The UN reports that day one of the Houthi withdrawal of combat forces from key aid ports in Yemen was entirely successful. The Houthis handed over the ports to local coast guard forces in Hodeidah, and two smaller ports in the vicinity.
Hodeidah is the main aid port into Yemen, through which food and aid
enters for about 70% of the population. The UN deal was intended to stop
Saudi-led forces from destroying the ports, and involves the Houthis
leaving the ports to local forces.
This went very well, but Saudi-backed Yemeni officials expressed annoyance at the UN for not being more clear about what the “next steps” are, and what their timeline is for implementing them.
Officials say they expect the UN to advance into de-mining Hodeidah
Province, and to also implement new measures to inspect aid ships that
manage to get through the Saudi blockade to deliver food.
As Houthis Quit Ports, Yemen Seeks Timetable for Next UN Peace Steps
Officials expect UN to move toward de-mining, inspecting aid ships
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.
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