UN Secretary-General Guterres Welcomes Announcement Of 2-Week Ceasefire In Yemen

UN Secretary-General Guterres Welcomes Announcement of 2-Week Ceasefire in Yemen

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed an announcement issued by the Saudi-led coalition for a two-week ceasefire in Yemen, saying that it would help reach peace in the war-torn country and focus efforts on fighting COVID-19

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2020) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed an announcement issued by the Saudi-led coalition for a two-week ceasefire in Yemen, saying that it would help reach peace in the war-torn country and focus efforts on fighting COVID-19.

On Wednesday, the Saudi state media reported that the coalition had put military operations on hold for two weeks. The move was welcomed by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths. Despite these efforts, the Houthi rebel movement fired a ballistic missile at the city of Marib and the port of Al Hudaydah. In response, Yemeni Information Minister Muammar Eryani said that these attacks had demonstrated the Houthis' disinterest in reaching peace in the country.

"I welcome the announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the 'Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen,' of a unilateral ceasefire in Yemen. This can help to advance efforts towards peace as well as the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Guterres said in an official statement.

Guterres also called on the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels to immediately cease hostilities and negotiate on achieving peace between the two warring parties.

In late March,� Guterres called for a ceasefire in all of the world's conflicts so that the focus could shift to the true "fight of our lives," referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the UN-backed Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels have expressed support for the initiative, but clashes are still ongoing.