocking on Yemen’s doors. Like in Syria and Libya, the risk is of the emergence of a generation that has nothing to look forward to and nothing to lose. In Yemen, that generation is likely to deeply resent what it perceives Saudi Arabia has done to their country. If Saudi Arabia, long saw Yemen as the Gulf’s most populous nation with a battle-hardened military that needed to be managed, that new generation is likely to put flesh on the skeleton.

It's not a pretty picture to look forward to. And it is one in which the damage has already been done. Having said that, its never too late to try to limit the damage, if not reverse affairs. That, however, would take the kind of courage and vision that Prince Mohammed and others in power elsewhere in the Middle East have yet to demonstrate. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

These are tough times for Saudi Arabia. The drama enveloping the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the brutal way in which it was carried out has captured public attention.

These are tough times for Saudi Arabia. The drama enveloping the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the brutal way in which it was carried out has captured public attention. In reality, however, Saudi Arabia’s real problems began earlier as a result of its conduct of the Yemen War. Saudi interference in Yemen that culminated in military intervention predates the four-year-old war. Yemen has long been perceived by Saudi Arabia as a threat. That threat went far beyond current Iranian support for the Houthis. In fact, it was Saudi divide-and-rule tactics in Yemen, changing Saudi attitudes towards the Houthis and Saudi Arabia’s global campaign to promote anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian strands of ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim Islam that helped pave the way for the current Yemen crisis. It is only half a century ago that the Houthis were part of a Saudi effort to confront Arab nationalism. As an aside, Saudis and Israelis cooperated already then with Israeli military aircraft dropping weapons for the Saudi-backed rebels that included the Houthis. The deterioration in Saudi-Houthi relations accelerated just after the turn to this century when the Saudis funded the opening of a Salafi centre on the outskirts of the Houthi capital of Saada. The centre constituted not only a challenge to the Houthis but also to the power of the Houthi leadership. It successfully appealed to the socially disadvantaged as well as youth who were attracted by Salafism’s egalitarianism, resented the power of the older generation and saw puritan Islam as a vehicle to challenge the traditional hierarchy. Fear of the Wahhabi/Salafi encroachment fuelled the Houthi’s armed fight against the government of the then President Ali Abdullah Saleh, his Saudi-backed successor Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, and ultimately the Saudis themselves, which led to the kingdom’s military intervention in Yemen in March 2015. To initially counter the threat, the leadership of the Houthis, Zaidis who are Shiites with practices more akin to Sunni Muslim ritual, turned to Iran for support in religious education, a development that further angered the kingdom, and laid the groundwork for a war that has devastated a country that already ranked as one of the world’s poorest. The Saudi intervention was, however, about more than just confronting an Iranian proxy on its doorstep. For one, if anything, it was the intervention that really drove the Houthis and Iranians closer to one another. Even so, the Houthis remain an opportunity in a far broader Saudi-Iranian rivalry rather than a strategic target for the Iranians. The Salmans, the king and his son, have since coming to office and despite the emergence of Donald Trump, taken to new heights a far more assertive foreign and military policy that was initially crafted by their predecessors in response to the popular Arab revolts in 2011. Make however no mistake, Saudi Arabia’s new assertiveness is not a declaration of independence from the United States even if the kingdom is expanding its international relations as is evident in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent tour of Asia. On the contrary, Prince Mohammed made that very clear in multiple interviews. His goal was to force the United States to reengage in the Middle East as the best guarantor for regional stability. The Saudis appear to be operating on the basis of Karl Marx’s Verelendungs theory: things have to get worse to get better. That is the part of the backdrop of the stalled military intervention in Yemen. Dangling Iran as the real threat emanating from Yemen serves the Saudis’ purpose. In doing so Saudi Arabia has proven to be driven. It is a drive that is fuelled by a perception that Iran poses an existential threat to Saudi Arabia. In fact, that may not be incorrect, certainly from the perception of the monarchy and its ruling family. Saudi Arabia dazzles with the billions of dollars gained from oil exports that it is able to invest overseas and the investment opportunities it creates in the kingdom itself. But the truth of the matter is that long-term Saudi Arabia’s future is not that of a regional hegemon. Saudi regional leadership, even if it has been tarnished in Yemen in military and reputational terms, amounts to exploitation of a window of opportunity rather than reliance on the assets and power needed to sustain it. Saudi Arabia’s interest is to extend its window of opportunity for as long as possible. That window of opportunity exists as long as the obvious regional powers – Iran, Turkey and Egypt – are in various degrees of disrepair. For now, punitive economic sanctions and international isolation take care of Iran. And that is what bites. Iran may not be Arab and maintains a sense of Persian superiority, but it has like Turkey and Egypt assets Saudi Arabia lacks: a large population base, an industrial base, a huge domestic market, a battle-hardened military, a deep-rooted culture, a history of empire and geography that makes it a crossroads. Mecca and money will not be able to compete. Add to all of these two factors. The Islamic regime came to power in a revolution that preceded the 2011 Arab revolts by 32 years. Moreover, the Iranian revolution toppled a monarch, not a president and an icon of US power in the Middle East. Perhaps, more importantly, if one disregards the sanctioning of Iran, it is Iran rather than Saudi Arabia that is likely to shape the future energy architecture of Eurasia. Oil, in terms of demand, is a diminishing commodity. If the long-term future is renewables, the medium term will be shaped by gas. Iran has gas, Saudi Arabia does not, at least not the kind of gas it can export. In fact, Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves. Again, disregarding the sanctions, Iran would have in the next five years 24.6 billion cubic metres available for annual piped exports beyond its current supply commitments. If, indeed, Iran poses an existential threat to the rule of the Al Saud family that it cannot eliminate and at best contain with the support of the United States, the question is what Saudi Arabia’s goal in Yemen is as well as in its broader rivalry with Iran. There are those who coherently argue that Saudi Arabia’s goal in Yemen may have initially been the roll-back of Houthi advances with their occupation of the Yemeni capital Sana’s and large parts of Yemen, destruction of Houthi power and forcing them into a situation in which they would have had to accept a Saudi-dictated end to the war. Four years into the war, that is not a realistic goal. Short of that, the question is how sincere Saudi and for that matter, UAE interest is in finding a way out of the war. It is conceivable that short of outright victory, Saudi Arabia would want to keep Yemen weak and the Houthis militarily on the defensive. That is at best only sustainable in the short term. The fact of the matter is that the reputational damage Saudi Arabia has suffered is starting to hurt witness measures taken by the US Congress and Germany’s decision to halt arms sales to the kingdom. Conflicts are only ended, if not resolved if the pain of continuing the conflict is greater than the pain of ending it. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia could well be nearing the inflection point. The problem is that even if the United Nations-mediated peace talks ultimately produce an end to the war, Yemen, if anything, will pose in the post-war era an even greater and more real threat. Yemen for much of post-World War two history has been an afterthought in the international community if it sparked a thought at all. Yet, what a post-war Yemen will represent is a devastated country that largely needs to be rebuilt from scratch, a country whose traumatised population has suffered one the world’s worst humanitarian disasters and will need all the after-care that goes with that. Beyond the taking care of the most immediate humanitarian issues, there is little reason to believe that investors and governments with massive aid packages and offers of reconstruction will be knocking on Yemen’s doors. Like in Syria and Libya, the risk is of the emergence of a generation that has nothing to look forward to and nothing to lose. In Yemen, that generation is likely to deeply resent what it perceives Saudi Arabia has done to their country. If Saudi Arabia, long saw Yemen as the Gulf’s most populous nation with a battle-hardened military that needed to be managed, that new generation is likely to put flesh on the skeleton. It's not a pretty picture to look forward to. And it is one in which the damage has already been done. Having said that, its never too late to try to limit the damage, if not reverse affairs. That, however, would take the kind of courage and vision that Prince Mohammed and others in power elsewhere in the Middle East have yet to demonstrate. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

In Yemen, Saudi Arabia could be nearing the inflection point

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed peace efforts in Yemen and the crisis in Venezuela with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday, a UN spokesman said.

The 35-minute meeting at UN headquarters was requested by Pompeo.

Pompeo and the UN chief "discussed the situation in Yemen, in particular the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement and the importance of the parties to begin phase 1 of the redeployment from Hodeida," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

"They also discussed the situation in Venezuela and the region", he added, without providing details.&nbsp;

Yemen's government and Huthi rebels have agreed on the first phase of a redeployment of forces from the Red Sea port of Hodeida, in line with a ceasefire deal reached in Sweden in December.

The port is the entry point for the bulk of humanitarian aid and supplies to Yemen, where millions are on the brink of famine.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Tuesday that he expected the pullback of forces to begin in the coming days, but by Thursday there had been no movement on the ground.&nbsp;

On Venezuela, the UN chief has called for serious political negotiations to end a standoff between leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim president, and President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States is leading a push to recognize Guaido, backed by about 50 countries including Britain, France, Germany and several Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. &nbsp;

Fears are growing of a violent confrontation over Guaido's bid to bring US humanitarian aid into the country from Colombia, in defiance of the government which accuses Washington of using aid for regime change.&nbsp;

The United Nations has said that aid should not be politicized.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed peace efforts in Yemen and the crisis in Venezuela with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday, a UN spokesman said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed peace efforts in Yemen and the crisis in Venezuela with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday, a UN spokesman said. The 35-minute meeting at UN headquarters was requested by Pompeo. Pompeo and the UN chief "discussed the situation in Yemen, in particular the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement and the importance of the parties to begin phase 1 of the redeployment from Hodeida," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "They also discussed the situation in Venezuela and the region", he added, without providing details. Yemen's government and Huthi rebels have agreed on the first phase of a redeployment of forces from the Red Sea port of Hodeida, in line with a ceasefire deal reached in Sweden in December. The port is the entry point for the bulk of humanitarian aid and supplies to Yemen, where millions are on the brink of famine. UN envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Tuesday that he expected the pullback of forces to begin in the coming days, but by Thursday there had been no movement on the ground. On Venezuela, the UN chief has called for serious political negotiations to end a standoff between leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim president, and President Nicolas Maduro. The United States is leading a push to recognize Guaido, backed by about 50 countries including Britain, France, Germany and several Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. Fears are growing of a violent confrontation over Guaido's bid to bring US humanitarian aid into the country from Colombia, in defiance of the government which accuses Washington of using aid for regime change. The United Nations has said that aid should not be politicized.

Pompeo discusses Yemen, Venezuela in talks with UN chief

Yemen's warring parties have agreed to start withdrawing forces from the main port of Hodeidah under a UN-sponsored deal, the United Nations said, following weeks of diplomacy to salvage a pact that stalled over control of the Red Sea city.

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government agreed in talks in December to withdraw troops by January 7 from Hodeidah - a lifeline for millions facing famine - under a truce accord aimed at averting a full-scale assault on the port and paving the way for negotiations to end the four-year-old war.

"The parties reached an agreement on Phase 1 of the mutual redeployment of forces," the UN&nbsp;spokesman's office said in a statement without giving details on what was agreed.

Under Phase 1, the Houthis would withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef, used for grains, and Ras Isa, used for oil. This would be met by a retreat of Saudi-led coalition forces from the eastern outskirts of Hodeidah, where battles raged before a ceasefire went into effect on December 18.

The Houthis control Hodeidah, the main entry point for the bulk of Yemen's commercial and aid imports, while other Yemeni forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition loyal to ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi are massed on the outskirts.

The UN&nbsp;statement said the two sides also agreed "in principle" on Phase 2, entailing full redeployment of both parties' forces in Hodeidah province.

Two sources involved in the negotiations, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of discussions, said both sides had yet to agree on a withdrawal timeline or on a mechanism for local forces to take over security at the ports and city.

"The UN&nbsp;is still discussing how to reduce the gap between the two sides on how to choose the forces that will control the city," one source told Reuters.

The parties could decide within 7-10 days on where they would re-position forces, said the other source, adding that Houthi fighters could pull back as far as 20 km (15 miles) from the port.

Humanitarian corridors

Disagreement on withdrawal had delayed opening humanitarian corridors needed to reach 10 million people on the brink of starvation in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula.

Under the first phase, the two sides agreed to reopen main roads linking Hodeidah to the Houthi-held capital Sanaa and in Yemen's third city of Taiz, a UN&nbsp;source told Reuters.

They also agreed to enable access to Red Sea Mills, which holds some 50,000 tonnes of World Food Programme grain, enough to feed 3.7 million people for a month, the source said. Access to the site has been cut off since September due to fighting.

"One of the problems with this process so far has been that there are political agreements on how to make progress, but then nothing happens on the ground," said Elizabeth Dickinson, a senior analyst at International Crisis Group.

"Now we theoretically have this agreement to move forward, we need to see someone move on the ground," she said.

The Hodeidah truce has largely been respected but there have been intermittent skirmishes in flashpoints on the city's edges.

Hodeidah became the focus of the war last year when the coalition twice launched an offensive to seize the port and weaken the Houthis by cutting of their main supply line.

The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in 2015 to restore Hadi's internationally recognised government that was ousted from power in Sanaa in late 2014.

The Houthis control most urban centres while Hadi's government is based in the southern port of Aden and controls some coastal towns.

Western nations, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the coalition, have pressed for an end to the war that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny receiving help from Tehran and say their revolution is against corruption.

Yemen's warring parties have agreed to start withdrawing forces from the main port of Hodeidah under a UN-sponsored deal, the United Nations said, following weeks of diplomacy to salvage a pact that stalled over control of the Red Sea city.

Yemen's warring parties have agreed to start withdrawing forces from the main port of Hodeidah under a UN-sponsored deal, the United Nations said, following weeks of diplomacy to salvage a pact that stalled over control of the Red Sea city. The Iran-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government agreed in talks in December to withdraw troops by January 7 from Hodeidah - a lifeline for millions facing famine - under a truce accord aimed at averting a full-scale assault on the port and paving the way for negotiations to end the four-year-old war. "The parties reached an agreement on Phase 1 of the mutual redeployment of forces," the UN spokesman's office said in a statement without giving details on what was agreed. Under Phase 1, the Houthis would withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef, used for grains, and Ras Isa, used for oil. This would be met by a retreat of Saudi-led coalition forces from the eastern outskirts of Hodeidah, where battles raged before a ceasefire went into effect on December 18. The Houthis control Hodeidah, the main entry point for the bulk of Yemen's commercial and aid imports, while other Yemeni forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition loyal to ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi are massed on the outskirts. The UN statement said the two sides also agreed "in principle" on Phase 2, entailing full redeployment of both parties' forces in Hodeidah province. Two sources involved in the negotiations, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of discussions, said both sides had yet to agree on a withdrawal timeline or on a mechanism for local forces to take over security at the ports and city. "The UN is still discussing how to reduce the gap between the two sides on how to choose the forces that will control the city," one source told Reuters. The parties could decide within 7-10 days on where they would re-position forces, said the other source, adding that Houthi fighters could pull back as far as 20 km (15 miles) from the port. Humanitarian corridors Disagreement on withdrawal had delayed opening humanitarian corridors needed to reach 10 million people on the brink of starvation in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Under the first phase, the two sides agreed to reopen main roads linking Hodeidah to the Houthi-held capital Sanaa and in Yemen's third city of Taiz, a UN source told Reuters. They also agreed to enable access to Red Sea Mills, which holds some 50,000 tonnes of World Food Programme grain, enough to feed 3.7 million people for a month, the source said. Access to the site has been cut off since September due to fighting. "One of the problems with this process so far has been that there are political agreements on how to make progress, but then nothing happens on the ground," said Elizabeth Dickinson, a senior analyst at International Crisis Group. "Now we theoretically have this agreement to move forward, we need to see someone move on the ground," she said. The Hodeidah truce has largely been respected but there have been intermittent skirmishes in flashpoints on the city's edges. Hodeidah became the focus of the war last year when the coalition twice launched an offensive to seize the port and weaken the Houthis by cutting of their main supply line. The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in 2015 to restore Hadi's internationally recognised government that was ousted from power in Sanaa in late 2014. The Houthis control most urban centres while Hadi's government is based in the southern port of Aden and controls some coastal towns. Western nations, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the coalition, have pressed for an end to the war that has killed tens of thousands of people. The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny receiving help from Tehran and say their revolution is against corruption.

Yemen's parties agree to start stalled troop withdrawal from main port

By Jeff Bachman

The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to deny further military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.

The bipartisan vote for the bill was a repudiation of the Obama and Trump administrations’ support for the Saudis and a war that many charge includes violations of human rights. A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

The legislation now goes to the Senate. President Trump has said that he would veto it if passed.

Guterres put the crisis in stark perspective, emphasising the near complete lack of security for the Yemeni people. More than 22 million people out of a total population of 28 million are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. Eighteen million people lack reliable access to food; 8.4 million people “do not know how they will obtain their next meal.”

As a scholar of genocide and human rights, I believe the destruction brought about by these attacks combined with the blockade amounts to genocide.

Based on my research, published online by Third World Quarterly, I believe the coalition would not be capable of committing this crime without the material and logistical support of both the Obama and Trump administrations.

A ‘storm’ recast as ‘hope’

Yemen has been gripped by a civil war since 2015, pitting the Shia Houthi movement – which has fought for centuries for control of parts of Yemen – against a government backed by Sunni Saudi Arabia. Because of these religious differences, it would be easy to recast what is largely a political conflict in Yemen as a sectarian one.

That characterisation fits Saudi and US assertions that the Houthis are controlled by Shiite Iran, a claim that has not gone uncontested. Both the Saudis and the US are hostile to Iran, so US support of Saudia Arabia in Yemen represents what US administrations have said are strategic interests in the region.

Besides Saudi Arabia, the coalition attacking Yemen includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Qatar was part of the coalition but is no longer.

During the first three years of “Operation Decisive Storm,” later renamed “Operation Renewal of Hope,” 16,749 coalition air attacks in Yemen were documented by the Yemen Data Project, which describes itself as an “independent data collection project aimed at collecting and disseminating data on the conduct of the war in Yemen.”

Based on the information available to it using open sources, the Yemen Data Project reports that two-thirds of the coalition’s bombing attacks have been against nonmilitary and unknown targets. The coalition isn’t accidentally attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure – it’s doing it deliberately.

That’s evident from the kind – and volume – of civilian targets documented. They include places that are generally protected against attack even under the lax rules of international humanitarian law: Residential areas, vehicles, marketplaces and mosques as well as boats, social gatherings and camps for internally displaced persons.

Because of the role it plays in movement of people, food and medicine, Yemen’s transportation infrastructure is especially important. Airports, ports, bridges and roads have all been repeatedly attacked.

Yemen’s economic infrastructure – farms, private businesses and factories, oil and gas facilities, water and electricity lines and food storage – have also been hit. And the coalition has targeted and destroyed schools and medical facilities, too.

Finally, Yemen’s cultural heritage has been attacked. In all, at least 78 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed, including archaeological sites, museums, mosques, churches and tombs, as well as numerous other monuments and residences that have great historical and cultural significance.

How to make a crisis

The attacks aren’t the only way the coalition is creating a massive humanitarian crisis.

The air and naval blockade, in effect since March 2015, “is essentially using the threat of starvation as a bargaining tool and an instrument of war,” according to the UN panel of experts on Yemen.

The blockade stops and inspects vessels seeking entry to Yemen’s ports. That allows the coalition to regulate and restrict Yemenis’ access to food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid.

In his analysis of the blockade’s legality, Dutch military scholar Martin Fink writes that the blockade means “massive time delays and uncertainty on what products would be allowed to enter.”

Despite U.N. efforts to alleviate some of the worst delays, imports are often held up for a long time. In some cases, food that makes it through the blockade has already spoiled, if the entry is not denied altogether.

In some ways, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is unprecedented and can be tied directly to the conflict. As the World Bank notes, “Yemen’s very difficult economic challenges before the current conflict cannot be compared to the intensely critical situation the country is facing today.”

Similarly, Tufts University scholar Alex de Waal describes Yemen as “the greatest famine atrocity of our lifetimes.” It was caused, writes de Waal, by the coalition “deliberately destroying the country’s food-producing infrastructure.”

The failing security for the people of Yemen has been compounded by a failing health system. The World Health Organisation reported in September 2017 that only 45 per cent of health facilities in Yemen were functional.

As Secretary-General Guterres put it, “Treatable illnesses become a death sentence when local health services are suspended and it is impossible to travel outside the country.”

As of February 2018, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the coalition had killed 6,000 people in airstrikes and wounded nearly 10,000 more.

Yet, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report, these counts are conservative. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have also died from causes related to the war. According to Save the Children, an estimated 85,000 children under five may have died since 2015, with more than 50,000 child deaths in 2017 alone from hunger and related causes.

Coalition actions in Yemen amount to nothing short of what Raphael Lemkin, the individual who coined the term “genocide,” referred to as a “synchronized attack on different aspects of life.”

The US contribution

The coalition’s genocide in Yemen would not be possible without the complicity of the US. This has been a bipartisan presidential effort, covering both the Obama and Trump administrations.

US arms are being used to kill Yemenis and destroy their country. In 2016, well after the coalition began its genocidal assault on Yemen, four of the top five recipients of US arms sales were members of the coalition.

The U.S. has also provided the coalition with logistical support, including mid-air refuelling, targeting advice and support, intelligence, expedited munitions resupply and maintenance.

Other than the sale of arms, perhaps the most significant contribution to the coalition’s ability to commit genocide in Yemen has been the provision of fuel and midair refuelling of coalition warplanes, which was halted in early November 2018. By the middle of 2017, the US had delivered over 67 million pounds of fuel to the coalition and refuelled coalition aircraft more than 9,000 times.

Shared responsibility for genocide

As a genocide scholar, I believe that under international law, the US shares responsibility with the coalition for genocide in Yemen.

What does this mean? It means that the US must cease and desist all activities that facilitate genocide in Yemen. This would include stopping all sales of weapons and ending logistical support for coalition action. The legislation passed by the House would largely accomplish this, though the House bill would allow intelligence sharing with Saudi Arabia to continue when “appropriate in the national security interest of the United States.”

However, even if the Senate passes it, the president’s likely veto of the bill will mean no change in the deadly status quo unless the legislation garners enough support to override a presidential veto.

In an ideal world, one in which all states are equally subjects before international law, the U.S. would also seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding what restitution it owes the people of Yemen for its role in the coalition’s genocide.

Similarly, the US would request an International Criminal Court investigation into individual culpability of US officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations for their role in facilitating the crimes committed in Yemen.

Of course, this is not an ideal world.

The US recognises neither the International Court of Justice’s authority to judge the legality of its actions, nor the International Criminal Court’s authority to investigate the suspected criminal acts of individual US officials. Such an investigation could be triggered by a UN Security Council referral, but the US would simply veto any such effort.

All that is left, then, is for the people of the US to hold their own to account for the crimes committed in their names. 
 
(Jeff Bachman is Professorial Lecturer in Human Rights, American University School of International Service)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/senate-vote-could-end-us-complicity-in-the-saudi-led-genocide-in-yemen-111952">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

By Jeff Bachman The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to deny further military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.

By Jeff Bachman The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to deny further military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. The bipartisan vote for the bill was a repudiation of the Obama and Trump administrations’ support for the Saudis and a war that many charge includes violations of human rights. A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” The legislation now goes to the Senate. President Trump has said that he would veto it if passed. Guterres put the crisis in stark perspective, emphasising the near complete lack of security for the Yemeni people. More than 22 million people out of a total population of 28 million are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. Eighteen million people lack reliable access to food; 8.4 million people “do not know how they will obtain their next meal.” As a scholar of genocide and human rights, I believe the destruction brought about by these attacks combined with the blockade amounts to genocide. Based on my research, published online by Third World Quarterly, I believe the coalition would not be capable of committing this crime without the material and logistical support of both the Obama and Trump administrations. A ‘storm’ recast as ‘hope’ Yemen has been gripped by a civil war since 2015, pitting the Shia Houthi movement – which has fought for centuries for control of parts of Yemen – against a government backed by Sunni Saudi Arabia. Because of these religious differences, it would be easy to recast what is largely a political conflict in Yemen as a sectarian one. That characterisation fits Saudi and US assertions that the Houthis are controlled by Shiite Iran, a claim that has not gone uncontested. Both the Saudis and the US are hostile to Iran, so US support of Saudia Arabia in Yemen represents what US administrations have said are strategic interests in the region. Besides Saudi Arabia, the coalition attacking Yemen includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Qatar was part of the coalition but is no longer. During the first three years of “Operation Decisive Storm,” later renamed “Operation Renewal of Hope,” 16,749 coalition air attacks in Yemen were documented by the Yemen Data Project, which describes itself as an “independent data collection project aimed at collecting and disseminating data on the conduct of the war in Yemen.” Based on the information available to it using open sources, the Yemen Data Project reports that two-thirds of the coalition’s bombing attacks have been against nonmilitary and unknown targets. The coalition isn’t accidentally attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure – it’s doing it deliberately. That’s evident from the kind – and volume – of civilian targets documented. They include places that are generally protected against attack even under the lax rules of international humanitarian law: Residential areas, vehicles, marketplaces and mosques as well as boats, social gatherings and camps for internally displaced persons. Because of the role it plays in movement of people, food and medicine, Yemen’s transportation infrastructure is especially important. Airports, ports, bridges and roads have all been repeatedly attacked. Yemen’s economic infrastructure – farms, private businesses and factories, oil and gas facilities, water and electricity lines and food storage – have also been hit. And the coalition has targeted and destroyed schools and medical facilities, too. Finally, Yemen’s cultural heritage has been attacked. In all, at least 78 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed, including archaeological sites, museums, mosques, churches and tombs, as well as numerous other monuments and residences that have great historical and cultural significance. How to make a crisis The attacks aren’t the only way the coalition is creating a massive humanitarian crisis. The air and naval blockade, in effect since March 2015, “is essentially using the threat of starvation as a bargaining tool and an instrument of war,” according to the UN panel of experts on Yemen. The blockade stops and inspects vessels seeking entry to Yemen’s ports. That allows the coalition to regulate and restrict Yemenis’ access to food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid. In his analysis of the blockade’s legality, Dutch military scholar Martin Fink writes that the blockade means “massive time delays and uncertainty on what products would be allowed to enter.” Despite U.N. efforts to alleviate some of the worst delays, imports are often held up for a long time. In some cases, food that makes it through the blockade has already spoiled, if the entry is not denied altogether. In some ways, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is unprecedented and can be tied directly to the conflict. As the World Bank notes, “Yemen’s very difficult economic challenges before the current conflict cannot be compared to the intensely critical situation the country is facing today.” Similarly, Tufts University scholar Alex de Waal describes Yemen as “the greatest famine atrocity of our lifetimes.” It was caused, writes de Waal, by the coalition “deliberately destroying the country’s food-producing infrastructure.” The failing security for the people of Yemen has been compounded by a failing health system. The World Health Organisation reported in September 2017 that only 45 per cent of health facilities in Yemen were functional. As Secretary-General Guterres put it, “Treatable illnesses become a death sentence when local health services are suspended and it is impossible to travel outside the country.” As of February 2018, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the coalition had killed 6,000 people in airstrikes and wounded nearly 10,000 more. Yet, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report, these counts are conservative. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have also died from causes related to the war. According to Save the Children, an estimated 85,000 children under five may have died since 2015, with more than 50,000 child deaths in 2017 alone from hunger and related causes. Coalition actions in Yemen amount to nothing short of what Raphael Lemkin, the individual who coined the term “genocide,” referred to as a “synchronized attack on different aspects of life.” The US contribution The coalition’s genocide in Yemen would not be possible without the complicity of the US. This has been a bipartisan presidential effort, covering both the Obama and Trump administrations. US arms are being used to kill Yemenis and destroy their country. In 2016, well after the coalition began its genocidal assault on Yemen, four of the top five recipients of US arms sales were members of the coalition. The U.S. has also provided the coalition with logistical support, including mid-air refuelling, targeting advice and support, intelligence, expedited munitions resupply and maintenance. Other than the sale of arms, perhaps the most significant contribution to the coalition’s ability to commit genocide in Yemen has been the provision of fuel and midair refuelling of coalition warplanes, which was halted in early November 2018. By the middle of 2017, the US had delivered over 67 million pounds of fuel to the coalition and refuelled coalition aircraft more than 9,000 times. Shared responsibility for genocide As a genocide scholar, I believe that under international law, the US shares responsibility with the coalition for genocide in Yemen. What does this mean? It means that the US must cease and desist all activities that facilitate genocide in Yemen. This would include stopping all sales of weapons and ending logistical support for coalition action. The legislation passed by the House would largely accomplish this, though the House bill would allow intelligence sharing with Saudi Arabia to continue when “appropriate in the national security interest of the United States.” However, even if the Senate passes it, the president’s likely veto of the bill will mean no change in the deadly status quo unless the legislation garners enough support to override a presidential veto. In an ideal world, one in which all states are equally subjects before international law, the U.S. would also seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding what restitution it owes the people of Yemen for its role in the coalition’s genocide. Similarly, the US would request an International Criminal Court investigation into individual culpability of US officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations for their role in facilitating the crimes committed in Yemen. Of course, this is not an ideal world. The US recognises neither the International Court of Justice’s authority to judge the legality of its actions, nor the International Criminal Court’s authority to investigate the suspected criminal acts of individual US officials. Such an investigation could be triggered by a UN Security Council referral, but the US would simply veto any such effort. All that is left, then, is for the people of the US to hold their own to account for the crimes committed in their names. (Jeff Bachman is Professorial Lecturer in Human Rights, American University School of International Service) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Senate vote could end US complicity in the Saudi-led genocide in Yemen

Starving girl shows impact of Yemen war, economic collapse

Representatives from both sides in the Yemen conflict met on a ship on the Red Sea on Sunday in a UN-led push to implement a stalled troop withdrawal from Yemen's main port of Hodeidah as agreed at December peace talks, a UN official told Reuters.

The is overseeing the implementation of a ceasefire and troop withdrawal accord in Hodeidah, the main entry point for most of Yemen's imports, in the hope it will lead to a political solution to the almost four-year war.

The warring parties were meant to withdraw their forces by January 7 as part of efforts to avert a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, but have failed to do so as the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and the Saudi-backed government disagrees on who should control the city and ports.

Sunday's meeting was the third time the UN-led Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) convened since it was formed in December, bringing together the Houthis with the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government and UN mediators.

The parties met on a UN ship because attempts to convene the third meeting in territory held by coalition forces failed because the Houthis were unwilling to cross the frontline, sources have told Reuters. The first two meetings were held in territory under Houthi control, after which the head of the UN mission tasked with overseeing the deal, Patrick Cammaert, shuttled between the two parties.

The vessel picked up a delegation from Yemen's internationally recognised government at an offshore meeting point in the Red Sea before sailing to Hodeidah to pick up the Houthi delegation, a UN statement said on Saturday.

The spokesman for the Yemeni government's delegation to the RCC, Sadiq Dweid, told Reuters the committee had discussed Cammaert's proposals for the troop withdrawal at Sunday's meeting.

"The meetings will continue," he said.

The truce has largely held in Hodeidah, but clashes have increased in recent weeks and the UN Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths has urged all parties to reduce tensions. Violence has continued in other parts of the country not subject to the deal.

Griffiths' office told Reuters the meeting had begun on Sunday.

The conflict, widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been bogged down in a military stalemate for years.

A Sunni Muslim Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after it was ousted from power in the capital Sanaa by the Houthis in late 2014.

The Houthis, who say they are enacting a revolution against corruption, control most urban centres in the poorest Arabian Peninsula nation while Hadi's government controls the southern port of Aden and string of coastal towns.

Pope Francis said on Sunday he is following the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with great worry and urged all sides to respect international agreements and ensure food reaches suffering Yemenis.

Representatives from both sides in the Yemen conflict met on a ship on the Red Sea on Sunday in a UN-led push to implement a stalled troop withdrawal from Yemen's main port of Hodeidah as agreed at December peace talks, a UN official told Reuters.

Representatives from both sides in the Yemen conflict met on a ship on the Red Sea on Sunday in a UN-led push to implement a stalled troop withdrawal from Yemen's main port of Hodeidah as agreed at December peace talks, a UN official told Reuters. The is overseeing the implementation of a ceasefire and troop withdrawal accord in Hodeidah, the main entry point for most of Yemen's imports, in the hope it will lead to a political solution to the almost four-year war. The warring parties were meant to withdraw their forces by January 7 as part of efforts to avert a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, but have failed to do so as the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and the Saudi-backed government disagrees on who should control the city and ports. Sunday's meeting was the third time the UN-led Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) convened since it was formed in December, bringing together the Houthis with the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government and UN mediators. The parties met on a UN ship because attempts to convene the third meeting in territory held by coalition forces failed because the Houthis were unwilling to cross the frontline, sources have told Reuters. The first two meetings were held in territory under Houthi control, after which the head of the UN mission tasked with overseeing the deal, Patrick Cammaert, shuttled between the two parties. The vessel picked up a delegation from Yemen's internationally recognised government at an offshore meeting point in the Red Sea before sailing to Hodeidah to pick up the Houthi delegation, a UN statement said on Saturday. The spokesman for the Yemeni government's delegation to the RCC, Sadiq Dweid, told Reuters the committee had discussed Cammaert's proposals for the troop withdrawal at Sunday's meeting. "The meetings will continue," he said. The truce has largely held in Hodeidah, but clashes have increased in recent weeks and the UN Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths has urged all parties to reduce tensions. Violence has continued in other parts of the country not subject to the deal. Griffiths' office told Reuters the meeting had begun on Sunday. The conflict, widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been bogged down in a military stalemate for years. A Sunni Muslim Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after it was ousted from power in the capital Sanaa by the Houthis in late 2014. The Houthis, who say they are enacting a revolution against corruption, control most urban centres in the poorest Arabian Peninsula nation while Hadi's government controls the southern port of Aden and string of coastal towns. Pope Francis said on Sunday he is following the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with great worry and urged all sides to respect international agreements and ensure food reaches suffering Yemenis.

Yemen's warring parties meet on ship to discuss stalled troop withdrawal

Pope Francis, who will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, said he is following the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with great worry and urged all sides to respect international agreements and ensure food reaches suffering Yemenis.

"The population is exhausted by the long conflict and many, many children are suffering from hunger but they are not able to get to food deposits. The cry of these children and their parents rises up to God," he told tens of thousands of people in St&nbsp;Peter's Square during his regular Sunday address.

"I appeal to all sides involved and to the international community to urgently press for respect of the agreements that have been reached, to guarantee the distribution of food, and work for the good of the population."

"There are children who are hungry, they are thirsty, they don't have medicine," he added.

The UAE has played a leading role in the Saudi-led military coalition waging a nearly four-year war against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen in a conflict which has pushed the poorest country on the peninsula to the brink of famine.

Francis will become the first pontiff to set foot on the Arabian Peninsula and is due to make two public addresses.

Pope Francis, who will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, said he is following the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with great worry and urged all sides to respect international agreements and ensure food reaches suffering Yemenis.

Pope Francis, who will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, said he is following the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with great worry and urged all sides to respect international agreements and ensure food reaches suffering Yemenis. "The population is exhausted by the long conflict and many, many children are suffering from hunger but they are not able to get to food deposits. The cry of these children and their parents rises up to God," he told tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square during his regular Sunday address. "I appeal to all sides involved and to the international community to urgently press for respect of the agreements that have been reached, to guarantee the distribution of food, and work for the good of the population." "There are children who are hungry, they are thirsty, they don't have medicine," he added. The UAE has played a leading role in the Saudi-led military coalition waging a nearly four-year war against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen in a conflict which has pushed the poorest country on the peninsula to the brink of famine. Francis will become the first pontiff to set foot on the Arabian Peninsula and is due to make two public addresses.

Pope Francis urges 'respect' for Yemen truce accord

&nbsp;A committee overseeing a ceasefire in Hodeidah will hold its next meeting on a ship off the port city as Yemen's warring parties cannot agree on a venue, Yemeni and UN sources said on Saturday.

The United Nations is trying to implement a truce and troop withdrawal accord in Hodeidah, the main entry point for most of Yemen's imports, as part of efforts to end a war that has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation.

The UN envoy for Yemen has urged the warring parties to withdraw their troops from the port quickly, and international aid agencies said conditions for thousands of starving people were deteriorating fast.

The truce in Hodeidah has largely been respected since coming into force a month ago, but skirmishes continue between the Houthi movement and their foes in a Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore the internationally-recognised government.

A Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), which is chaired by the world body and includes both sides, holds regular meetings to supervise the implementation of the ceasefire.

One of the sources said that the United Nations has hired a ship to be used as the headquarters for the RCC and its meetings. Another source said representatives of the warring parties would be taken to the ship on UN helicopters.

The RCC had previously met in Houthi-run territory, but attempts to convene a meeting in areas held by coalition forces failed because the Houthis were unwilling to cross the frontline, sources told Reuters in late January.

Troops have not yet pulled out, missing a January 7 target, and residents and aid workers have told Reuters that barricades, trenches and roadblocks have been reinforced.

As part of the accord, both sides agreed to the deployment of international monitors in Hodeidah.

The next meeting of the RCC is expected next week after the arrival of Danish Major General Michael Anker Lollesgaar who was appointed on Thursday to replace retired General Patrick Cammaert. Lollesgaar is expected to arrive in Amman on Sunday and will travel to Hodeidah afterwards.

The Houthis control Hodeidah and coalition troops are massed on its outskirts. But the warring sides disagree over who should control the city and port after forces withdraw, and both sides have accused one another of violating the pact.

The UN&nbsp;envoy, Martin Griffiths, has been shuttling between the parties to rescue the deal, the first major diplomatic breakthrough of the nearly four-year-old war.

A committee overseeing a ceasefire in Hodeidah will hold its next meeting on a ship off the port city as Yemen's warring parties cannot agree on a venue, Yemeni and UN sources said on Saturday.

A committee overseeing a ceasefire in Hodeidah will hold its next meeting on a ship off the port city as Yemen's warring parties cannot agree on a venue, Yemeni and UN sources said on Saturday. The United Nations is trying to implement a truce and troop withdrawal accord in Hodeidah, the main entry point for most of Yemen's imports, as part of efforts to end a war that has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation. The UN envoy for Yemen has urged the warring parties to withdraw their troops from the port quickly, and international aid agencies said conditions for thousands of starving people were deteriorating fast. The truce in Hodeidah has largely been respected since coming into force a month ago, but skirmishes continue between the Houthi movement and their foes in a Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore the internationally-recognised government. A Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), which is chaired by the world body and includes both sides, holds regular meetings to supervise the implementation of the ceasefire. One of the sources said that the United Nations has hired a ship to be used as the headquarters for the RCC and its meetings. Another source said representatives of the warring parties would be taken to the ship on UN helicopters. The RCC had previously met in Houthi-run territory, but attempts to convene a meeting in areas held by coalition forces failed because the Houthis were unwilling to cross the frontline, sources told Reuters in late January. Troops have not yet pulled out, missing a January 7 target, and residents and aid workers have told Reuters that barricades, trenches and roadblocks have been reinforced. As part of the accord, both sides agreed to the deployment of international monitors in Hodeidah. The next meeting of the RCC is expected next week after the arrival of Danish Major General Michael Anker Lollesgaar who was appointed on Thursday to replace retired General Patrick Cammaert. Lollesgaar is expected to arrive in Amman on Sunday and will travel to Hodeidah afterwards. The Houthis control Hodeidah and coalition troops are massed on its outskirts. But the warring sides disagree over who should control the city and port after forces withdraw, and both sides have accused one another of violating the pact. The UN envoy, Martin Griffiths, has been shuttling between the parties to rescue the deal, the first major diplomatic breakthrough of the nearly four-year-old war.

Yemen truce monitor mission to meet on UN-hired ship: Report

The head of a UN mission tasked with overseeing a peace deal in Yemen's Hodeidah port city is safe after a reported shooting incident, the United Nations said on Thursday.

Both the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement which controls Hodeidah and the Saudi-led coalition that has massed troops on its outskirts, accused one another of opening fire on the convoy of retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert.

"Patrick Cammaert and team are safe in Hodeidah following reported shooting incident. More information to come later," the office of the spokesperson for the UN chief tweeted.

A Yemeni source in the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters the convoy was visiting an area under its control when Houthi fighters opened fire. A statement from a Houthi official sent to Reuters said coalition-backed forces in the eastern suburbs, a flashpoint, had fired on the convoy.

Cammaert arrived in the Red Sea port city on December 22 to head the committee overseeing implementation of a ceasefire and troop withdrawal deal reached at peace talks last month in Sweden between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.

The ceasefire has largely held but sporadic skirmishes have flared. The United Nations has struggled to implement the withdrawal of forces from both sides.

The truce has averted a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, the entry point for the bulk of Yemen's commercial imports and vital aid supplies. It is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing severe hunger in the poorest Arabian Peninsula country.

The UN Security Council approved on Wednesday the deployment of up to 75 observers to Hodeidah for six months to monitor implementation of the deal, which was the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts in five years.

The coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the war in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognised government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa in 2014.

The Houthis, who say their revolution is against corruption, control most urban centres while Hadi's government is based in the southern port city of Aden.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths has said that substantial progress was needed in Hodeidah before more talks can be held on ending the war that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Western allies, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the Sunni Muslim coalition, have pressed for an end to the conflict that is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and its foe Shi'ite Muslim Iran.

The head of a UN mission tasked with overseeing a peace deal in Yemen's Hodeidah port city is safe after a reported shooting incident, the United Nations said on Thursday.

The head of a UN mission tasked with overseeing a peace deal in Yemen's Hodeidah port city is safe after a reported shooting incident, the United Nations said on Thursday. Both the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement which controls Hodeidah and the Saudi-led coalition that has massed troops on its outskirts, accused one another of opening fire on the convoy of retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert. "Patrick Cammaert and team are safe in Hodeidah following reported shooting incident. More information to come later," the office of the spokesperson for the UN chief tweeted. A Yemeni source in the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters the convoy was visiting an area under its control when Houthi fighters opened fire. A statement from a Houthi official sent to Reuters said coalition-backed forces in the eastern suburbs, a flashpoint, had fired on the convoy. Cammaert arrived in the Red Sea port city on December 22 to head the committee overseeing implementation of a ceasefire and troop withdrawal deal reached at peace talks last month in Sweden between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The ceasefire has largely held but sporadic skirmishes have flared. The United Nations has struggled to implement the withdrawal of forces from both sides. The truce has averted a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, the entry point for the bulk of Yemen's commercial imports and vital aid supplies. It is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing severe hunger in the poorest Arabian Peninsula country. The UN Security Council approved on Wednesday the deployment of up to 75 observers to Hodeidah for six months to monitor implementation of the deal, which was the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts in five years. The coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the war in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognised government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa in 2014. The Houthis, who say their revolution is against corruption, control most urban centres while Hadi's government is based in the southern port city of Aden. UN envoy Martin Griffiths has said that substantial progress was needed in Hodeidah before more talks can be held on ending the war that has killed tens of thousands of people. Western allies, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the Sunni Muslim coalition, have pressed for an end to the conflict that is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and its foe Shi'ite Muslim Iran.

UN says team head safe in Yemen's Hodeidah after shooting incident

Yemeni rebels on Sunday boycotted a meeting chaired by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-envoy-arrives-in-yemen-to-push-hodeida-truce-188462">the head of a UN-led ceasefire</a> monitoring team in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-erupt-in-yemens-hodeida-despite-truce-189838">the flashpoint city of Hodeida</a>, accusing him of pursuing "other agendas".

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is leading a joint committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, tasked with overseeing a truce in the Red Sea port city and the withdrawal of both parties.

Huthi rebel negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam said Cammaert "steered from the course of the agreement by implementing other agendas".&nbsp;

"If (UN envoy to Yemen Martin) Griffiths does not address the issue, it is going to be difficult to discuss any other matter," he said on Twitter without elaborating.&nbsp;

An AFP photographer said that the Huthi representatives did not take part in the committee meeting in Hodeida on Sunday.

The UN declined to comment.&nbsp;

Clashes erupted between Huthi rebels and government forces in Hodeida on Saturday, dealing a new blow to the fragile truce.

The rebel-held port city, which is a lifeline for the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, was for months the main front line in the Yemeni conflict after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June.

But last month the warring parties agreed on a ceasefire for Hodeida during UN-sponsored talks in Sweden.

The United Nations has said the truce has largely held since it came into force on December 18 but there have been delays in the agreed pullback of rebel and government forces.

The Huthis control most of Hodeida while government forces are deployed on the southern and eastern outskirts.

Since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015, the conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people and unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations.

UN aid officials say 80 per cent of the population — 24 million people — are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine.

Clashes erupted between Huthi rebels and government forces in Hodeida on Saturday, dealing a new blow to the fragile truce.

Yemeni rebels on Sunday boycotted a meeting chaired by the head of a UN-led ceasefire monitoring team in the flashpoint city of Hodeida, accusing him of pursuing "other agendas". Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is leading a joint committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, tasked with overseeing a truce in the Red Sea port city and the withdrawal of both parties. Huthi rebel negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam said Cammaert "steered from the course of the agreement by implementing other agendas". "If (UN envoy to Yemen Martin) Griffiths does not address the issue, it is going to be difficult to discuss any other matter," he said on Twitter without elaborating. An AFP photographer said that the Huthi representatives did not take part in the committee meeting in Hodeida on Sunday. The UN declined to comment. Clashes erupted between Huthi rebels and government forces in Hodeida on Saturday, dealing a new blow to the fragile truce. The rebel-held port city, which is a lifeline for the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, was for months the main front line in the Yemeni conflict after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. But last month the warring parties agreed on a ceasefire for Hodeida during UN-sponsored talks in Sweden. The United Nations has said the truce has largely held since it came into force on December 18 but there have been delays in the agreed pullback of rebel and government forces. The Huthis control most of Hodeida while government forces are deployed on the southern and eastern outskirts. Since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015, the conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people and unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. UN aid officials say 80 per cent of the population — 24 million people — are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine.

Yemen rebels boycott meeting with UN-led truce monitors

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/talks-on-yemens-economy-could-take-place-in-amman-huthi-rebels-188750">Clashes erupted between Huthi rebels</a> and government forces in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-envoy-arrives-in-yemen-to-push-hodeida-truce-188462">Yemen's flashpoint port city of Hodeida</a> on Saturday, dealing a new blow to a fragile truce, an AFP correspondent reported.

Artillery and machine-gun exchanges rocked the southern part of Hodeida in the early morning before tapering off later in the day, the correspondent said.

The rebel-held port city, which is a lifeline for the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, was for months the main front line in the Yemeni conflict after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June.

But last month the warring parties agreed on a ceasefire for Hodeida during UN-sponsored talks in Sweden.

The United Nations has said the truce has largely held since it came into force on December 18 but there have been delays in the agreed pullback of rebel and government forces.

The Huthis control most of Hodeida while government forces are deployed on its southern and eastern outskirts.

Since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015, the conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people and unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations.

UN aid officials say 80 per cent of the population -- 24 million people -- are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine.

UN aid coordinator Lise Grande visited Hodeida on Friday and met local officials, the head of Yemen's National Authority for the Administration and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Jaber al-Razahi, said.

"The reason for the visit of UN humanitarian coordinator Lisa Grande to Hodeida is to see the humanitarian situation... and ensure the arrival of aid through the port," Eazahi said.

Artillery and machine-gun exchanges rocked the southern part of Hodeida in the early morning before tapering off later in the day, an AFP correspondent reported.

Clashes erupted between Huthi rebels and government forces in Yemen's flashpoint port city of Hodeida on Saturday, dealing a new blow to a fragile truce, an AFP correspondent reported. Artillery and machine-gun exchanges rocked the southern part of Hodeida in the early morning before tapering off later in the day, the correspondent said. The rebel-held port city, which is a lifeline for the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, was for months the main front line in the Yemeni conflict after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. But last month the warring parties agreed on a ceasefire for Hodeida during UN-sponsored talks in Sweden. The United Nations has said the truce has largely held since it came into force on December 18 but there have been delays in the agreed pullback of rebel and government forces. The Huthis control most of Hodeida while government forces are deployed on its southern and eastern outskirts. Since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015, the conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people and unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. UN aid officials say 80 per cent of the population -- 24 million people -- are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine. UN aid coordinator Lise Grande visited Hodeida on Friday and met local officials, the head of Yemen's National Authority for the Administration and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Jaber al-Razahi, said. "The reason for the visit of UN humanitarian coordinator Lisa Grande to Hodeida is to see the humanitarian situation... and ensure the arrival of aid through the port," Eazahi said.

Clashes erupt in Yemen's Hodeida despite truce

Talks to address Yemen's failed economy could take place in Jordan's capital Amman, a rebel leader said Sunday after meeting <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-envoy-arrives-in-yemen-to-push-hodeida-truce-188462">UN envoy Martin Griffiths</a>.

Discussions on the war-torn country's economy "could take place in Amman... which I discussed with the UN envoy", Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the rebel Higher Revolutionary Committee, told AFP. He added that the meeting may alternatively take place by video conference.

The Huthi rebels later released a statement on Sunday clarifying that the official was referring to "economic meetings" that could take place and not the second round of peace negotiations between the rebels and the government.&nbsp;

One month after hard-won peace talks on the Yemen conflict, the United Nations faces an uphill battle as it pushes to ensure the warring parties make good on a shaky truce deal.

UN envoy Griffiths, who brokered the breakthrough last month in Sweden, returned to Yemen Saturday with a plan to expedite measures agreed between the government and Huthi rebels.

Key among them is the redeployment of rival forces from Hodeida, the Red Sea port city crucial for aid and food imports.

Griffiths, scheduled to see Yemeni government officials in the Saudi capital Riyadh after meeting the rebels, hopes to bring the warring sides together later this month — possibly in Kuwait — to follow up on progress made at December's talks.&nbsp;

The UN envoy held talks Sunday with Huthi chief Abdelmalik al-Huthi, spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said in a statement carried by rebel Al-Masira TV.

He said that the two addressed "preparations for the upcoming round of talks".&nbsp;

Rebel-held Hodeida was for months the main front line in the Yemen war after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. &nbsp;

But a precarious calm has largely held in the city since a ceasefire agreement came into force on December 18.&nbsp;

Under the deal, both the Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces should withdraw from the area.&nbsp;

UN spokesman Farhan Haq on Thursday confirmed the cessation of hostilities continued to hold in Hodeida, despite mutual accusations of violations by the rebels and Saudi-backed government.&nbsp;

But there has not yet been progress on the redeployment of loyalist and rebel forces from Hodeida city.

The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognized government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo&nbsp;Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognized government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

Talks to address Yemen's failed economy could take place in Jordan's capital Amman, a rebel leader said Sunday after meeting UN envoy Martin Griffiths. Discussions on the war-torn country's economy "could take place in Amman... which I discussed with the UN envoy", Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the rebel Higher Revolutionary Committee, told AFP. He added that the meeting may alternatively take place by video conference. The Huthi rebels later released a statement on Sunday clarifying that the official was referring to "economic meetings" that could take place and not the second round of peace negotiations between the rebels and the government. One month after hard-won peace talks on the Yemen conflict, the United Nations faces an uphill battle as it pushes to ensure the warring parties make good on a shaky truce deal. UN envoy Griffiths, who brokered the breakthrough last month in Sweden, returned to Yemen Saturday with a plan to expedite measures agreed between the government and Huthi rebels. Key among them is the redeployment of rival forces from Hodeida, the Red Sea port city crucial for aid and food imports. Griffiths, scheduled to see Yemeni government officials in the Saudi capital Riyadh after meeting the rebels, hopes to bring the warring sides together later this month — possibly in Kuwait — to follow up on progress made at December's talks. The UN envoy held talks Sunday with Huthi chief Abdelmalik al-Huthi, spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said in a statement carried by rebel Al-Masira TV. He said that the two addressed "preparations for the upcoming round of talks". Rebel-held Hodeida was for months the main front line in the Yemen war after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. But a precarious calm has largely held in the city since a ceasefire agreement came into force on December 18. Under the deal, both the Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces should withdraw from the area. UN spokesman Farhan Haq on Thursday confirmed the cessation of hostilities continued to hold in Hodeida, despite mutual accusations of violations by the rebels and Saudi-backed government. But there has not yet been progress on the redeployment of loyalist and rebel forces from Hodeida city. The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set. The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognized government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened. The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.

Talks on Yemen's economy could take place in Amman: Huthi rebels

The UN envoy for Yemen arrived in the capital Sanaa on Saturday for talks to shore up a ceasefire in the country's lifeline port city of Hodeida, an AFP photographer said.

Martin Griffiths is scheduled to hold talks in Sanaa with Huthi rebel leaders before visiting Saudi capital Riyadh to meet Yemeni government officials.

While in Sanaa he will also meet retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, who has been appointed by the UN to head a truce monitoring team.

Huthi sources said Griffiths would visit Hodeida city on Sunday.&nbsp;

The Red Sea port is the entry point for the majority of imports to Yemen, where more than 22 million people now depend on humanitarian aid to survive.

The UN envoy made no remarks on arrival, but he met five children with chronic diseases who were waiting in ambulances to call for the lifting of the years-old blockade on Sanaa airport.

Huthi rebels say the airport blockade has prevented thousands of Yemeni patients from travelling abroad for treatment.

Hundreds of Huthi supporters staged a street protest in Hodeida on Friday to urge the United Nations to implement the truce accord.

Griffiths, who played a key role in mediating the December deal, will push warring sides to implement the agreement, officials said.

Under the deal, both the handover of Hodeida port and the redeployment of troops should have been completed within 14 days of the truce taking effect on December 18.&nbsp;

That deadline has already lapsed, but a member of the government's truce monitoring team told AFP there is no agreement yet on who should be responsible for the port.

Differences over details

The truce deal states that the port should be handed over to "the local authorities in accordance with Yemen law," said the official who requested anonymity.

Huthis insist that this refers to the officials currently running the port, who are their allies.&nbsp;

The government says the port should be handed over to officials who ran the facility before the Huthis captured Hodeida in late 2014, the official said.

There are also differences over the redeployment of forces, he said.&nbsp;

Griffiths' visit comes as the ceasefire in Hodeida is generally holding, although there have been intermittent clashes, with each side blaming the other.

Yemen's government has written to the UN Security Council, accusing rebels of failing to comply with the ceasefire.

The rebels have accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out low-altitude flights over the city.

The United Nations is hoping to bring the warring sides together later this month, possibly in Kuwait, to follow up on progress made at December's talks in Stockholm, diplomats have said.

The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognised government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.

The UN envoy for Yemen arrived in the capital Sanaa on Saturday for talks to shore up a ceasefire in the country's lifeline port city of Hodeida, an AFP photographer said.

The UN envoy for Yemen arrived in the capital Sanaa on Saturday for talks to shore up a ceasefire in the country's lifeline port city of Hodeida, an AFP photographer said. Martin Griffiths is scheduled to hold talks in Sanaa with Huthi rebel leaders before visiting Saudi capital Riyadh to meet Yemeni government officials. While in Sanaa he will also meet retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, who has been appointed by the UN to head a truce monitoring team. Huthi sources said Griffiths would visit Hodeida city on Sunday. The Red Sea port is the entry point for the majority of imports to Yemen, where more than 22 million people now depend on humanitarian aid to survive. The UN envoy made no remarks on arrival, but he met five children with chronic diseases who were waiting in ambulances to call for the lifting of the years-old blockade on Sanaa airport. Huthi rebels say the airport blockade has prevented thousands of Yemeni patients from travelling abroad for treatment. Hundreds of Huthi supporters staged a street protest in Hodeida on Friday to urge the United Nations to implement the truce accord. Griffiths, who played a key role in mediating the December deal, will push warring sides to implement the agreement, officials said. Under the deal, both the handover of Hodeida port and the redeployment of troops should have been completed within 14 days of the truce taking effect on December 18. That deadline has already lapsed, but a member of the government's truce monitoring team told AFP there is no agreement yet on who should be responsible for the port. Differences over details The truce deal states that the port should be handed over to "the local authorities in accordance with Yemen law," said the official who requested anonymity. Huthis insist that this refers to the officials currently running the port, who are their allies. The government says the port should be handed over to officials who ran the facility before the Huthis captured Hodeida in late 2014, the official said. There are also differences over the redeployment of forces, he said. Griffiths' visit comes as the ceasefire in Hodeida is generally holding, although there have been intermittent clashes, with each side blaming the other. Yemen's government has written to the UN Security Council, accusing rebels of failing to comply with the ceasefire. The rebels have accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out low-altitude flights over the city. The United Nations is hoping to bring the warring sides together later this month, possibly in Kuwait, to follow up on progress made at December's talks in Stockholm, diplomats have said. The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set. The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognised government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened. The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.

UN envoy arrives in Yemen to push Hodeida truce

Yemen’s Houthis start redeployment in Hodeidah as part of UN deal

A UN-led team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire met Wednesday in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uneasy-calm-in-yemens-hodeida-as-combatants-await-un-truce-team-185546">Yemen's flashpoint city of Hodeida</a>, after sporadic clashes underscored the fragility of the truce which began last week.

The ceasefire in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/advance-un-truce-monitors-arrive-in-yemens-hodeidah-186094">rebel-held city</a>, whose Red Sea port is vital for millions at risk of starvation, is part of a peace push seen as the best chance yet of ending four years of devastating conflict.

A pro-government official told AFP that loyalist members of the committee overseeing the truce went to the Union Palace Hotel in the east of Hodeida city to take part in the meeting.&nbsp;

"We are expecting a good outcome," said the official, who requested anonymity.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading the joint committee, which includes both government officials and Huthi rebels, and chaired its first face-to-face meeting.

According to a Yemeni official, government members headed to the sit-down in UN vehicles.&nbsp;

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric has described the meeting as "one of the priorities" of Cammaert's mission.

A truce in Hodeida and its surroundings went into effect on December 18 but has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations.

Government forces — backed by a Saudi-led coalition — and the Iran-aligned Huthis exchanged gunfire for a few hours on Wednesday morning, an AFP correspondent reported.

The sound of heavy artillery could be heard to the east of the city.

An official for the Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday that 10 pro-government troops had been killed since the ceasefire went into force, accusing the Huthis of 183 violations.&nbsp;

"The fact of the matter is, unfortunately, that the Huthis are clearly looking to provoke a response from the coalition and no one is holding them accountable," he told AFP.

The rebels, in turn, said on the same day that they had recorded at least 31 violations in the past 24 hours by pro-government troops, according to the Huthi-run Al-Masirah TV.&nbsp;

The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in 2015 when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led military coalition intervened.

Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high.

The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine.

'Right to offensive'&nbsp;

A coalition official warned Tuesday of a renewed offensive on Hodeida if violations of the ceasefire persist.

"We look forward to supporting Cammaert in his efforts... we genuinely hope he succeeds, but if not, we reserve the right to recommence an offensive to liberate the city," said the official who spoke on condition anonymity.

Cammaert arrived in Hodeida on Sunday from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden.

Yemen's warring sides agreed at peace talks in Sweden this month on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and the coalition against Hodeida.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to oversee the truce.

The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeida's port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city.

The text approved by the Security Council "insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed" for Hodeida.

It authorises the United Nations to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership.

A UN-led team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire met Wednesday in Yemen's flashpoint city of Hodeida, after sporadic clashes underscored the fragility of the truce which began last week.

A UN-led team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire met Wednesday in Yemen's flashpoint city of Hodeida, after sporadic clashes underscored the fragility of the truce which began last week. The ceasefire in the rebel-held city, whose Red Sea port is vital for millions at risk of starvation, is part of a peace push seen as the best chance yet of ending four years of devastating conflict. A pro-government official told AFP that loyalist members of the committee overseeing the truce went to the Union Palace Hotel in the east of Hodeida city to take part in the meeting. "We are expecting a good outcome," said the official, who requested anonymity. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading the joint committee, which includes both government officials and Huthi rebels, and chaired its first face-to-face meeting. According to a Yemeni official, government members headed to the sit-down in UN vehicles. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric has described the meeting as "one of the priorities" of Cammaert's mission. A truce in Hodeida and its surroundings went into effect on December 18 but has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations. Government forces — backed by a Saudi-led coalition — and the Iran-aligned Huthis exchanged gunfire for a few hours on Wednesday morning, an AFP correspondent reported. The sound of heavy artillery could be heard to the east of the city. An official for the Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday that 10 pro-government troops had been killed since the ceasefire went into force, accusing the Huthis of 183 violations. "The fact of the matter is, unfortunately, that the Huthis are clearly looking to provoke a response from the coalition and no one is holding them accountable," he told AFP. The rebels, in turn, said on the same day that they had recorded at least 31 violations in the past 24 hours by pro-government troops, according to the Huthi-run Al-Masirah TV. The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in 2015 when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led military coalition intervened. Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high. The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. 'Right to offensive' A coalition official warned Tuesday of a renewed offensive on Hodeida if violations of the ceasefire persist. "We look forward to supporting Cammaert in his efforts... we genuinely hope he succeeds, but if not, we reserve the right to recommence an offensive to liberate the city," said the official who spoke on condition anonymity. Cammaert arrived in Hodeida on Sunday from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden. Yemen's warring sides agreed at peace talks in Sweden this month on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and the coalition against Hodeida. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to oversee the truce. The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeida's port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city. The text approved by the Security Council "insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed" for Hodeida. It authorises the United Nations to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership.

UN-led monitors meet in Yemen's Hodeida as clashes test truce

A UN&nbsp;advance team arrived in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-warring-sides-trade-blame-for-truce-breach-swap-prisoner-lists-185321">Yemen</a>'s port city of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemenis-in-hodeidah-hope-truce-holds-as-warring-parties-talk-peace-184115">Hodeidah</a> on Sunday to start monitoring a ceasefire and withdrawal of forces agreed by the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces, the United Nations said.

The warring parties in Yemen's nearly four-year war reached the deal at UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden earlier this month. The truce began on Tuesday but skirmishes continued on the outskirts of the city.

The UN&nbsp;Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the deployment&nbsp;for an initial 30 days of an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert. He is chair of a Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) that includes representatives from both sides of the conflict.

"General Cammaert is encouraged by the general enthusiasm of both sides to get to work, immediately. One of the priorities in the coming days will be the organization of the first joint RCC meeting, which is projected for 26 December," UN&nbsp;spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Cammaert's team, which the United Nations has said will not be uninformed or armed, will oversee the truce and troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports.

The United Nations will also provide support for the management of and inspections at the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa; and strengthen its presence in the war-torn region.

Hodeidah, the main port used to feed Yemen's 30 million people, has been the focus of fighting this year, raising fears abroad that a full-scale assault could cut off supplies to nearly 16 million people suffering from severe hunger.

The deal reached in Sweden is meant to pave the way for a wider ceasefire in the impoverished country and the second round of talks in January on a framework for political negotiations.

A Sunni Muslim Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates entered the war in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognized government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa.

The Houthis control most urban centres, including Sanaa, while Hadi's government is based in the southern port of Aden.

A UN advance team arrived in Yemen's port city of Hodeidah on Sunday to start monitoring a ceasefire and withdrawal of forces agreed by the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces, the United Nations said.

A UN advance team arrived in Yemen's port city of Hodeidah on Sunday to start monitoring a ceasefire and withdrawal of forces agreed by the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces, the United Nations said. The warring parties in Yemen's nearly four-year war reached the deal at UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden earlier this month. The truce began on Tuesday but skirmishes continued on the outskirts of the city. The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the deployment for an initial 30 days of an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert. He is chair of a Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) that includes representatives from both sides of the conflict. "General Cammaert is encouraged by the general enthusiasm of both sides to get to work, immediately. One of the priorities in the coming days will be the organization of the first joint RCC meeting, which is projected for 26 December," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Cammaert's team, which the United Nations has said will not be uninformed or armed, will oversee the truce and troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports. The United Nations will also provide support for the management of and inspections at the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa; and strengthen its presence in the war-torn region. Hodeidah, the main port used to feed Yemen's 30 million people, has been the focus of fighting this year, raising fears abroad that a full-scale assault could cut off supplies to nearly 16 million people suffering from severe hunger. The deal reached in Sweden is meant to pave the way for a wider ceasefire in the impoverished country and the second round of talks in January on a framework for political negotiations. A Sunni Muslim Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates entered the war in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognized government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa. The Houthis control most urban centres, including Sanaa, while Hadi's government is based in the southern port of Aden.

Advance UN truce monitors arrive in Yemen's Hodeidah

Yemen's warring parties blamed each other for violations of a UN-mediated ceasefire in Hodeidah meant to avert an all-out battle for a port city vital for emergency aid supplies and pave the way to peace negotiations.

Residents reported shelling late on Tuesday, the first day of the truce, for nearly one hour on the eastern and southern outskirts of the Houthi-held Red Sea city, a lifeline for millions at risk of famine. Calm prevailed on Wednesday.

But a source in the Saudi-led coalition arrayed against the Iran-aligned Houthis told Reuters that if international monitors were not deployed in Hodeidah soon, the deal reached under of UN-brokered confidence-building process could falter.

The United Nations was due to convene the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government by video link on Wednesday to discuss a troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports under the truce deal agreed at talks in Sweden last week, the first in more than two years.

Houthi-run al-Masirah TV accused coalition forces of shelling several sites in Hodeidah, including areas east of the airport. The United Arab Emirates news agency WAM quoted a Yemeni source as saying the Houthis fired mortar bombs and rockets at the May 22 Hospital in the eastern suburbs.

"We will continue to give them (Houthis) the benefit of the doubt and show restraint, but early indicators are not promising," said the coalition source, who declined to be named.

"If the U.N. ... takes too long to get into (the) theatre, they will lose the opportunity altogether and the Stockholm agreement will (be) a dead duck."

Three residents in the capital Sanaa, from where the Houthis ousted the internationally recognised government in 2014, told Reuters that the coalition carried out several air strikes on al-Dulaimi Air Base near Sanaa airport on Wednesday.

The ceasefire deal, which covers only Hodeidah, will see international monitors deployed in the city and port with all armed forces pulling out within 21 days of the truce.

PRISONER SWAP

Hodeidah, the main port used to feed Yemen’s 30 million people, has been the focus of fighting this year, raising fears abroad that a full-scale assault could cut off supplies to 15.9 million people suffering from severe hunger.

Western nations have pressed the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to end the nearly four-year war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and is widely seen as a proxy conflict between regional big powers Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The alliance, which receives arms and intelligence from the West, entered the war in 2015 to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, now based in the southern port of Aden. The Houthis control most urban centres.

The truce, the first significant breakthrough in peacemaking efforts, is meant to pave the way for a wider ceasefire in the impoverished country and a framework for political negotiations.

The two sides had also agreed a prisoner swap. A Red Cross official said in Geneva on Wednesday they had exchanged lists of a total of 16,000 people believed to be detained.

The U.N. video conference will be the first meeting of the Redeployment Coordination Committee overseeing the ceasefire and withdrawal. It includes three representatives from both sides.

It will be chaired by retired Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert, expected leave New York later this week to Yemen.

The Security Council is considering a resolution to ask the U.N. chief to submit proposals by the end of the month on how to monitor the truce and forces redeployment.

Yemen descended into war after pro-democracy unrest forced late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. Hadi was elected to a two-year term to head a transitional government but the Houthis drove him into Saudi exile.

The Houthis deny getting any help from Iran and say they are waging a revolution against corruption.

Yemen's warring parties blamed each other for violations of a UN-mediated ceasefire in Hodeidah meant to avert an all-out battle for a port city vital for emergency aid supplies and pave the way to peace negotiations.

Yemen's warring parties blamed each other for violations of a UN-mediated ceasefire in Hodeidah meant to avert an all-out battle for a port city vital for emergency aid supplies and pave the way to peace negotiations. Residents reported shelling late on Tuesday, the first day of the truce, for nearly one hour on the eastern and southern outskirts of the Houthi-held Red Sea city, a lifeline for millions at risk of famine. Calm prevailed on Wednesday. But a source in the Saudi-led coalition arrayed against the Iran-aligned Houthis told Reuters that if international monitors were not deployed in Hodeidah soon, the deal reached under of UN-brokered confidence-building process could falter. The United Nations was due to convene the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government by video link on Wednesday to discuss a troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports under the truce deal agreed at talks in Sweden last week, the first in more than two years. Houthi-run al-Masirah TV accused coalition forces of shelling several sites in Hodeidah, including areas east of the airport. The United Arab Emirates news agency WAM quoted a Yemeni source as saying the Houthis fired mortar bombs and rockets at the May 22 Hospital in the eastern suburbs. "We will continue to give them (Houthis) the benefit of the doubt and show restraint, but early indicators are not promising," said the coalition source, who declined to be named. "If the U.N. ... takes too long to get into (the) theatre, they will lose the opportunity altogether and the Stockholm agreement will (be) a dead duck." Three residents in the capital Sanaa, from where the Houthis ousted the internationally recognised government in 2014, told Reuters that the coalition carried out several air strikes on al-Dulaimi Air Base near Sanaa airport on Wednesday. The ceasefire deal, which covers only Hodeidah, will see international monitors deployed in the city and port with all armed forces pulling out within 21 days of the truce. PRISONER SWAP Hodeidah, the main port used to feed Yemen’s 30 million people, has been the focus of fighting this year, raising fears abroad that a full-scale assault could cut off supplies to 15.9 million people suffering from severe hunger. Western nations have pressed the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to end the nearly four-year war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and is widely seen as a proxy conflict between regional big powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. The alliance, which receives arms and intelligence from the West, entered the war in 2015 to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, now based in the southern port of Aden. The Houthis control most urban centres. The truce, the first significant breakthrough in peacemaking efforts, is meant to pave the way for a wider ceasefire in the impoverished country and a framework for political negotiations. The two sides had also agreed a prisoner swap. A Red Cross official said in Geneva on Wednesday they had exchanged lists of a total of 16,000 people believed to be detained. The U.N. video conference will be the first meeting of the Redeployment Coordination Committee overseeing the ceasefire and withdrawal. It includes three representatives from both sides. It will be chaired by retired Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert, expected leave New York later this week to Yemen. The Security Council is considering a resolution to ask the U.N. chief to submit proposals by the end of the month on how to monitor the truce and forces redeployment. Yemen descended into war after pro-democracy unrest forced late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. Hadi was elected to a two-year term to head a transitional government but the Houthis drove him into Saudi exile. The Houthis deny getting any help from Iran and say they are waging a revolution against corruption.

Yemen's warring sides trade blame for breach of Hodeidah truce

UN special envoy Martin Griffiths on Sunday urged Yemen's warring parties to respect a ceasefire accord struck at peace talks in Sweden after deadly clashes in the port city of Hodeida.

"The special envoy expects the two parties to respect their obligations as per the text and spirit of the Stockholm Agreement and to engage in the immediate implementation of its provisions," Griffiths tweeted.

He said the UN was working with Yemen's Saudi-backed government and Iran-aligned Huthi rebels to ensure the accord on Hodeida reached in Sweden on Thursday were "implemented timely and properly".

Air strikes and fierce clashes shook the outskirts of Yemen's rebel-held Hodeida on Saturday night, pro-government sources and residents said, despite the UN-brokered ceasefire.

At least 29 fighters, including 22 Huthi rebels, were killed in Hodeida province, a pro-government military source told AFP.

He said seven rebels were captured during an attack on Al-Durayhimi, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Hodeida city.

The truce in Hodeida was due to be followed by the withdrawal within days of fighters on both sides.

The ceasefire accord has been seen as the most significant step towards ending the devastating conflict that has raged in Yemen since 2015. 
&nbsp;

UN special envoy Martin Griffiths on Sunday urged Yemen's warring parties to respect a ceasefire accord struck at peace talks in Sweden after deadly clashes in the port city of Hodeida.

UN special envoy Martin Griffiths on Sunday urged Yemen's warring parties to respect a ceasefire accord struck at peace talks in Sweden after deadly clashes in the port city of Hodeida. "The special envoy expects the two parties to respect their obligations as per the text and spirit of the Stockholm Agreement and to engage in the immediate implementation of its provisions," Griffiths tweeted. He said the UN was working with Yemen's Saudi-backed government and Iran-aligned Huthi rebels to ensure the accord on Hodeida reached in Sweden on Thursday were "implemented timely and properly". Air strikes and fierce clashes shook the outskirts of Yemen's rebel-held Hodeida on Saturday night, pro-government sources and residents said, despite the UN-brokered ceasefire. At least 29 fighters, including 22 Huthi rebels, were killed in Hodeida province, a pro-government military source told AFP. He said seven rebels were captured during an attack on Al-Durayhimi, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Hodeida city. The truce in Hodeida was due to be followed by the withdrawal within days of fighters on both sides. The ceasefire accord has been seen as the most significant step towards ending the devastating conflict that has raged in Yemen since 2015.

UN urges Yemen rivals to respect truce deal after clashes

Residents of Yemen's flashpoint port of Hodeida and other cities fear a UN-brokered ceasefire could collapse at any moment, saying that after four years of conflict any accord is deeply fragile.

On Friday morning, a day after the breakthrough agreement was penned in Sweden by representatives of the Yemeni government and the Huthi Shiite rebels, many held their breath.

The Red Sea port of Hodeida, the main front line between rebels and loyalist forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition and a key conduit of aid, had woken to calm after weeks of confrontation.

But hours later scattered clashes broke out with artillery and machinegun exchanges heard through the south and east of the city, residents said.

It was the first test of the fragile ceasefire.

Saturday morning saw calm return to Hodeida, but shops and schools remained shuttered as gunmen deployed in the south and east.

And on Saturday evening a Hodeida resident told AFP he could hear "continuous sounds of fire exchange and artillery" in the east of the city.

"Did they sign an agreement to end the war or to start it?", the resident asked.

Others had earlier voiced scepticism that the deal would hold.&nbsp;

"I was so happy they had reached a solution for Hodeida but our happiness was short lived," 28-year-old Hodeida resident Noha Ahmad told AFP after Friday night's clashes.

Omar Hassan, 40, said residents of the beleaguered city have been "desperately waiting for calm and security to be restored".

"Now we are afraid that clashes will return and persist," he said.

Thursday's ceasefire accord has been seen as the most significant step towards ending Yemen's devastating conflict, but analysts warned its success depends on sustained international pressure.

Under the terms of the accord, an "immediate" ceasefire is supposed to be implemented in Hodeida and fighters are due to withdraw in the next few days.

'Treacherous enemy'

A prisoner swap involving some 15,000 detainees is planned and a "mutual understanding" struck to facilitate aid deliveries to Yemen's third city Taiz -- under control of loyalists but besieged by rebels.

The two sides also agreed to meet again in late January, for more talks to define the framework for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement.

Some believe Thursday's hard-won accord will come to nought.

"We don't expect the enemy to abide by the agreement because the enemy is treacherous and not peaceful," said Mohammed Abdo, a fighter patrolling a Hodeida street and holding a rifle.

"Peace comes through guns," he said.

Elsewhere in the city -- in central and northern districts -- it was business as usual on Saturday with markets thronged with shoppers, but even there residents were cautious.

"Truces are always broken and the current agreement could collapse at any second," said a resident who declined to be identified.

Rebel-controlled Hodeida has been the target of an offensive launched by the Saudi-led coalition in June.

"The talks in Sweden were a positive step in light of the humanitarian hardships of Yemen and Hodeida in particular," said shop owner Marwan Halissi.

But he too agreed that more should be done to cement the ceasefire, calling for a bigger UN role and more "pressure on coalition countries" to pave the way for a lasting settlement.

'Ready and prepared'

In other parts of the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, there were also concerns that the ceasefire struck in the Swedish city of Rimbo could be short lived.

In the rebel-held capital Sanaa, the ceasefire agreement was met with mixed emotions.

On Friday, the day of the main weekly Muslim prayers, clerics issued calls on citizens to enlist in the ranks of the Huthis, pro-rebel media reported.

The Huthis also issued a statement saying "we are prepared for any option and to retaliate against any &nbsp;violation by the enemy".

Ismail al-Ghobeiri, strolling in a Sanaa market, struck a hopeful note.&nbsp;

"We hope that both sides will respect what they agreed on and, if this is done, then the next round of negotiations" due to be held in January, will have a chance, he said.

Further south in the loyalist-held second city of Aden, residents welcomed the ceasefire and hoped it would hold for the sake of war-weary civilians.

"We hope that the warring sides will think of the people who are on the threshold of despair," said Hassan bin Attaf.

"We pray to God to calm everyone -- politicians, military commanders and coalition forces -- so that the ceasefire will hold and the war will stop," he said.

The UN says the conflict has killed some 10,000 people and brought 14 million to the brink of famine in the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Human rights groups say the death toll could be five times as high.

Residents of Yemen's flashpoint port of Hodeida and other cities fear a UN-brokered ceasefire could collapse at any moment, saying that after four years of conflict any accord is deeply fragile.

Residents of Yemen's flashpoint port of Hodeida and other cities fear a UN-brokered ceasefire could collapse at any moment, saying that after four years of conflict any accord is deeply fragile. On Friday morning, a day after the breakthrough agreement was penned in Sweden by representatives of the Yemeni government and the Huthi Shiite rebels, many held their breath. The Red Sea port of Hodeida, the main front line between rebels and loyalist forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition and a key conduit of aid, had woken to calm after weeks of confrontation. But hours later scattered clashes broke out with artillery and machinegun exchanges heard through the south and east of the city, residents said. It was the first test of the fragile ceasefire. Saturday morning saw calm return to Hodeida, but shops and schools remained shuttered as gunmen deployed in the south and east. And on Saturday evening a Hodeida resident told AFP he could hear "continuous sounds of fire exchange and artillery" in the east of the city. "Did they sign an agreement to end the war or to start it?", the resident asked. Others had earlier voiced scepticism that the deal would hold. "I was so happy they had reached a solution for Hodeida but our happiness was short lived," 28-year-old Hodeida resident Noha Ahmad told AFP after Friday night's clashes. Omar Hassan, 40, said residents of the beleaguered city have been "desperately waiting for calm and security to be restored". "Now we are afraid that clashes will return and persist," he said. Thursday's ceasefire accord has been seen as the most significant step towards ending Yemen's devastating conflict, but analysts warned its success depends on sustained international pressure. Under the terms of the accord, an "immediate" ceasefire is supposed to be implemented in Hodeida and fighters are due to withdraw in the next few days. 'Treacherous enemy' A prisoner swap involving some 15,000 detainees is planned and a "mutual understanding" struck to facilitate aid deliveries to Yemen's third city Taiz -- under control of loyalists but besieged by rebels. The two sides also agreed to meet again in late January, for more talks to define the framework for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement. Some believe Thursday's hard-won accord will come to nought. "We don't expect the enemy to abide by the agreement because the enemy is treacherous and not peaceful," said Mohammed Abdo, a fighter patrolling a Hodeida street and holding a rifle. "Peace comes through guns," he said. Elsewhere in the city -- in central and northern districts -- it was business as usual on Saturday with markets thronged with shoppers, but even there residents were cautious. "Truces are always broken and the current agreement could collapse at any second," said a resident who declined to be identified. Rebel-controlled Hodeida has been the target of an offensive launched by the Saudi-led coalition in June. "The talks in Sweden were a positive step in light of the humanitarian hardships of Yemen and Hodeida in particular," said shop owner Marwan Halissi. But he too agreed that more should be done to cement the ceasefire, calling for a bigger UN role and more "pressure on coalition countries" to pave the way for a lasting settlement. 'Ready and prepared' In other parts of the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, there were also concerns that the ceasefire struck in the Swedish city of Rimbo could be short lived. In the rebel-held capital Sanaa, the ceasefire agreement was met with mixed emotions. On Friday, the day of the main weekly Muslim prayers, clerics issued calls on citizens to enlist in the ranks of the Huthis, pro-rebel media reported. The Huthis also issued a statement saying "we are prepared for any option and to retaliate against any violation by the enemy". Ismail al-Ghobeiri, strolling in a Sanaa market, struck a hopeful note. "We hope that both sides will respect what they agreed on and, if this is done, then the next round of negotiations" due to be held in January, will have a chance, he said. Further south in the loyalist-held second city of Aden, residents welcomed the ceasefire and hoped it would hold for the sake of war-weary civilians. "We hope that the warring sides will think of the people who are on the threshold of despair," said Hassan bin Attaf. "We pray to God to calm everyone -- politicians, military commanders and coalition forces -- so that the ceasefire will hold and the war will stop," he said. The UN says the conflict has killed some 10,000 people and brought 14 million to the brink of famine in the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Human rights groups say the death toll could be five times as high.

Yemenis fear collapse of UN-backed ceasefire accord

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday that "much worse" lay in store for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-warring-parties-to-convene-for-fragile-peace-talks-in-sweden-181832">Yemen</a> in 2019 unless its warring parties strike a peace deal and head off a humanitarian crisis.

A high number of Yemenis have been dying in "very dramatic circumstances" as a result of food shortages, Guterres told a news conference in Doha.

The United Nations on Thursday brokered a ceasefire accord between the internationally-recognised government and Iran-aligned Huthi rebels to end hostilities in the flashpoint port city of Hodeida.

The deal followed a week of negotiations in Sweden as the United Nations bids to end the war in impoverished Yemen.

"The fact that famine was not yet declared does not in any way diminish our huge concern with a very high level of hunger that exists in Yemen" and "people dying in very dramatic circumstances", said Guterres.

"Without peace, we will be facing in 2019 a much worse situation than today."

Yemen has been engulfed by fighting between the Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi since 2014.

The war escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government side.

The conflict has since killed nearly 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. Some rights groups believe the actual toll to be far higher.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday that "much worse" lay in store for Yemen in 2019 unless its warring parties strike a peace deal and head off a humanitarian crisis.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday that "much worse" lay in store for Yemen in 2019 unless its warring parties strike a peace deal and head off a humanitarian crisis. A high number of Yemenis have been dying in "very dramatic circumstances" as a result of food shortages, Guterres told a news conference in Doha. The United Nations on Thursday brokered a ceasefire accord between the internationally-recognised government and Iran-aligned Huthi rebels to end hostilities in the flashpoint port city of Hodeida. The deal followed a week of negotiations in Sweden as the United Nations bids to end the war in impoverished Yemen. "The fact that famine was not yet declared does not in any way diminish our huge concern with a very high level of hunger that exists in Yemen" and "people dying in very dramatic circumstances", said Guterres. "Without peace, we will be facing in 2019 a much worse situation than today." Yemen has been engulfed by fighting between the Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi since 2014. The war escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government side. The conflict has since killed nearly 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. Some rights groups believe the actual toll to be far higher.

UN warns Yemen could face 'much worse' in 2019

Yemenis dared to hope on Friday that a ceasefire agreed in the contested port city of Hodeidah might bring a permanent end to fighting that has driven many from their homes and into an existential struggle for food and medical care.

Hodeidah became the focus of Yemen`s nearly four-year-old war this year after the Saudi-led coalition launched an offensive to seize the city, a Red Sea port and supply line for millions of people at risk of famine, from Iranian-aligned Houthi forces that also hold the capital Sanaa.

At talks in Sweden on Thursday, the Houthis and the coalition-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi agreed to stop fighting in Hodeidah and withdraw forces.

It was a breakthrough for UN-led efforts to end the war that has killed tens of thousands of people and caused the world`s worst humanitarian crisis.

Akram Ateeq, 31, used to support his mother, wife and child by selling fish near Hodeidah harbour but has been unable to work for six months due to battles on the outskirts of the city.

"We are happy there will be a halt to the war. We have no jobs and are living on aid. We need help," he told Reuters.

Residents reported lingering skirmishes on the northern and eastern edges of the city on Thursday night but said Hodeidah was calm by Friday morning. Streets were largely empty at the start of the weekend.

"We are happy about the ceasefire but are worried that the fighters will not abide by it," said teacher Iman Azzi, in her 50s. "The war has destroyed us. We want to live."

Youssef Abdo Ali, 44, has been struggling to feed his nine children since seeking refuge in Hodeidah. "The war has wiped out everything," he said.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths, who secured Thursday`s deal after a week of peace talks in Sweden, the first in over two years, said both parties would withdraw "within days" from the port, a major entry point for most of Yemen`s commercial imports and aid supplies, and later from the city as a whole. 
International monitors are to be deployed and armed forces would pull back completely within 21 days.

The warring parties are due to discuss a political framework for peace negotiations at a second round of talks in January.

"BUMPY" ROAD AHEAD

The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) intervened in the war in 2015 to restore Hadi`s government after it was ousted from Sanaa by the Houthis.

The Gulf states have come under pressure from Western allies to end the conflict, in which thousands of civilians have been killed in Saudi-led air strikes, rights groups say.

"The road ahead remains bumpy but the significant breakthrough will make peace possible," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted on Friday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir later tweeted that Saudi Defence Minister Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had exerted "great personal efforts" to ensure the success of the Sweden talks, without providing details.

The war is seen as a broader proxy conflict between Iran and its major Middle East rival Saudi Arabia.

The UAE, which controls military bases in the coastal towns of al-Khokha and al-Mokha, has massed thousands of Yemeni forces on the outskirts of Hodeidah, the Houthis` main supply line.

Coalition warplanes have backed fighters battling Houthis in the eastern 7th July district of Hodeidah and near a university 4 km (2.5 miles) from the port and a few blocks from al-Thawra hospital, the main medical facility on Yemen`s western coast.

The ceasefire has wider implications for millions facing possible starvation, as the port supplies two-thirds of the population of the impoverished country of 29 million people.&nbsp;

Herve Verhoosel, senior spokesman for the World Food Programme, told a UN briefing in Geneva that the truce should enable a sustained flow of food, fuel and aid and prevent further price spikes.

He said it would renew access to Red Sea Mills, which stores 51,000 tonnes of WFP wheat stock but has been cut off since September due to fighting.

US aid group Mercy Corps cautioned that the truce was only the first step on an uncertain road to peace.

“The measure of the agreement will be taken in action on the ground, not words in a conference room," Mercy Corps Yemen director Abdikadir Mohamud said.

Yemenis dared to hope on Friday that a ceasefire agreed in the contested port city of Hodeidah might bring a permanent end to fighting that has driven many from their homes and into an existential struggle for food and medical care.

Yemenis dared to hope on Friday that a ceasefire agreed in the contested port city of Hodeidah might bring a permanent end to fighting that has driven many from their homes and into an existential struggle for food and medical care. Hodeidah became the focus of Yemen`s nearly four-year-old war this year after the Saudi-led coalition launched an offensive to seize the city, a Red Sea port and supply line for millions of people at risk of famine, from Iranian-aligned Houthi forces that also hold the capital Sanaa. At talks in Sweden on Thursday, the Houthis and the coalition-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi agreed to stop fighting in Hodeidah and withdraw forces. It was a breakthrough for UN-led efforts to end the war that has killed tens of thousands of people and caused the world`s worst humanitarian crisis. Akram Ateeq, 31, used to support his mother, wife and child by selling fish near Hodeidah harbour but has been unable to work for six months due to battles on the outskirts of the city. "We are happy there will be a halt to the war. We have no jobs and are living on aid. We need help," he told Reuters. Residents reported lingering skirmishes on the northern and eastern edges of the city on Thursday night but said Hodeidah was calm by Friday morning. Streets were largely empty at the start of the weekend. "We are happy about the ceasefire but are worried that the fighters will not abide by it," said teacher Iman Azzi, in her 50s. "The war has destroyed us. We want to live." Youssef Abdo Ali, 44, has been struggling to feed his nine children since seeking refuge in Hodeidah. "The war has wiped out everything," he said. UN envoy Martin Griffiths, who secured Thursday`s deal after a week of peace talks in Sweden, the first in over two years, said both parties would withdraw "within days" from the port, a major entry point for most of Yemen`s commercial imports and aid supplies, and later from the city as a whole. International monitors are to be deployed and armed forces would pull back completely within 21 days. The warring parties are due to discuss a political framework for peace negotiations at a second round of talks in January. "BUMPY" ROAD AHEAD The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) intervened in the war in 2015 to restore Hadi`s government after it was ousted from Sanaa by the Houthis. The Gulf states have come under pressure from Western allies to end the conflict, in which thousands of civilians have been killed in Saudi-led air strikes, rights groups say. "The road ahead remains bumpy but the significant breakthrough will make peace possible," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted on Friday. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir later tweeted that Saudi Defence Minister Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had exerted "great personal efforts" to ensure the success of the Sweden talks, without providing details. The war is seen as a broader proxy conflict between Iran and its major Middle East rival Saudi Arabia. The UAE, which controls military bases in the coastal towns of al-Khokha and al-Mokha, has massed thousands of Yemeni forces on the outskirts of Hodeidah, the Houthis` main supply line. Coalition warplanes have backed fighters battling Houthis in the eastern 7th July district of Hodeidah and near a university 4 km (2.5 miles) from the port and a few blocks from al-Thawra hospital, the main medical facility on Yemen`s western coast. The ceasefire has wider implications for millions facing possible starvation, as the port supplies two-thirds of the population of the impoverished country of 29 million people. Herve Verhoosel, senior spokesman for the World Food Programme, told a UN briefing in Geneva that the truce should enable a sustained flow of food, fuel and aid and prevent further price spikes. He said it would renew access to Red Sea Mills, which stores 51,000 tonnes of WFP wheat stock but has been cut off since September due to fighting. US aid group Mercy Corps cautioned that the truce was only the first step on an uncertain road to peace. “The measure of the agreement will be taken in action on the ground, not words in a conference room," Mercy Corps Yemen director Abdikadir Mohamud said.

Yemenis in Hodeidah hope truce holds as warring parties talk peace

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