ADEN, Yemen, Feb 5 (NNN-SABA) – Representatives of both Yemeni warring factions, attended, on Monday, a meeting for the second consecutive day, to discuss the withdrawal of rebel forces from the turbulent Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a government official said.
The pro-government Governor of Hodeidah, Hassan Taher said that, the team of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) attended a meeting with the presence of the UN chief monitor, Patrick Cammaert, aboard a ship, over the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement.
During the meeting, Cammaert presented his plan, regarding the withdrawal of the Houthi rebels from Hodeidah’s key ports, and listened to reactions from the two-warring factions’ representatives, the governor said.
Taher said, the government representatives voiced support for Cammaert’s plan and suggested some slight amendments that included adding a condition of defusing all landmine fields set up by the Houthis.
The Houthi representatives refused a number of points included in Cammaert’s plan, according to the Hodeidah governor, who pointed out that, constructive results may be achieved during the next meetings.
Previous meetings were convened in the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah, but given the tense security situation, Cammaert proposed holding a meeting aboard a ship, in order to avoid gunfire attacks.
Earlier this week, Yemen’s government accused the Houthi rebels of persistent and deliberate violations of Sweden’s agreement on Hodeidah.
In a statement, the government said, 970 Houthi cease-fire breaches have occurred in Hodeidah, killing 71 people and wounding 534 others.
The security situation was further exacerbated, after the coalition launched in Jun, 2018, an operation to retake rebel-held Hodeidah, a strategic port city that had been handling some 70 percent of Yemen’s imports of food.
Under the UN auspice, the warring parties reached a deal in Sweden in Dec, 2018, which included a cease-fire in Hodeidah and the formation of the RCC, to monitor the withdrawal of troops by both the government and Houthis.
Shortly afterwards, the UN Security Council authorised an advance team to monitor and support the implementation of the deal for 30 days.
Earlier in Jan, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to establish a UN political mission for an initial period of six months, to support the Hodeidah agreement.– NNN-SABA
