UN truce monitors meet in Yemen's Hodeidah amid clashes

World
Europe

A UN-led team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire met on Wednesday in Yemen's flashpoint city of Hodeidah, after sporadic clashes underscored the fragility of the truce which began last week.

The ceasefire in the rebel-held city, whose Red Sea port is vital for millions at risk of starvation, is part of a peace push seen as the best chance yet of ending four years of devastating conflict.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading the joint committee, which includes both government officials and Houthi rebels, and chaired its first face-to-face meeting.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has described the meeting as "one of the priorities" of Cammaert's mission.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert (C-bottom) meets officials during his visit to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, December 24, 2018. /VCG Photo

A truce in Hodeidah and its surroundings went into effect on December 18 but has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations. Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Houthis exchanged gunfire for a few hours on Wednesday morning, AFP reported.

The sound of heavy artillery could be heard to the east of the city.

An official for the Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday that 10 pro-government troops had been killed since the ceasefire went into force, accusing the Houthis of 183 violations.

The rebels, in turn, said on the same day that they had recorded at least 31 violations in the past 24 hours by pro-government troops, according to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.

Members of a UN monitoring team arrive at Sanaa International Airport to monitor a ceasefire in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, December 22, 2018. /VCG Photo

Cammaert arrived in Hodeidah on Sunday from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden. Yemen's warring sides agreed at peace talks in Sweden this month on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and the coalition against Hodeidah.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the deployment of observers to oversee the truce. It authorizes the UN to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership.

(Top image: Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert (C) meets officials during his visit to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, December 24, 2018. /VCG Photo)

(With inputs from AFP)