Griffiths visits Sana'a to push Hudaydah ceasefire amid reported clashes
The UN envoy for Yemen has arrived in the capital Sana’a to discuss a recent UN-sponsored peace agreement on the country's lifeline port city of Hudaydah amid reported clashes between the warring parties.
Yemen’s two warring parties, namely Houthi Ansarullah movement and the country’s former Saudi-backed government, reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the Houthi-held port in Sweden on December 13.
Martin Griffiths, who arrived in Sana’a on Saturday, is scheduled to discuss the truce with Houthi leaders and will later travel to the Saudi capital Riyadh to meet with former Yemeni government officials.
The Ansarullah movement has been running state affairs from Sana’a in the absence of an effective government besides defending the country against the Saudi aggression.
During his stay in Sana’a, Griffiths would also hold talks with retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert, who heads a United Nations advance team tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Hudaydah.
Griffiths' visit comes amid reported clashes between Houthi fighters and militants loyal to the country’s former Saudi-backed regime with both sides blaming each other.
Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis, has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the Saudi-led aggression, which began in March 2015.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched the Hudaydah offensive in June but have been facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed forces — led by the Houthis — as well as the city’s residents.
The Saudi war has killed tens of thousands of Yemeni people and made the country the world's worst humanitarian disaster.
The imposed war initially consisted of an airstrike campaign but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen.
Activists call for end to Saudi blockade
Meanwhile, activists in Yemen said they planned to launch an online campaign to demand an end to the Saudi blockade of the country.
According to organizers, the campaign was expected to be launched on Saturday afternoon on Twitter, using the hashtag “End Yemen Siege”.
YEMEN
— Louby Lou (@Loubylass) January 4, 2019
END THE SEIGE
STOP THE BLOCKADE
YEMEN DYING TO LIVE!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/im8kGKQ987
They said the move is an effort to particularly push for an end to the siege of the Sana’a international airport.
Yemeni activists say the Saudi siege has resulted in many deaths, because it prevents the entry of advanced medical equipment to the country.
Organizers want people around the world to join their campaign to help end Yemen’s blockade that Saudi Arabia imposed in March 2015, as part of its war on the country.
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