This is a step forward for a de-escalation of conflict. This Monday, the rebels houthistes supported by Iran, and the government which has the support of Saudi Arabia expressed support for the new peace efforts of the united nations. An ad that reinforces the possibility of upcoming negotiations for a political settlement of the conflict which claimed some 10,000 dead and 14 million people in situation of pre-famine, the last three years. The point on the situation.
● actors favourable to the peace negotiations
The government of president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, supported by saudi Arabia and the united arab Emirates, has announced that it would send a delegation to the consultations proposed by Martin Griffiths, the UN envoy. This decision comes even as the date and terms of these negotiations that will take place in Stockholm (Sweden) have not been established. In a letter, the government of Hadi, supports the peace efforts of Griffiths and announces “the sending of a delegation to the consultations aimed at finding a political solution” before insisting on the need for the UN to put pressure on the rebel Houthis to participate unconditionally in the negotiations.
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This announcement from the government of Hadi, following a call from a rebel leader to freeze the military operations on the part of the Houthis. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, who heads the higher Council of revolutionary, has called on its supporters to put an end “to the firing of missiles and drones against the countries-aggressors.” It also proposes to “freeze and cease all military operations on all fronts in order to achieve peace”. His call is to prove the “good intentions” of the rebels, who will host Griffiths in Sana’a, the yemeni capital, controlled by the Houthis.
● the return of peace promoted by the united nations
In a tweet, the UN envoy welcomed the announcement by the rebels and hope that all the parties to continue their efforts of restraint “to create an environment conducive to the holding” consultations of peace. In the month of September, the negotiations to settle the conflict in yemen had failed in Geneva. In spite of this failure, Martin Griffiths had said last Friday before the security Council of the united nations “of its intention to reconvene the parties”.
According to him, the military coalition of anti-rebels, led by Riyadh has accepted the “logistical arrangements” in order to open the way for discussions, including on medical evacuations from Sana’a. The two parties have presented “strong guarantees” that they would participate in the peace talks. Upstream of these future negotiations, Martin Griffiths has announced that an agreement on an exchange of prisoners was about to be concluded. It was also suggested to travel with the delegation to rebel in Sweden, “if it (was) necessary”.
● A draft of the resolution called for a truce in Hodeida
on Monday, a draft resolution has been submitted to the security Council of the united nations by Great Britain. He calls for a truce and immediate in the port city of Hodeida and gives a delay of two weeks to the warring parties to remove all obstacles to the passage of humanitarian aid.
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The text request to “all the parties involved in the conflict for a cessation of hostilities in the governorate of Hodeida, to cease all attacks in areas densely populated by civilians across Yemen and to stop all the attacks of missiles and drones against the countries of the region and the maritime areas”. The date for a vote has not yet been set. On a visit to Tehran, the british minister of foreign Affairs said that the search for peace in Yemen was “the number one priority of the moment”.
Since 2014, Hodeida is controlled by the rebels houthistes increased the number of shots against Saudi Arabia who is the head of the coalition. King Salman has reiterated that his country had intervened in Yemen by “duty, to support the yemeni people in the face of the militias supported by Iran” during a speech before the advisory board. “We confirm our support for a political solution in Yemen”, added the leader of saudi arabia.
But in spite of calls for calm and the positions expressed on Monday by the authority and the rebels in favour of the peace efforts of the UN, heavy fighting broke out Monday night between rebels and pro-government forces in the port city. These clashes are concentrated in the eastern part of Hodeida, where the rebels have unleashed artillery fire, to which pro-government forces fought back. The aviation of the coalition led by saudi Arabia has also launched 12 air raids. These fights are the most violent since the de-escalation of 14 November.
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Hodeida is a focal point of this conflict because it is the main point of entry for more than three-quarters of the imports and of the international humanitarian assistance in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse the rebels of transporting smuggled weapons from Iran by Hodeida and to impose a blockade almost total at the port. A charge denied by the Houthis and Iran.
