UN official warns against violating Stockholm Deal

Chair of the UN’s observer mission in Hodeidah Lt. Gen. Abhijit Guha has warned Yemeni parties from any act in contravention of the Stockholm Agreement struck between the Houthi militias and the legitimate government in 2018, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. 

The General’s warning came days after the militias increased attacks in the port city, even targeting the Red Sea city of Mocha, west of Taiz, partly destroying a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF.

Guha said the five observation posts recently established along the Hodeidah city frontlines led to a significant reduction in violence on the ground.

However, the General said the past days have witnessed reports of incidents involving the construction of new fortifications, movement of forces, and use of drones, all of which are in contravention of ceasefire agreements between the two parties, the daily added. 

Guha, who commends the commitment of the parties to the work of the Ceasefire Enhancement and De-escalation Mechanism, which was established in September onboard the UNMHA vessel, urged the two Yemeni parties to continue working jointly and in good faith to deal with incidents of escalation in violence in Hodeidah.

He admitted the volatile situation in Hodeidah and reiterated UNMHA’s commitment to support the work of the parties through this Mechanism.

This is the second statement issued by Guha in three days. An official statement had called on all parties to respect the ceasefire in Hodeidah as agreed in Stockholm.

On Thursday, the MSF hospital was hit in a Houthi drone and missile attack, causing huge explosions that left at least eight people dead.

Lise Grande, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said, describing the attack, “This is shocking and completely unacceptable. ”