Egypt welcomes temporary ceasefire in Yemen, hopes for enhanced negotiations

The Ministry Foreign Affairs said that Egypt welcomes the United Nations-brokered 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen which came into effect to allow for humanitarian aid to reach citizens.

“Egypt hopes that all parties will abide by the truce and that negotiations will be reopened in order to reach a solution. Egypt supports a political solution in Yemen, based on the UN security council decisions and the Gulf’s initiatives,” ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zaid said Wednesday.

UN envoy Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed announced that all warring parties in Yemen have agreed to a three-day ceasefire, due to start Wednesday night.

Yemen has witnessed increased turmoil for almost 16 months, following the power grab of the Houthi forces—the Shia rebel troops led by Abdul Malik Al-Houthi in the north.

The group took over many Yemeni cities and entered the capital Sana’a in September 2014, amid clashes with the state forces, which left hundreds dead, including civilians.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes targeting Houthi forces in several cities. However, those airstrikes widely affected civilians and children and led to the deterioration of public services.

Source: Daily News Egypt