The United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced that the truce in Yemen came into effect on Saturday evening, according to Agence France-Presse.
Both Saudi Arabia and Iran welcomed the truce, which came as a result of UN mediation, in Yemen. The truce will last for two months, subject to extension
A statement issued by the office of the UN envoy said, “The truce, which will last for two months, began at seven in the evening today. Starting from tonight, all offensive military operations by land, air and sea will stop.”
The UN envoy stressed that “the success of this initiative depends on the warring parties’ continued commitment to implementing the armistice agreement, including the accompanying humanitarian measures.”
According to the statement, “the terms of the armistice agreement include facilitating the entry of 18 ships carrying fuel to the ports of Hodeidah, and allowing two flights to and from Sanaa airport every week.”
On the other hand, the Iran-aligned rebels said in a statement Saturday, “We announce the entry into force of the humanitarian and military truce and our commitment to a comprehensive cessation of military operations as long as the other side adheres to this.”
“Seven years of war have caused so much pain. We urge the parties to abide by the terms and pave the way toward a sustainable ceasefire and an inclusive political peace process,” US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking said in a statement Saturday night.
Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition in Yemen in support of the government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, which has been locked in a bloody conflict against the Houthis since mid-2014, in a war that killed and wounded hundreds of thousands and caused the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the United Nations.
The announcement of the armistice comes after the efforts made by the UN envoy months ago.
Efforts have intensified in recent days. On Thursday, Grundberg met with representatives of the Houthi rebels in the Sultanate of Oman, in addition to a series of meetings he had with the internationally recognized Yemeni government in Riyadh.
The announcement coincided with discussions about the devastating conflict in Yemen hosted by Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition.
Despite their refusal to participate in the talks on their enemy’s soil, the Iranian-backed rebels last week made a surprise offer of a temporary truce and a prisoner exchange.
Subsequently, the coalition, which began its intervention in March 2015, announced that it would halt military operations in Yemen during the month of Ramadan. “After a long delay,” Grundberg said in a statement Friday, “The parties agreed to stop all offensive military operations, including air, land and sea operations, inside Yemen and across its borders.”
The UN envoy explained that they had agreed to “the entry of oil derivatives ships to the ports of Hodeidah and the conduct of commercial flights to and from Sanaa Airport towards pre-specified destinations in the region.”
And he added, “The parties also agreed to meet under my auspices to discuss opening roads in Taiz and other governorates in Yemen.”
Hans Grundberg thanked the Houthis and the internationally recognized government for working with him “in good faith and for making the concessions necessary to reach this agreement.”
He considered that “the armistice is only a first step whose time has come after a long delay.”
The UN envoy stressed that “the aim of this truce is to give Yemenis a much-needed respite, releasing them from human suffering, and most importantly, the hope that an end to this conflict is possible.”
On Friday, US President Joe Biden welcomed the truce in Yemen, describing it as “a breather that the Yemeni people have been waiting for a long time”, but considered it “insufficient.”
“These are important steps, but they are not sufficient,” Biden said in a statement. “The ceasefire must be upheld. As I said earlier, it is imperative that this war end.”
Britain and France also welcomed the agreement.
The truce was welcomed by the Saudi-led military coalition.
In Sanaa, which is under the control of the rebels, Ali Yahya stressed that this is a “good gesture”, expressing his hope “that the truce will continue in order to stop the bloodshed and stop the problems.”
In the city of Hodeidah (west), also under rebel control, Asma Zaid, a 21-year-old university student who works in a shop, said, “This time, I’m optimistic. The announcement of the truce is different from every time, and its arrival with the month of Ramadan gives us great hope.”
“Everything around us was death and war. I think I would be depressed if the truce ended or failed,” she added.
On Saturday, the Norwegian Refugee Council welcomed the move and said, “We really hope that this will be the beginning of a new chapter, giving Yemenis a chance to get back on their feet in peace and stability.”
This is the first truce agreed upon at the country level since 2016, in a war that killed nearly 400,000 people, according to United Nations estimates.
About 60% of the victims died due to starvation, lack of health care and unsafe water.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia – which leads a coalition that supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government – stressed that the truce, which went into effect on Saturday, is in line with the peace initiative proposed by Riyadh last year.
Fuel ships will be allowed to pass to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea, and commercial flights will be allowed to operate from the airport in the capital, Sanaa, which is in turn controlled by the Houthis. The UN envoy said that roads leading to the besieged city of Taiz in the southwest of the country will also open.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to abide by the agreement.
The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis for the past seven years, mainly using air strikes.
In return, the Houthis used drones and missiles to attack Saudi Arabia and its ally, the UAE.