The Shiite Houthi rebels in the civil war country of Yemen withdraw from important port cities. According to Reuters, referring to eyewitnesses, the rebels started to move troops from the Salif and Ras Isa ports. The deduction was observed by employees of a UN mission. The German Press Agency spoke with a senior Houthi representative. According to him, also the departure from the port Hudaida.
However, a government official questioned the validity of the withdrawal. If such a withdrawal were to take place without the trilateral oversight of United Nations, Government, and Houthis teams, that would not be enough.
Already on Friday, the Houthi rebels had agreed to a unilateral withdrawal of troops from three strategically important ports in the cities of Salif, Ras Isa and Hudaida. The port in Hudaida is especially important. This is where most of the supplies for the Houthis get to the areas they control in the north of the country. Most of the relief supplies for the population will also be delivered to Hudaida.
The head of the rebels, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, said via Twitter that despite the refusal of the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia to withdraw from the ceasefire agreed in Stockholm in December, the withdrawal was taking place.
In the Swedish capital, it was agreed at that time between representatives of the Yemeni government and the Houthi that the rebels withdraw from the three ports. In return, the government forces and their allies should give up the eastern outskirts of Hudaida.
The Stockholm Agreement is considered an important milestone in a permanent ceasefire. A resolution of the UN Security Council provides for its monitoring. It should also help a German contingent. In April, a civilian and unarmed soldier was first sent to fill the post of Chief Assessment UNMHA - Head of Evaluation. Others could follow. The mission is initially scheduled for six months. The resolution provides for the deployment of 75 international unarmed observers.
Every ten minutes a child dies
There has been a proxy war in the country on the Arabian Peninsula for more than four years: Saudi Arabia and other Arab states are fighting with the troops of President Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi against the Houthi rebels behind Iran. The US is also militarily engaged in Yemen. Among other things, they supply the coalition led by Saudi Arabia with intelligence information for the determination of target data. The US Congress wanted to put an end to this, but Trump prevented by veto.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the conflict has already killed around 10,000 people and injured more than 60,000. Every ten minutes, according to Unicef, a child dies from preventable diseases or malnutrition.