UN to be briefed on Yemeni conflict as bloody Hodeida assault looms
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths will brief the UN Security Council on the situation in that country today.
Since UN-led peace talks collapsed in September, fighting has intensified, particularly around the port city of Hodeida—the point of entry for some 80% of Yemen’s food and aid. The city is currently controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthis, but a five-month advance has readied the Saudi-led coalition for a ground assault on the city.
For now, the offensive on Hodeida has been suspended by coalition forces, giving Mr Griffiths and the UN a small window to convene a new round of peace talks in Sweden, possibly by the end of the month.
Houthi participation remains a concern. Indeed, there is no guarantee that the Houthis—adept guerrilla fighters—would be easily overcome in densely-populated Hodeida. With the Security Council’s western powers—the US, UK and France—backing the coalition, they may have to halt that support to demonstrate to both sides that peace through negotiation is the way forward. Regardless, with the Houthis and the Saudi coalition fiercely opposed, further fighting remains likelier than a peaceful end to the four-year war.
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