Yemen’s warring sides agree to extend truce for 2 months: UN

ANKARA

Yemen’s warring parties have agreed to renew a UN-mediated truce for an additional two months, the UN envoy's office announced late Tuesday.

A press statement by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg hailed the achievement and urged all parties to strive for lasting peace in the war-torn country.

"In the coming weeks, I will intensify my engagements with the parties to ensure the full implementation of all the parties’ obligations in the truce. This should include the implementation of the full number and regularity of flights between the agreed destinations and Sana’a International Airport and the number of fuel ships entering Hudaydah port, as stipulated in the truce agreement," he said.

"It is also important to make progress on opening roads in Taiz and other governorates to facilitate the freedom of movement of millions of Yemeni women, men and children, and of goods."

The extension of the truce was welcomed by the warring sides. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also welcomed the announcement of the truce extension on Twitter, saying it “brings respite from conflict to millions and saves lives -- the longest period of calm since the war began."

Under the cease-fire, which was first reached on April 2, all military operations were halted. The agreement also allowed the operation of commercial flights from rebel-held Sana’a Airport in the Yemeni capital.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including Sana’a. The Houthis remain in control of the capital as well as wide swathes of territory despite a military campaign conducted by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies since 2015 aimed at ousting them and restoring the Yemeni government.