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Yemen Agrees to Cease-Fire With Rebels Before Peace Talks Yemen Agrees to Cease-Fire With Rebels Before Peace Talks
(about 4 hours later)
GENEVA — The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels agreed to immediately halt fighting on Tuesday as they started peace talks mediated by a United Nations special envoy at an undisclosed location in Switzerland, a United Nations spokesman confirmed.GENEVA — The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels agreed to immediately halt fighting on Tuesday as they started peace talks mediated by a United Nations special envoy at an undisclosed location in Switzerland, a United Nations spokesman confirmed.
The cease-fire, if it holds, would provide desperately needed relief to Yemen’s population of 24 million after nine months of conflict that have taken the lives of thousands of civilians and inflicted significant damage on the country’s infrastructure, deepening the humanitarian crisis there. The seven-day cease-fire, if it holds, will provide desperately needed relief to Yemen’s population of 24 million after nine months of conflict that has taken the lives of thousands of civilians and inflicted significant damage on the country’s infrastructure, deepening the humanitarian crisis there.
Aides to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has the backing of a Saudi-led coalition, arrived in Switzerland on Monday, as did representatives of the Houthi rebels who control the capital, Sana. They were due to meet the United Nations special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, for their first round of face-to-face talks by midmorning, the United Nations spokesman in Geneva, Ahmad Fawzi, said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. Aides to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has the backing of a Saudi-led military coalition, arrived in Switzerland on Monday, as did representatives of the Houthi rebels, who control the capital, Sana. They were due to meet the United Nations special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, for their first round of face-to-face talks by midmorning, the United Nations spokesman in Geneva, Ahmad Fawzi, said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning.
“The cessation of hostilities which was called today should mark the end of military violence in Yemen and the transition to progress based on negotiations, dialogue and consensus,” Mr. Ahmed said in a statement.“The cessation of hostilities which was called today should mark the end of military violence in Yemen and the transition to progress based on negotiations, dialogue and consensus,” Mr. Ahmed said in a statement.
Peace is a prerequisite for rebuilding Yemen, he said, adding that there was a need for restoring basic infrastructure, tackling the consequences of the war, normalizing life in all of Yemen’s governorates and resuming normal economic activity. Peace is a prerequisite, said Mr. Ahmed, adding that Yemen needs to restore basic infrastructure, normalize life in its governorates and resume normal economic activity.
The cease-fire came after a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, which supports the Yemeni president, announced in Riyadh on Monday night a seven-day pause in the intensive campaign of airstrikes targeting Houthi forces. Mortar and machine gun fire from Saudi positions could be heard around 7 p.m. Tuesday, seven hours after the official start of the cease-fire, said a resident of Razih, which borders Saudi Arabia.
News of the cease-fire provided a positive start to a negotiation process that Mr. Ahmed, in announcing the planned meeting last week, acknowledged would be complex and difficult. Houthi fighters have carried out hit-and-run attacks inside southern Saudi towns and have seized chunks of Asir, Najran, and Jaizan.
“I heard and saw flames of artillery shells and machine guns now hitting in the border areas,” said the resident, who declined to give his name.
There have been several previous attempts to halt the fighting, but analysts say the parties face far more pressure now to end the war. The military coalition, backed by the United States, is facing mounting criticism over its bombing campaign, which has failed to defeat the Houthis despite the coalition’s overwhelming firepower and its dominance of the skies.
And human rights groups say the coalition airstrikes have been frequently indiscriminate, causing the majority of civilian deaths and exposing coalition members, including the United States, to possible war crimes charges.
Yemen is also facing a growing threat from Sunni extremist groups that have gained strength during nine months of war. Since the conflict started, Yemen’s local Qaeda affiliate has taken control of the country’s fifth-largest city and other towns, and a new branch of the Islamic State has carried out a series of large-scale, deadly attacks.
The cease-fire came after a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition announced a pause in the airstrike campaign on Monday in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
News of the cease-fire provided a positive start to a negotiation process that Mr. Ahmed has acknowledged will be complex and difficult.
An attempt in June to mediate between the two sides collapsed before the groups even met.An attempt in June to mediate between the two sides collapsed before the groups even met.
Mr. Ahmed said he was seeking a “cease-fire without time limit,” but that more time would be needed to convert the talks into a permanent cessation of hostilities and to tackle such issues as the withdrawal of militias and heavy weapons from conflict lines. Mr. Ahmed said he was seeking a “cease-fire without time limit,” but more time would be needed to convert the talks into a permanent cessation of hostilities and to tackle issues like the withdrawal of militias and heavy weapons from conflict lines.
“It’s definitely positive, but this situation is extremely precarious,” said a diplomat who was monitoring developments, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate nature of the situation. “I think there is a will to make progress that we didn’t see in June.”“It’s definitely positive, but this situation is extremely precarious,” said a diplomat who was monitoring developments, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate nature of the situation. “I think there is a will to make progress that we didn’t see in June.”
To try to avoid distractions that could derail the process, the United Nations has not disclosed the location of the talks, arranged any news media access, or released details about who is attending the talks.To try to avoid distractions that could derail the process, the United Nations has not disclosed the location of the talks, arranged any news media access, or released details about who is attending the talks.