Fears of the UN-sponsored Stockholm agreement failing because of the recent Houthi violations
With the increase of the last Houthi violations, there are worries of the UN-sponsored Stockholm agreement failing between the internationally recognized government of Yemen and Iran-backed Houthi militias.
In fact, Yemeni government sources alerted about the fragile agreement deteriorating in the port city of Hodeidah, describing the situation as very dangerous.
Sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the UN Security Council and the international community need to reconsider the status of the UN mission situated in Hodeidah, indicating that the peacekeeping taskforce has been taken hostage by Houthis.
It should indicate that the Yemeni government postponed, last September, its participation in all gatherings with the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) and put a condition to its return with the replacement of UNMHA Head Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha who had succeeded Lt.Gen. Michael Lollesgaard in October 2019. He also heads the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) in Hodeidah.
Yemeni government spokesperson Rajeh Badi informed Asharq Al-Awsat that two years have passed since inking the Stockholm Agreement and the situation of the UN mission in Hodeidah is very bad. It was unable to achieve anything. He also said that it (UNMHA) became a hostage of the Houthi militia, clarifying that the UN body is really influenced by Houthi orders and is incapable to take any act that could potentially anger the Iran-aligned group.
On Saturday, Houthi militias fired a round of Katyusha rockets that targeted government-run areas and residential complexes in Hodeidah’s al-Manzhar neighborhood, and the al-Qassimi mosque was ruined.
On its part, the Yemeni Foreign Ministry reiterated its appeal to the international community and the UN to denounce the Houthi attacks on Marib, government-controlled areas in Hodeidah and Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that the Houthis are opposing their commitments to peace initiatives and previous agreements.
On Sunday, the ministry stated in a statement that Houthi violations in Hodeidah and attacks on Marib, which is a shelter for millions of internally displaced people fleeing Houthi oppression, coincide with their continued targeting of Saudi Arabia. It affirmed that it confirms again that the Houthis don’t care about agreements and seeking peace.
