Yemen’s warring parties agree to 2-month truce, UN envoy announces

WASHINGTON (AA) – Yemen’s warring parties have agreed on a “long overdue” two-month truce that will halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations, the UN’s special envoy for the war-torn nation said on Friday.

The pact, which takes effect on Saturday at 7 pm local time, is renewable, Hans Grundberg said in a statement.

“During these two months, I plan to intensify my work with the parties with the aim to reach a permanent ceasefire, address urgent economic and humanitarian measures and resume the political process,” he said.

“I call on the parties to fully adhere to and respect the truce and its elements and to take all necessary steps to immediately implement it,” he added.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels said late Tuesday that it will suspend military operations to ensure the success of ongoing consultations, and to create a positive environment for peacemaking efforts during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition, which seeks to reinstate the Yemeni government, has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises. Nearly 80%, or about 30 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.