Following the UN announcement of upcoming peace talks in Sweden, Yemen’s Shi’ite Houthi movement has announced that they want a truce with the international forces attacking the country. This includes an immediate halt of all drone and missile strikes.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the group’s leader, says they decided to halt the strikes amid requests from the UN to support the peace effort. The Saudi-led invaders have also said they support talks, and ordered their own ceasefire.
The UN had reported that in addition to all warring parties agreeing to the Sweden talks, there are ongoing discussions of a prisoner exchange between the two sides as a further confidence building measure.
There has been no new word on the prisoner swap, but Saudi-backed forces are launching new offensives in the northwest, which suggests their previously announced ceasefire was, at the very least, overstated.
Well, let’s hope for the best. Peace on Earth, all.