US President Joe Biden on Tuesday welcomed news that the UN-brokered ceasefire in Yemen had been extended for another two months.
“This truce, now going on five months, has brought a period of unprecedented calm in Yemen, saving thousands of lives and bringing tangible relief for countless Yemenis,” Mr Biden said in a statement.
The UN announced on Tuesday that the truce, first established in April between Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthi rebels, would continue into October.
Mr Biden thanked US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking for his work with the UN.
The US president also mentioned that the truce in Yemen had been part of talks with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the country in July, during which he had also spoken with the two leaders about finding a permanent solution to the conflict.
Mr Biden stated, however, that there was still more to be done, especially on work to solidify a permanent ceasefire and an agreement that would end the war.
“I recognise that a truce, while an important step and essential to saving lives, is not enough in the long run,” he said.
“Thus, we urge the Yemeni parties to seize this opportunity to work constructively under UN auspices to reach an inclusive, comprehensive agreement that includes steps to improve freedom of movement and expanded salary payments and that paves the way for a durable, Yemeni-led resolution to the conflict.”
The UAE welcomed the extension of the truce and commended efforts by the UN and Hans Grundberg, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, to "reach a permanent ceasefire followed by a political solution to the Yemen crisis in order to enhance prospects for peace and stability in Yemen and the region."
The statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation called on the international community to support adherence to the truce and said it stood by the Yemeni people.
The Saudi government welcomed the renewed agreement, and highlighted the importance of reopening the roads around the city of Taez. In a statement on Wednesday, the kingdom's foreign ministry said the truce's objective is to reach a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and to begin the political process between the government and the Houthis”.
The UN had previously said it was aiming for a six-month truce to begin on August 2 — but sticking points including the roads around Taez and payment of public employees continue to delay substantive political agreements.
The Houthis insist that employee salaries are paid according to a 2022 payroll list including individuals working for Houthi-run state institutions.
Since the war began Yemen's economy and basic services have collapsed, leaving 80 per cent of the population of around 30 million needing assistance.
Soaring food prices risk tipping more people into hunger as funding shortages have forced the UN to cut food rations.
“We want a truce that improves our standard of living,” schoolteacher Elham Abdullah, who lives in the de-facto capital of Aden, told Reuters.
University student Tah Abdul Kareem said more was needed but “still, it is better than a return to war”.
The conflict in Yemen began 2014, when Houthi forces took over Sanaa, the country's capital, causing the government to flee.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war in March 2015 at the government's request.
The UN says more than 150,000 people have died in the violence and millions have been displaced.
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Yemen has been swamped by severe humanitarian problems, which have been made worse by dangers of landmines. All photos: Masam -
The country has already been ravaged by poverty, war and economic collapse and to compound matters, landmines have been laid across much of the nation in a series of conflicts and uprisings. -
The explosives have been used extensively by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels as part of the civil war that began in 2014. -
But efforts are under way to demine Yemen, including by the Yemeni authorities and the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam). -
The demining campaign was launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre. -
Since 2018, Masam has been removing mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance. -
Ousama Algosaibi, Masam’s managing director, says the task is mammoth because the number of explosive devices laid in Yemen is 'mind-boggling'. -
Mr Algosaibi says landmines have been found in villages, on agricultural land, in children’s schools and on roads leading to villages. -
Mr Algosaibi says: ‘These are all civilian areas that are now very far from any active front. I don’t understand the reason they have planted those areas with mines and IEDs.’ -
'What is the use of planting IEDs under the floor of a children’s school?' he says. 'It just doesn’t make sense.' -
'Houthis want to use that as ... a terror tool against the local population, against the local civilians' Mr Algosaibi suggests. -
The demining is carried out by 32 teams of Yemenis, who have been through comprehensive training. -
Residents may pinpoint a location where a mine cost a relative a leg or killed an animal, and operatives can often then work out the line in which others were laid. -
Metal detectors highlight the precise location of devices, which are typically collected and destroyed, hundreds at a time, in controlled explosions. -
Masam and other entities carrying out demining in Yemen are doing so while conflict continues to rage. -
Masam has cleared more than 32 million square metres and destroyed more than 335,000 explosives to date. -
Operating in a war zone magnifies the dangers to the staff and Masam has lost 28 personnel in 16 incidents. -
Half of these incidents happened during demining, such as when a mine or other device suddenly exploded or was booby trapped. -
The other eight were caused directly by the civil war, such as when drones targeted vehicles or camps.
