ADEN, Yemen, May 14 (NNN-SABA) – Yemen’s Houthi group announced that, the first phase of redeployment in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah was completed.
The Houthi-affiliated Masirah television network confirmed that the rebels’ forces quit the city’s key ports, with the presence of the UN supervising teams.
“The redeployment took place without any hindrances, as the Sanaa representatives (Houthi officials) provided us with all necessary facilities,” the Houthi TV channel cited a UN official at the Salif port, as saying.
A Houthi member of the joint Redeployment and Coordination Committee (RCC) said, the United Nations will ask Yemen’s government to implement its obligations by withdrawing its troops from Hodeidah, as the rebels did.
On Saturday, Houthi rebel forces withdrew from the three ports of the Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, which was verified by the UN monitoring team.
UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, confirmed to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York that the Houthi withdrawal “has begun.”
However, Yemen’s internationally-recognised government, described the Houthis’ withdrawal under a UN-brokered peace deal as “an inaccurate and misleading offer.”
“Tripartite mechanism for Hodeidah Redeployment committee means that the Yemeni government, the UN and the Houthis must verify any pullout from the city,” said Yemeni Foreign Minister, Khaled Alyemany.
“Neither the Stockholm Agreement nor the understanding of International Law includes a unilateral pullout,” he said.
The long-delayed UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, the first step towards a comprehensive political solution, was reached in Dec, 2018, and focused on the port city of Hodeidah, lifeline for Yemen’s most commercial imports and humanitarian aid.
The Iran-allied Houthi rebels control the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah which has been the focus of intense clashes since 2017.
Government forces, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, have advanced to the southern outskirts of the port city, but the forces have halted a major offensive to recapture Hodeidah to pave the way for the peace efforts.– NNN-SABA
