In Yemen, Government's loyal forces leave Hodeida; rebels re-enter city

The Yemeni officials and the United Nations announced that forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognised government have withdrawn from the strategic port city of Hodeida, allowing the rebels to retake their positions. The Joint Forces, backed by the UAE, said late Friday that they redeployed troops from Hodeida because there was no need to stay in the city in light of an UN-brokered cease-fire agreement, AP reported. According to a United Nations mission monitoring the cease-fire, government-allied forces have withdrawn from positions in the city and areas south of the city, and the Houthis have taken over the vacated positions. According to AP, the UN mission claimed it was not notified prior to the withdrawal.

Yemen's war commenced in 2014, when the Houthis, who control much of the country's north, took over the capital of Sanaa. Months later, a Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign to restore the government and oust the rebels. Tens of thousands of civilians and fighters have been killed in the ongoing regional proxy war. The war also caused the world's worst humanitarian crisis, causing millions of people to go without food and medical care and pushing the country to the brink of famine. In recent months, the Houthis have attacked government forces in various areas, including the provinces of Shabwa, Bayda, and Marib, despite calls from the United Nations, the United States, and others to halt fighting and engage in peace talks to end the conflict.

Joint forces agreed they made mistake by remaining in defensive positions

The Joint Forces, reportedly, admitted that they committed a mistake by remaining in defensive positions without fighting in Hodeida while the Houthis escalated their attacks on other government-held areas. They also chastised the government for not allowing them to retake the city from the Houthi rebels. According to the Joint Forces, the rebels repeatedly violated the 2018 agreement that ended their offensive against Hodeida. Heavy fighting erupted in Hodeida in 2018 after government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, moved in to seize control of the vital port city from the Houthis. After months of fighting, the warring parties signed a United Nations-brokered agreement in December 2018 that included a cease-fire in the city and the exchange of over 15,000 prisoners. The agreement, which was observed as an important first step toward resolving the larger conflict, was never fully implemented.

On Thursday, November 11, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said that an UN-led political process could still be part of a long-term solution to Yemen's conflict. In a statement, Grundberg also emphasised the urgent need to end the conflict. The UN special envoy to Yemen stated that these trips provided him with a comprehensive and first-hand understanding of the region's violence and how much it affects civilians in Taiz, particularly in the form of challenges they face in their daily lives. According to the UN report, he also had the opportunity to hear directly from Yemeni men, women, and young people on how an UN-led political process can help to address the situation in Taiz as part of a sustainable solution to the conflict.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP