Parties agree compromise on Hodeida pullback: UN

Access to the mills grows ever more urgent as time passes and the risk of spoilage to the remaining grain increases

Mark Lowcock, UN aid chief

new york — Yemen’s government and Houthi rebels have agreed on a preliminary compromise for the redeployment of their forces from the port city of Hodeida, which holds vital food stocks, following UN-brokered talks, a United Nations spokesman said on Thursday.

The pullback from Hodeida was initially agreed in December during talks in Sweden but deadlines for both sides to move their forces away from the ports and parts of city were missed.

Earlier, the United Nations aid chief on Thursday urged the Houthis to grant access in the coming days to a food storage site in Hodeida containing enough grain to feed millions of starving civilians.

The Houthis are refusing to allow UN aid agencies to cross front lines and reach the Red Sea Mills, which are located in a government-controlled area, because of security concerns, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock said.

“Access to the mills grows ever more urgent as time passes and the risk of spoilage to the remaining grain increases,” said Lowcock in a statement.

“I implore all parties, in particular Ansar Allah affiliated groups, to finalise an agreement and facilitate access to the mills in the coming days.” Ansar Allah is the official name of the Houthi militia. —