Grundberg in Muscat to Pressure Houthis to End Taiz Siege, Open Roads

United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
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Grundberg in Muscat to Pressure Houthis to End Taiz Siege, Open Roads

United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)

UN Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg is racing to garner approval for extending the humanitarian truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militias. However, the government is insisting on Houthis lifting the siege of Taiz and complying with their obligations under the truce.

On Tuesday, Grundberg met with the spokesman of the Houthi group and its chief negotiator, Muhammad Abdul Salam Fleitah. The two met in the presence of Omani officials in the Sultanate’s capital, Muscat.

According to his office, Grundberg stressed “the need to reopen roads in Taiz and other areas of Yemen, to renew the armistice, and to take serious steps towards ending the conflict in a comprehensive manner.”

While the Yemeni government confirms that it has fulfilled all its obligations regarding the implementation of the two-month truce that began on April 2, Houthis are still blockading Taiz.

The Yemeni government has complied with the terms of the armistice, reopened Sanaa airport to commercial flights, as well as having permitted the flow of fuel to the port of Hodeidah.

Grundberg on Monday held meetings with the country's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in the southern port city of Aden. This is the third visit within a month for the UN envoy to the Yemeni interim capital.

“Rashad Muhammad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the PLC, along with the two Vice-Presidents of the PLC, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, and Dr. Abdullah Al-Alimi, met today, Monday, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hans Grundberg, on his third visit this month to the temporary capital Aden,” reported state news agency, Saba.

Al-Alimi and his two deputies were briefed by the UN envoy on the developments of the ongoing efforts to implement the truce, and the opportunities to extend it and build on it to push the militias towards a comprehensive and just peace in accordance with the agreed local, regional and international references.

Grundberg presented the results of the first phase of negotiations, regarding the opening of the crossings of Taiz and other provinces, in which the Houthis continued their intransigence and their failure to implement the terms of the truce related to opening roads in Taiz and other provinces in order to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

During the meeting, the PLC chairman stressed the importance of pushing the militia to fulfill its obligations under the truce agreement, including opening all crossings, and paying employees’ salaries from the revenues of oil derivatives ships arriving at the ports of Hodeidah.

Al-Alimi affirmed the continued support of the leadership and the legitimate government for the UN efforts to implement the terms of the truce, and to provide more initiatives to alleviate the human suffering of the Yemeni people, and not to compromise on any of their rights guaranteed under the constitution and relevant international laws.



Israeli Settlers Raid West Bank Town, Troops Kill 3 Palestinians

People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israeli Settlers Raid West Bank Town, Troops Kill 3 Palestinians

People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)

Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian West Bank town on Wednesday, sparking a confrontation that ended with Israeli forces killing three Palestinians, the Israeli military and Palestinian authorities said.

Three Palestinians were killed and seven wounded in the violence in Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah, the Palestinian health ministry said.

An Israeli military statement said dozens of Israelis set fire to property, and military and police forces were dispatched to the scene after receiving a report of ensuing violence that included an exchange of stone-throwing.

The military statement said several Palestinians opened fire and hurled rocks at the forces, who returned the fire. Five Israeli suspects were arrested. An Israeli army officer was lightly wounded.

Video footage showed at least two cars had been set ablaze. Reuters could not independently verify the video.

Hussein al-Sheikh, the deputy to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, posted on X: "The government of Israel, with its behavior and decisions, is pushing the region to explode."

"We call on the international community to intervene urgently to protect our Palestinian people," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday a Palestinian boy was shot dead by the Israeli army during a raid on Al-Yamun, a West Bank town west of Jenin, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.