Grundberg in Aden to Consolidate Yemen Truce amid Mounting Houthi Violations

Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi meets with UN envoy Hans Grundberg in Aden. (Saba)
Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi meets with UN envoy Hans Grundberg in Aden. (Saba)
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Grundberg in Aden to Consolidate Yemen Truce amid Mounting Houthi Violations

Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi meets with UN envoy Hans Grundberg in Aden. (Saba)
Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi meets with UN envoy Hans Grundberg in Aden. (Saba)

United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg arrived in the interim capital Aden on Tuesday as part of his efforts to consolidate the two-month truce in the country.

He met with Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi, who stressed the importance of implementing all articles of the truce without exception, especially in regards to lifting the siege imposed by the Iran-backed Houthi militias on Taiz city.

Grundberg had kicked off a tour of the region by holding talks in Riyadh with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Dr. Nayef al-Hajraf and Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber.

In Aden, the envoy also met with Presidential Council members Tariq Saleh and Abdullah Al-Alimi, and Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik.

Rashad al-Alimi stressed to Grundberg the legitimate government's readiness to offer all that was necessary to ensure the success of UN peace efforts that would end the Houthi coup.

Regarding the resumption of flights at Sanaa International Airport, he informed the envoy that the government had made several proposals that were met with evident stalling and intransigence by the Houthis.

He said the militias are exploiting the issue for political gain, heedless of the humanitarian factors that led it to be included in the truce.

Official Yemeni sources said Grundberg stressed that he will continue his efforts to maintain the humanitarian truce and reach a comprehensive political settlement.

On the ground, the Yemeni military continued to count Houthi violations of the truce. Its latest report tallied 74 new violations on various battlefronts on Sunday.

The breaches were confirmed in the Marib, Hajjah, Hodeidah, Taiz and Dhale provinces and they ranged from Katyusha rocket fire and artillery shelling at military positions, the launching of armed drones, deployment of snipers and the continued reinforcement of positions and amassing of forces.

The army and resistance forces, on the other hand, have stressed their commitment to the ceasefire in line with military and political directives.



Trump Says He Will Ease Sanctions on Syria, Moves to Restore Relations with New Leader

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
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Trump Says He Will Ease Sanctions on Syria, Moves to Restore Relations with New Leader

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will move to normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria's new government to give the country “a chance at peace."

Trump was set to meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashar Assad. He said the effort at rapprochement came at the urging of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”

The developments were a major boost for the Syrian president who at one point was imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion of the country.  

Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by opposition groups led by his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS that stormed Damascus ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family.

The US has been weighing how to handle Sharaa since he took power in December.  

Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.

“The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,” the White House said before Trump's remarks.

The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who had until now been deeply skeptical of Sharaa.

Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaeda insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.

Sharaa, whom the US once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaeda, came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 where he led al-Qaeda’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaeda.

Sharaa is set to become the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since the late Hafez al-Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000.