The Yemeni government has called on the United Nations and its Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, to take serious and real action to deter the ongoing and escalating Houthi militia's violations of the truce since the first moments of its entry into force. The official Yemeni news agency (Saba) quoted an official government source as saying, "The escalation of the blatant Houthi militia's attacks, which culminated in targeting the Taiz Security Department with drones, Wednesday, which led to the injury of 10 people, including civilians, material damage and panic among children and families celebrating Eid Al-Fitr in the nearby park." The source stressed that the Houthi militia's repeated violations of the UN truce put the United Nations and the international community to a real test of its seriousness in putting pressure on the Houthi militia to respond to peace efforts. It pointed out that the continuation of the Houthi militia's terrorist attacks and its failure to respect the humanitarian truce being patronized by the United Nations from the first moments of its entry into force, and its repudiation of the implementation of the existing obligations under the truce. It has negated many factors in the truce, foremost of which is lifting the siege on Taiz, represent the approach and behavior of the militia and its supporters in undermining all opportunities for peace and a political solution to the Yemeni crisis. The government source also stressed the need to immediately lift the siege on Taiz Governorate, in accordance with the terms of the truce. Earlier, the United Nations relief chief said civilian casualties fell to lowest level in months. Hailing the announcement of a two-month nationwide truce between the parties to conflict in Yemen, top United Nations officials emphasized the importance of continued efforts to bring about an end to the once seemingly intractable crisis that has gripped the country for seven years. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, highlighted that "a brighter future" now looks within reach. The truce, forged on April 2, is already alleviating humanitarian conditions, while hostilities have decreased and civilian casualties have dropped to the lowest reported level in months. Moreover, he said the establishment of a new Presidential Leadership Council on April 7, and announcement of a $3 billion economic aid package during consultations convened by the Gulf Cooperation Council have further set Yemen on a positive course. The package includes a $2 billion deposit into the Central Bank to help stabilize the economy, an "extremely welcome" move that has prompted the rial to bounce back, meaning that food and other essential goods will soon become more affordable, he added. Grunberg too said, "there is light at the end of the tunnel" thanks to the agreement on a two-month, renewable truce. He contrasted conditions today to those just a few months prior, when the country faced a daunting escalation of military activities. He pointed to a "significant reduction in violence and civilian casualties", fuel entering Hodeidah ports and preparations for civilian flights to resume from Sanaa airport, adding that progress has also been made on the exchange of detainees. "The truce is a chance to steer Yemen in a new direction," he told UN Security Council members, cautioning that challenges remain. "To consolidate this path, and to prevent a slide back into fighting, there needs to be progress on the political front as well", he said. — Agencies
