The Houthi rebels in Yemen support UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested that the action be accompanied with the lifting of the blockade on areas under their control, Hizam al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo, told Sputnik Wednesday
DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2020) The Houthi rebels in Yemen support UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested that the action be accompanied with the lifting of the blockade on areas under their control, Hizam al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo, told Sputnik Wednesday.
Guterres on Monday called for a ceasefire in all the world's conflicts so that the focus could shift to the true "fight of our lives."
"The proposal of the UN Secretary-General for a ceasefire is a positive step, which we welcome, especially if it is accompanied by the lifting of the blockade imposed on our people and permission for passage of trucks with medicines, medical supplies, food and fuel," al-Assad said.
He stated that the other side of the conflict should be the first to end hostilities and lift the blockade.
"This is natural and at the same time humane, especially in the conditions that the world is currently experiencing," al-Assad said.
The Yemeni government and the Saudi-led coalition have been blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Houthi-held territories for much of the five-year war for fear of possible arms smuggling to the rebels.
