United Nations: A humanitarian truce takes effect in Yemen today to allow urgently needed aid to reach civilians in the war-torn country facing the threat of famine, the UN said.
The pause in fighting will take effect at 23.59 local time until the end of Ramadan on July 17.
The announcement came eight days after the UN declared Yemen a level-3 humanitarian emergency, the highest on its scale, with nearly half of the country’s regions facing a food crisis.
“It is imperative and urgent that humanitarian aid reach all vulnerable people of Yemen unimpeded and through an unconditional humanitarian pause,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday. “We feel we have the expressions necessary by all parties to announce the start of this pause on Friday,” he added.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received assurances from the Shia Houthi rebels and other parties that “the pause will be fully respected and that there will be no violations from any combatants under their control,” he added.
More than 21.1 million people — over 80 percent of Yemen’s population — need aid, with 13 million facing food shortages. Access to water has become difficult for 9.4 million people, according to the UN. Ban had repeatedly called for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid to be delivered to civilians suffering the air war and rebel offensives.AFP
