LONDON: The United Nation’s Yemen envoy warned Thursday that he was deeply concerened about “recent hostilities” in Yemen where a precarious regional truce is under increasing pressure.
Martin Griffiths did not specify which hostilities, but the Yemeni government on Wednesday accused Houthi militants of attacking an explosives safety team who were on their way to clear land mines from near a food store in Hodeidah.
The Arab coalition supporting the government also said Wednesday that it had shot down a Houthi drone over Saudi Arabia.
Griffiths traveled to Yemen this week to shore up the Hodeidah ceasefire deal signed in Sweden in December. Since the agreement, the coalition have accused the Houthis of dozens of violations and of failing to withdraw its troops from certain areas. They have also been accused of opening fire on the UN team sent to monitor the deal.
“Deeply concerned about recent hostilities in Yemen,” Griffiths tweeted. He called on all sides to “exercise utmost restraint and de-escalate tensions.”
On Wednesday, Anwar Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, said the Arab coalition is prepared to use “calibrated force” to push the Iranian-backed Houthis from Hodeidah as per the Sweden deal.
Gargash said the coalition struck 10 Houthi training camps outside Hodeidah governorate on Wednesday.
