Grundberg: Houthi rejects proposal to open roads
The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Monday rejected a proposal by Houthi militias to open roads in Taiz and other provinces.
The UN envoy expressed his regret that the Houthis continued the siege of Taiz for the seventh year, noting that he proposed opening the roads in stages based on a revised proposal, but the Houthi militias refused.
He said the agreement is important because road openings require coordination and continuous communication to ensure the safe and sustainable opening of roads to the civilian corridor, and urged the parties to participate in an urgent and constructive manner with UN efforts to reach an agreement on opening roads in Taiz and other provinces.
“The truce has been holding for more than three months today, resulting in a significant reduction in civilian casualties, estimated at two thirds compared to the three months before the truce began”, Grundberg said.
He said the mines planted by the Houthis continue to pose a serious threat to civilians in Yemen, especially children
Since June 2nd, seven ships carrying nearly 200,000 metric tons of fuel products have entered Hodeidah port, he said, noting that nearly 7,000 passengers traveled between Sanaa and Jordan, amid efforts to facilitate flights to and from Cairo.
Grundberg stressed that he continues to explore the possibility of a longer extension and an expanded UN truce agreement to provide and start serious discussions on the economic and security tracks.
The truce “represents the best chance for peace in Yemen in years and we must encourage and support the parties to make the most of this opportunity for the benefit of Yemen as a whole”, he said.
The humanitarian truce came into effect on 2 April and was renewed on 2 June for an additional two months, as the Yemeni government and the Arab coalition completed the implementation of its humanitarian clauses, including the cessation of military operations, despite the escalation of violations by the Houthi militias supported by Iran.
