UN urges Yemeni government, rebels to hold talks on Hudaydah

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – The United Nations on Monday called for talks between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels regarding developments in the coastal province of Hudaydah.

This came in a statement issued by the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA).

The mission said it is aware of the withdrawal of the joint forces from the districts of Al-Durayhimi and Bait Al-Faqih and parts of the Al-Tuhayta district in Hudaydah and the control of Houthis, a move that it said resulted in significant changes in the lines of contact in the province.

The mission said the current developments need to be discussed between both sides, adding that it stands ready to facilitate the talks in accordance with the framework of the Hudaydah Agreement.

Last week, the joint forces withdrew suddenly from areas in Hudaydah, sparking anger in Yemen, with the legitimate government denying any knowledge of the withdrawal.

Although these forces fight alongside the government, they are not under the control of the Ministry of Defense and receive financial and military support from the UAE, according to local media.

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

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation and caused one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, with 233,000 people killed, nearly 80% of the country’s population or about 30 million needing humanitarian assistance and protection and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

*ً Writing by Mahmoud Barakat