Arab Coalition Suggests Deploying its Forces in Hodeidah

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen expressed on Thursday willingness to deploy forces in Hodeidah governorate under the Stockholm Agreement.

“The Coalition forces reaffirm their willingness to the redeployment under the Stockholm Agreement, and call upon the United Nations and the Special Envoy for Yemen to exert pressure on the coup militia to implement the Stockholm Agreement, and hold the militia responsible for its failure,” it said in a statement.

It added that it has been over six weeks since warring parties reached a deal to withdraw forces from Hodeidah and its ports under the deal signed in the Swedish capital in December.

“The Coalition and legitimacy forces have fully committed themselves through all aspects of the ceasefire, and exhibited total discipline against the dangerous provocations that have exceeded 1,400 violations by Houthis, leaving many casualties and injuries,” it said.

The statement accused militias of making no significant progress in the implementation of the agreement.

“All signs indicate that the coup militia is not interested in implementing the Agreement. In fact, they are intentionally hindering the implementation to gain time to build their military capabilities in the city and governorate,” it said, calling on the UN to exert more pressure to force the insurgents to implement the agreement’s clauses.

Meanwhile, the Saudi, Emirati, British and US Foreign Ministers, who met in Warsaw Wednesday to discuss the situation in Yemen, reiterated their commitment to a comprehensive political solution to the conflict in the country and their endorsement of the agreements reached in Sweden.

The ministers also discussed Iran’s destabilizing effect on Yemen, through the illicit provision of finance, ballistic missiles and advanced weaponry to the Houthis.

They nevertheless agreed that there is a window of opportunity to end the conflict in Yemen and to redouble their efforts to reach a political solution.