Yemeni Rivals Trade Artillery Fire Around Hodeidah

Both sides accuse the other of violation of ceasefire

Reports out of Yemen’s Hodeidah Province say both sides have traded artillery fire over the weekend. While both sides have traded accusations of starting it, and of violating the ceasefire, it is as yet unclear who fired first.

Since reaching a ceasefire deal last month in Hodeidah Province, fighting has dropped substantially in the area. Though there has been intermittent fighting, and artillery fire, it is still much less violent, and the ceasefire continues to hold.

There are some UN monitors in Hodeidah now, having arrived in recent weeks, though so far they don’t appear to have issued a statement on what happened this weekend. This may suggest they won’t be providing updates unless the ceasefire is in serious jeopardy.

This comes as UN envoy Martin Griffiths is visiting the Yemeni capital of Sanaa to visit with Houthi members. This is his first visit to the country since the Sweden peace talks. Further talks are expected later this month.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.