Yemen Quint Meeting Backs Truce Extension

A Yemeni man walks next to his three-year-old daughter in Sanaa (UN)
A Yemeni man walks next to his three-year-old daughter in Sanaa (UN)
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Yemen Quint Meeting Backs Truce Extension

A Yemeni man walks next to his three-year-old daughter in Sanaa (UN)
A Yemeni man walks next to his three-year-old daughter in Sanaa (UN)

A quint meeting, which included Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, the US and the UK, has affirmed its support for extending the UN-sponsored truce in Yemen as a step towards reaching a permanent ceasefire and achieving a comprehensive political settlement.

While the five nations expressed concern about the continuation of the siege of Taiz, they called on Houthi militias to show flexibility in negotiations.

Apart from open roads immediately, the group stressed on Tuesday that Houthis must allow the use of state revenues, including the revenues of the port of Hodeidah, to pay the wages of civil servants.

UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg was warmly welcomed as a guest at the meeting, as was David Grisley, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, to discuss the derelict oil tanker, Safer.

The quint meeting reaffirmed strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Yemen, as well as his commitment to support the people of Yemen.

The five nations also hailed the continuation of the truce, which has brought tangible benefits to the Yemeni people since it was concluded on April 2. They stressed the need to maintain and develop this progress, which requires compromise on all sides.

The quint meeting fully supported the efforts of Grundberg to extend and expand the truce on August 2, as well as to fully implement all the conditions of the truce.

It agreed that a final ceasefire and a permanent political settlement should be the end goals of the UN-led process and that such a settlement should be based on previous agreements and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Moreover, the group of five welcomed the continued implementation of the confidence-building measures agreed by the Government of Yemen, including facilitating the delivery of fuel to the port of Hodeidah and the resumption of some commercial flights to and from Sanaa Airport.

They underlined the need to improve the freedom of movement of civilians throughout Yemen, stressing that constructive engagement with the UN is essential to a sustainable solution to the issue of road reopening.



Türkiye's AJet to Start Flights to Syria's Damascus

A United Nations airliner is pictured on the tarmac of the closed Damascus International Airport on December 11, 2024, three days after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)
A United Nations airliner is pictured on the tarmac of the closed Damascus International Airport on December 11, 2024, three days after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)
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Türkiye's AJet to Start Flights to Syria's Damascus

A United Nations airliner is pictured on the tarmac of the closed Damascus International Airport on December 11, 2024, three days after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)
A United Nations airliner is pictured on the tarmac of the closed Damascus International Airport on December 11, 2024, three days after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)

Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet said it will start flights to Damascus International from Istanbul and Ankara airports in mid-June.

AJet said in a statement that flights from Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport will begin from June 16.

Flights will initially take place four times per week before operating daily from July, it added, Reuters reported.

Flights to Damascus from the Turkish capital Ankara will start from June 17, three-times per week, the carrier also said.

Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Damascus in January after a 13-year suspension.

Türkiye, a close ally of the new government in Damascus, has pledged to support the country's reconstruction.

Ankara has already helped with the improvement and maintenance of Syria's airports, the Turkish transport minister has said.