UN envoy unveils mechanism to monitor Yemen truce

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg on Wednesday announced the establishment of a new mechanism to monitor the 2-month truce between country’s warring rivals.

"We are currently setting up coordination mechanism with the parties to maintain open channels of communication and help them prevent" offensive incidents, Grundberg said a press conference.

"Ceasefires rarely hold if not supported by progress on the political track," he said.

A two-month truce brokered by the UN came into force in war-torn Yemen on Saturday under which all air, ground and maritime attacks by Houthi rebels, government forces and the Saudi-led coalition were halted.

“Since the start of the truce, we have seen significant reduction of violence. However, there are reports of some hostile military activities, particularly around Marib, which are of concern,” Grundberg said.

“This is a rare opportunity in a long and brutal war to make progress towards a political solution. This means the parties need to engage constructively, in good faith and without preconditions in a meaningful dialogue about ending the conflict,” he added.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition, which seeks to reinstate the Yemeni government, has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises. Nearly 80%, or about 30 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar