UN envoy to Yemen announces agreement to extend truce for 2 months

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The UN special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced on Thursday that the Sanaa government and the Saudi-led coalition have agreed to renew the armistice in Yemen for two months.

In a statement, Grundberg said that "I would like to announce that the parties to the conflict have agreed to the United Nations' proposal to renew the current truce in Yemen for two additional months."

Grundberg indicated that "The extension of the truce comes into effect when the current truce period expires, today 2 June 2022 at 19:00 Yemen time (1600 GMT)."

He also noted that the truce was extended under the same terms as the previous one.

The announcement of the renewal of the truce coincided with the Saudi coalition warplanes launching an airstrike on the Matma district in Al-Jawf governorate, northeastern Yemen.

Positive indications

It is noteworthy that Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres, told a press briefing Wednesday that "We have received preliminary, positive indications from the parties at this point." 

The UN-brokered armistice between the Saudi-led coalition and the Sanaa government entered into force on April 2nd. Grundberg had announced that "under this truce, all offensive military operations, by land, air, and sea, will cease."

He explained that the terms of the armistice agreement include facilitating the entry of 18 ships carrying fuel to the ports of Al-Hudaydah, allowing two flights to and from Sanaa's airport every week.

However, the Sanaa government repeatedly expressed its dismay at the Saudi side’s failure to implement the terms of the armistice.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Political Council in Yemen announced that the decision to extend the truce is subject to addressing the past period by implementing all obligations and compensating for it. 

A couple of days ago, a meeting was held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, between representatives of the Aden government and representatives of the Sanaa government, which mainly dealt with opening roads in Taiz and other governorates under the truce.

No results or significant progress was recorded in the meeting.

War on Yemen has killed hundreds of thousands

The war on Yemen has killed hundreds of thousands of people and left millions on the brink of famine.

Dujarric confirmed on Wednesday that more than four million people have been displaced by the war, and 19 million will be hungry this year.

That includes "more than 160,000 who will face famine-like conditions," he mentioned.