Yemen – The Houthis’ “intransigence” on ending the Siege of Taiz undermines the truce
The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, is racing ahead of the end of the humanitarian truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthi terrorist militia on Thursday, as part of his efforts to obtain approval for its extension, at a time when the government insists on lifting the siege on Taiz and forcing the Houthis to fulfill their obligations under the truce.
The UN envoy’s office said he met in Muscat yesterday with the Houthi group’s spokesman and chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdel Salam Fleitah, along with Omani officials, the day after he met in Aden with the chairman of the presidential command council and officials in the legitimate Yemeni government.
Grundberg stressed, according to his office, the need to reopen roads in Taiz and other areas of Yemen, renew the truce, and take serious steps towards ending the conflict in a comprehensive manner.
Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani accused the Houthis of intransigence in lifting the siege on Taiz province, even though the government has made concessions on more than one issue.
On Twitter yesterday, al-Eryani said: This intransigence by the Houthis, despite international calls and popular pressure, confirms their imposition of a policy of collective punishment and systematic killing of the people of the province, which was the first bullet point in the face of the coup.
The Yemeni minister cited reports by human rights monitoring centers that 3,590 people were killed during Houthi bombardments in Taiz between 2015 and 2020, including 761 children and 347 women. An estimated 14,000 people were injured.
The shelling ranged from tank shells to artillery, mortars and snipers, he said, adding that the seven-year Houthi siege of Taiz represents a war crime, a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions.
The Yemeni minister called on the international community, the UN and US envoys to condemn the siege and put pressure on the Houthis to stop manipulating the file and immediately and completely lift the siege on Taiz province.
Meanwhile, the Geneva-based SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms called the day before yesterday on the international community to assume its full moral responsibility in opening all the crossings of the besieged city of Taiz by the Houthi militia.
The organization said in a statement carried by Saba: Turning this file into a political bargaining chip increases civilian suffering, does not serve the peace process, and could undermine the extension of the truce in Yemen.
It considered that the inability of the international community since Stockholm to move this file loses confidence in peace initiatives and the continuation of the truce, even international mediators, especially with the continuation of the high humanitarian cost of the siege.
