Yemen Ceasefire Takes Hold – Aid Flows In

Aid agencies began delivering help to desperate civilians on Wednesday as a five-day humanitarian truce generally took hold in Yemen. The ceasefire began at 11:00pm on Tuesday local time.

A ship chartered by the UN World Food program (WFP), which had arrived in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah on Saturday, began distributing its shipment of much-needed fuel to areas across the country, AFP reported. WFP is to provide emergency food rations to more than 750,000 people. A second vessel is ready to dock at Hodeidah carrying additional fuel. The country has been suffering from severe fuel shortages, grinding humanitarian operations to a halt.

The director of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Yemen, Marie-Elisabeth Ingres, told AFP that truce seemed to be holding and her group is going to take advantage of it. A plane carrying medical aid and MSF personnel was expected to arrive in Yemen late Wednesday, with a second aircraft set to follow on Thursday.

File photo: The MV Amsterdam berthed at Hodeidah port, Yemen, with fuel for WFP (WFP MENA)

Huthis, Saleh Agree to Saudi Truce Offer

Anasarullah, the Huthi insurgents, and allied army forces loyal to former president Saleh said today they have accepted a temporary humanitarian truce proposed by Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior leader in the movement, said they agreed to the five-day truce due to “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in the country. (DPA, 10 May)

Saudi Arania said on Friday that the ceasefire would start in Yemen on Tuesday at 11 pm (2000 GMT) if the Houthis, who control most of the country, accepted it.

File photo: Yemenis suffer massive shortages in basic goods (Yahya Arhab/EPA)

Saudis Halt Bombing Campaign in Yemen

Saudi Arabia said today it was halting a nearly month-long bombing campaign against the Huthi (AnsarAllah) insurgents in Yemen. A Saudi government spokesman said the objectives of “Operation Decisive Storm” have been “achieved,” asserting that a takeover of Yemen by the Huthis had been prevented.

Meantime, a senior Iranian official said in Tehran hours prior to the suspension of Saudi airstrikes that he expected a ceasefire in Yemen to be announced.

“We are optimistic that in coming hours, after many efforts, we will see a halt to military attacks in Yemen,” said Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iran’s deputy foreign minister. Iranian Foreign Ministry later welcomed Saudi announcement, calling it “a step forward.” (IRNA/NYTimes, 21 April)

Saudi and Iranian announcements within hours could suggest secret negotiations between the two countries on the issue. If so, a ceasefire and peace talks between the warring factions could soon follow.

File photo: Smoke rises after a Saudi airstrike on Yemen’s largest weapons depot in Sanaa; 20 April 2015 (Hani Mohammed/AP)