First Commercial Flight From Rebel-held Yemen Since 2016 Postponed

Sanaa, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2022 ) :The first commercial flight out of Yemen's rebel-held capital in six years was indefinitely postponed on Sunday, after failing to obtain permits from the Saudi-led coalition, the national carrier said Sunday.

Yemen's government blamed the Huthi rebels for the postponement, claiming they had tried to escape members of Tehran's Revolutionary Guards and Lebanese group Hezbollah onto the flight, while authorities in Sanaa said it "violation" of a truce.

The capital's airport was due to receive the commercial aircraft Sunday morning, reviving hopes that the war-torn country could resume some normal operations.

A brutal seven-year conflict pitting Yemen's government against Huthi rebels has killed hundreds of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of famine.

The plane, operated by national carrier Yemenia, was due to takeoff from the government-controlled southern port city of Aden, stop off in Sanaa, and take passengers in need of medical treatment to Jordan's capital Amman.

The flight was set up as part of a two-month truce that went into effect in early April.

But hours before the flight, the airline said "it has not yet received operating permits". It expressed "deep regret to the travellers for not being allowed to operate" the long-awaited flight.

Yemenia added that it hoped "all problems will be overcome in the near future", without specifying a date.

One passenger told AFP that he had received a call from the airline asking him not to go to the airport.