{"id":25840,"date":"2018-12-17T02:22:51","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T02:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=25840"},"modified":"2018-12-17T02:22:51","modified_gmt":"2018-12-17T02:22:51","slug":"air-strikes-clashes-hit-yemen-port-city-despite-cease-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=25840","title":{"rendered":"Air strikes, clashes hit Yemen port city despite cease-fire"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\nDUBAI: The UN\u2019s envoy to Yemen called on Sunday for pro-government forces and rebels to respect a cease-fire in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, after repeated clashes between the two sides threatened to unravel a hard-won accord hammered out in Sweden last week.
\u201cThe 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,\u201d envoy Martin Griffiths tweeted.
He said the UN was working with Yemen\u2019s internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthi militia to ensure the accord on Hodeidah reached on Thursday was \u201cimplemented timely and properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

The SE expects the two parties to respect their obligations as per the text and the spirit of the Stockholm Agreement, and to engage in the immediate implementation of its provisions. #Yemen<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 OSE_Yemen (@OSE_Yemen) December 16, 2018<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nClashes shook Hodeidah Sunday after air strikes and deadly fighting on the outskirts overnight, residents said.
\n
\nUN chief Antonio Guterres warned that \u201cmuch worse\u201d lay in store for the impoverished country in 2019 unless its warring parties strike a peace deal and head off a humanitarian crisis.
\n
\nA resident of the city reached by telephone said that the clashes were \u201cfierce\u201d and the sounds of jets could be heard throughout the night until about 5 am (0200 GMT) on Sunday.
\n
\nAnother resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also reported ongoing fighting in the city, home to a lifeline port.
\n
\n\u201cThere are sounds of jets and air strikes, but we don\u2019t know what they are targeting,\u201d he told AFP by telephone.
\n
\nAt least 29 fighters, including 22 Houthi rebels and seven pro-government troops, were killed on Saturday night in clashes and air strikes in Hodeidah province, a pro-government military source told AFP.
\n
\nNo other sources could confirm the death toll.
\n
\nThe pro-government source added that seven rebels were captured during a Houthi attack on Al-Durayhimi district, which lies about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Hodeidah city.
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Amb Haley remarks at #UNSC<\/a> meeting: We congratulate @OSE_Yemen<\/a> on bringing the parties in the #Yemen<\/a> conflict together face-to-face for negotiations for the first time since 2016. https:\/\/t.co\/BHk3H8aSQC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 U.S. Mission to KSA (@USAinKSA) December 16, 2018<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nThe truce between Yemeni government forces, backed by an Arab coalition and the Houthi militia was due to be followed by the withdrawal of fighters from Hodeidah within days on both sides.
\n
\nUnder the deal, international monitors would be deployed in Hodeidah and all armed forces would pull back completely within 21 days of the start of the cease-fire.
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\nThursday\u2019s cease-fire accord has been seen as the most significant step toward ending the devastating conflict in Yemen, where more than 14 million people are on the brink of famine.
\n
\nThe United States commended on Sunday the two sides that took part in the Sweden negotiations for \u201cmaking progress on key initiatives,\u201d calling for a de-escalation of tensions.
\n
\n\u201cMoving forward, all must continue to engage, de-escalate tensions, and cease ongoing hostilities,\u201d the US embassy in Riyadh tweeted.
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Encouraging news today from @OSE_Yemen<\/a> consultations in Sweden. Negotiators made progress on a cease-fire and withdrawal of forces in Hudaydah. Peace is possible. Let\u2019s make this the start of a new chapter for #Yemen<\/a>. https:\/\/t.co\/VBZL4VfIAp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 13, 2018<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nA prisoner swap involving some 15,000 detainees is planned and a \u201cmutual understanding\u201d has been reached to facilitate aid deliveries to Yemen\u2019s third city Taiz \u2014 under the control of loyalists but besieged by the terrorist rebels.
\n
\nThe two sides also agreed to meet again in late January for more talks to define the framework for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement.
\n
\nSevere food shortages mean that a high number of Yemenis have been dying in \u201cvery dramatic circumstances,\u201d Guterres told a news conference in Doha.
\n
\n\u201cThe 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\u201d and \u201cpeople dying in very dramatic circumstances,\u201d the UN chief said.
\n
\n\u201cWithout peace, we will be facing in 2019 a much worse situation than today.\u201d
\n
\nOn Friday, UN special envoy Martin Griffiths called for the urgent creation of a strong monitoring mechanism in the war-torn country.
\n
\n\u201cA robust and competent monitoring regime is not just essential. It is also urgently needed,\u201d Griffiths told the UN Security Council.
\n
\nHe added that \u201callowing the UN the lead role in the ports is the vital first step.\u201d
\n
\nDiplomats said Guterres may propose a surveillance mechanism comprising 30 to 40 observers.
\n
\nUN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock has for months been warning of a worsening situation in Yemen and says the UN is asking for $4 billion to help suffering Yemenis next year.
\n
\n\u201cMillions of Yemenis still desperately need assistance and protection,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DUBAI: The UN\u2019s envoy to Yemen called on Sunday for pro-government forces and rebels to respect a cease-fire in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, after repeated clashes between the two sides threatened to unravel a hard-won accord hammered out in Sweden last week.\u201cThe special envoy expects the two parties to respect their obligations…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":25841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle_east_news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25840\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}