Agency reveals details of Hodeida redeployment Phase 1

Sana'a (Debriefer)
2019-02-18 | Since 5 Year

اضغط هنا لقراءة الخبر بالعربية

Anadolu Agency on Monday revealed details of the redeployment plan Phase 1, agreed by both Yemeni warring parties to implement in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

The new agreement came following new round of negotiations within the Redeployment Coordination Committee chaired by the Danish General Michael Lollesgaardin a hotel in Hodeida, but no timetable was set for the withdrawal,the Turkish Agencyquoted a source at the UN envoy's office as saying.

Yemen has been racked by an armed conflict that broke out after the Iranian-backed Houthis had ousted the internationally recognized government late in 2014.

The conflict escalated after a Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in the country in March 2015 to reinstate the government of President Hadi,leaving hundreds of thousands killed or injured and 3 million displaced, and pushing the country to the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The port city of Hodeida has been under Houthi control since late 2014, while Yemeni joint forces loyal to legitimate government and Arab coalition have massed at the city's fringes seeking to retake the strategic port.

Speaking anonymously, the UN source told the AA that agreement included redeployment of forces in frontlines around Hodeida City and its Red Sea ports.

Houthi forces would withdraw by five kilometers from the ports of Hodeida, Salif and Ras Isa, and 350 meters downtown from the easternneighborhood of 7 July, one of the frontlines, said the source.

In return, the government troops would withdraw by one kilometer from the southern Kilo-8 quarter towards the east – keeping away from the Red Sea Mills by one kilometer – and one kilometer from the eastern neighborhood of 22 May, another frontline.

According to the source, among key points still disputed are the policeand security forces tobe deployed in, and authorities to manage the city, would they be from this or that side.

No comments or clarifications have been uttered immediately by any of the two parties on the essence of the pact.

On Sunday the United Nations announced that the Yemeni internationally recognized government and Houthi group had reached an agreement on Phase 1, and initially agreed on Phase 2, of "the mutual redeployment of forces" from the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

The two parties made significant progress on troops redeployment, said a statement, without further details on disarmament date or other aspects of the new agreement between the Saudi-backed government and the Iranian-backed rebels.

According to the UN release, new round of talks will be held within one week to finalize details of redeployment Phase 2.

Parties to the nearly 4-year war in Yemen, after 8 days of peace talks in Sweden, reached on the 13th of last December an agreement providing for ceasefire in Hodeida and redeployment of both sides' forces. But this has yet to take place, with both sides trading blames for trying to thwart the deal.

Yemen has been experiencing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, with more than two thirds of the 28-million population in need for a type of humanitarian aid and immediate protection, including 8.4 million people unsure how to get next meal, and some 2 million children suffering severe shortage of nutrition.


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