Yemeni Government, Houthis Agree to Renew Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg
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Yemeni Government, Houthis Agree to Renew Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg

The United Nations said Thursday that the Yemeni government and the Houthis have agreed to renew a nationwide truce for another two months.

The cease-fire between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthi militias first came into effect on April 2.

The announcement, which is the outcome of UN efforts, came only few hours before the original truce was set to expire later on Thursday.

“The truce represents a significant shift in the trajectory of the war and has been achieved through responsible and courageous decision making by the parties,” UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said in a statement.

He said he will mediate talks between the two sides to solidify the new truce, and to eventually reach a political settlement to end the conflict.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.