Last ditch attempt to rescue Hudaydah deal
The Yemeni government has agreed with the Houthi militia to deploy a joint military force in the western port city of Hudaydah to work along with United Nations observers on preventing infringements of the ceasefire deal reached earlier in Stockholm.
The deal
is viewed as a last ditch attempt by the government to rescue the deal which
was signed in December 2018.
It
stipulated a Houthi pullout from Hudaydah's ports and handing these ports over
to a civilian body.
The
Houthi militia had, however, got around the deal by maintaining its military
buildup in the city and targeting civilian areas under the control of the
legitimate Yemeni government.
The joint
forces, which are affiliated to the legitimate government, had surveyed 6,374
violations by the Houthis of the deal in Hudaydah and its countryside since its
signing on December 18. A staggering 3,439 civilians and army troops were also
killed in the city because of these violations since then.
Mission
The
military force deployed in Hudaydah in the light of the new agreement between
the Houthis and the Yemeni government is made up of Yemeni army and Houthi
troops.
The force
will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Stockholm deal which
makes it necessary for the Houthis to pullout of the three ports of Hudaydah.
The force
will work closely with United Nations observers in the city. It will work to
build confidence between the legitimate Yemeni government and the Houthi
militia and also reduce tensions in the Red Sea city.
Yemeni
journalist Faisal al-Shubaibi appeared skeptic over the role of the new force.
He said
the force will serve the Yemeni people in no way.
"The
force was formed only with the aim of giving the United Nations Envoy to Yemen
cause for boasting during the next UN briefing on Yemen," Shubaibi said.
He told
The Reference that the Houthis would continue to build up their military
presence in Hudaydah.
"They
will never abide by the deal unless they are forced too," Shubaibi
said.