UN Envoys Discuss Redeployment Of Forces With Yemen's Warring Parties - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2019) United Nations envoys have begun consultations with leaders from the Yemeni government and rebel Houthi movement on plans for the withdrawal of forces from the port city of Al Hudaydah, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

"Martin Griffiths, the Special Envoy for Yemen, and Patrick Cammaert, the Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), have started their discussions with the political leadership of both parties regarding the RCC Chair's suggestions for a proposal on the redeployment of forces, as agreed in Stockholm," Haq said. "Mr. Griffiths and Gen. Cammaert are in Riyadh today to meet Government of Yemen officials."

The spokesman explained that the rival sides would discuss these suggestions during the next joint meeting of the committee.

Last week, the parties to the Yemeni conflict resumed meetings under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the exchange of prisoners, as agreed during consultations in Sweden.

Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces led by President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels for several years. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.

The last round of peace consultations in Sweden in mid-December resulted in the signing of the Stockholm agreement by the government of Yemen and the Houthi rebels. The agreement set out measures for prisoner exchanges, on a ceasefire in Al Hudaydah port, among other humanitarian initiatives.