The United Nations announced on Friday (April 1st) that pro-government Yemeni forces and Houthi rebels had agreed to a two-month truce. “which will come into force on Saturday April 2 at 7 p.m.” and who could be “renewed with the consent of the parties”.
The announcement of this truce, which will begin on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, comes after intra-Yemeni consultations were held on Wednesday in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in the absence of Houthi rebels refusing any dialogue in the territory. “enemy”.
For the moment, the rebels who have taken control of most of the north of the country and are backed by Iran do not seem willing to share power. They oppose the Yemeni pro-government forces supported for seven years by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
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“The parties have agreed to halt all military air, land and sea offensives in Yemen and beyond its bordersexplained the UN. The purpose of this truce is to give Yemenis a much-needed halt to this violence, humanitarian assistance and hope that this conflict can end, which is most important.”. Its secretary general, Antonio Guterres, also welcomed this truce, hoping that it would make it possible to launch a political process of lasting peace in the country.
380,000 dead and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis
According to the UN, the conflict in Yemen has caused the death of nearly 380,000 people, the majority of whom are indirect deaths linked to hunger, disease and lack of drinking water. A large part of the population, especially children, is facing acute hunger, with situations close to famine. The organization also estimates the number of displaced people at several million.
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The coalition which controls the airspace, had decreed Tuesday evening a ceasefire from Wednesday for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the first unilateral ceasefire of the coalition since April 2020. For their part , the Houthis announced on Saturday a three-day truce extendable under certain conditions, after carrying out sixteen attacks against the kingdom on Friday.
