Truce eases humanitarian work in Yemen’s in Hudaydah

Islam Mohamed

Humanitarian aid efforts are picking up in the western Yemeni port city of al-Hudaydah, a short time after the pro-legitimacy Saudi-led coalition suspended military operations in the city.

Humanitarian aid efforts were negatively affected because of unrelenting fighting in the city in the past, especially because of atrocities committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The Houthis stepped up attacks on civilians in the western Yemeni coast, near al-Hudaydah. Houthi militants cut off supplies to millions of people living in the area. They also planted explosive devices inside foodstuff warehouses in the area.

Yemen’s representative at the United Nations Security Council Ahmed bin Mubarak said on Saturday that his government backed efforts by the UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths, especially in relation to his desire to initiate a new round of consultations.

The legitimate Yemeni government, he said, is ready to do anything to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

“This includes our readiness to swap prisoners with the Houthis,” bin Mubarak said.

He revealed that the Houthi militia bombed foodstuff depots in al-Hudaydah a short time earlier.

Bin Mubarak noted that the Houthis continued to recruit children within the ranks of their militia.

“They also plant explosives at the homes of civilians and the al-Hudaydah Port from which humanitarian aid enters the city,” bin Mubarak said.

Griffiths submitted, meanwhile, a note at the council on conditions in Yemen. In his note, the UN envoy to the war-torn country described the humanitarian crisis in it as the “world’s worst to date”.

Griffiths said he would pay a visit to al-Hudaydah next week, expressing gratefulness to the Saudi-led coalition for suspending military operations in the port city.

Al-Hudaydah Governor al-Hassan al-Taher referred earlier to negotiations for handing over the city and its port by the Houthis without fighting.

Suspending military operations in al-Hudaydah, the governor said, is a temporary affair aimed at alleviating humanitarian suffering in the city and easing the work of humanitarian organizations.