US envoy Lenderking heads to Saudi Arabia and Jordan to support Yemen truce

Special envoy to focus on efforts to expand truce agreement

US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking's trip follows President Joe Biden's visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia, where the Yemen situation featured prominently in discussions. Reuters

US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking was on Monday heading to the Middle East, where he will visit Saudi Arabia and Jordan to continue diplomatic efforts to support the UN-mediated truce in Yemen, the State Department said.

The trip follows President Joe Biden's visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia, where the Yemen situation featured prominently in discussions.

Mr “Lenderking will continue our efforts to help advance peace”, the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said.

“The special envoy’s engagements will focus on expanding, extending and renewing the current truce agreement that will further the tangible benefits already reaching Yemenis and build towards a more comprehensive, inclusive peace process and permanent ceasefire.”

The UN brokered a two-month truce in Yemen that went into effect on April 1 and it was extended for another two months in June. It is the first nationwide truce in six years of conflict.

The truce calls for the reopening of the roads around the south-western city of Taez and elsewhere in the country.

On Saturday, Yemen's Houthi rebels reportedly shelled a residential area in Taez, killing a child, wounding 10 and drawing condemnation from the UN.

Taez, Yemen’s third largest city and the capital of the province of the same name, has been under a blockade imposed by the rebels since 2016.

The Houthis have rejected two UN proposals to end the blockade.