163 Houthi Violations Recorded in Hodeidah in 2 Days

Houthi militants during a gathering in Yemen's capital Sanaa, March 16, 2019. (dpa)
Houthi militants during a gathering in Yemen's capital Sanaa, March 16, 2019. (dpa)
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163 Houthi Violations Recorded in Hodeidah in 2 Days

Houthi militants during a gathering in Yemen's capital Sanaa, March 16, 2019. (dpa)
Houthi militants during a gathering in Yemen's capital Sanaa, March 16, 2019. (dpa)

The UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement expressed its concern over the mounting violence in the coastal Yemeni province, a day after the Iran-backed Houthi militias attacked the Red Sea grain silos and the frontline in the eastern parts of the city.

Head of the mission General Abhijit Guha said the violent fighting that erupted around Hodeidah on August 27 was a special cause for concern.

He called on all sides to cease undermining the implementation of the Hodeidah Agreement, which was reached in Stockholm in late 2018.

He also urged them against endangering the lives of the people in the province.

Meanwhile, the joint Yemeni forces announced that they had recorded 163 violations of the UN-sponsored truce committed by the Houthis in various regions in southern Hodeidah on Thursday and Friday alone.

It cited Houthi artillery, bomb and machine gun attacks in the areas of al-Tour, al-Jah, al-Tahita, Khays and Hodeidah city. The attacks targeted residential and agricultural areas and public roads and prevented people for heading to their jobs.



South Korea Establishes Diplomatic Ties with Syria

 In this photo provided by South Korea Foreign Ministry, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani after signing a joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (South Korea Foreign Ministry via AP)
In this photo provided by South Korea Foreign Ministry, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani after signing a joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (South Korea Foreign Ministry via AP)
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South Korea Establishes Diplomatic Ties with Syria

 In this photo provided by South Korea Foreign Ministry, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani after signing a joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (South Korea Foreign Ministry via AP)
In this photo provided by South Korea Foreign Ministry, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani after signing a joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (South Korea Foreign Ministry via AP)

South Korea and Syria have signed an agreement in Damascus establishing diplomatic relations, the South Korean foreign ministry said on Friday, opening new ties with a traditional ally of its rival North Korea.

The event marks a milestone for South Korea now having established diplomatic ties with all 191 UN member states and opening "a new chapter for bilateral cooperation with Syria, which had long remained distant due to its close ties with North Korea," the South Korean foreign ministry said.

South Korea established diplomatic relations with Cuba last year, another old ally of the North.

North Korea's state media ceased mentions of Syria since the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in December except leader Kim Jong Un once referring to "the Middle East crisis" in passing.

A joint communique was signed by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Syria's Asaad al-Shaibani on Thursday, and Cho expressed willingness to share South Korea's development experience to support Syria's reconstruction, the ministry said.

Cho later met Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, it said.