King appoints Khalid Al-Abdulkarim new secretary general of Cabinet    Family Affairs Council leads Saudi delegation at G20 women's empowerment meetings in Brazil    Public Prosecution: 8,000 out of 15,500 family dispute cases settled amicably    Riyadh hosting CIPS MENA conference on procurement, supply chains    Saudi Arabia launches 'groundbreaking' project to protect ecosystems in Arabian Gulf    Response 14: Saudi Arabia conducts mock drill to combat marine oil spills    Two killed in New Caledonia as riots escalate after Paris vote    Fahd Al-Qunun continues to elevate the customer experience through unique cashback initiative Innovative program from premium Saudi honey producer reinforces commitment to customer satisfaction and loyalty    Saudi and Australian chief justices discuss judicial cooperation    Indian spices face heat over global safety concerns    Blinken reiterates US arms will help Ukraine as it reels from latest Russian attack    Nadhmi Al-Nasr: 140,000 workers involved in NEOM projects around the clock    ZATCA sets SR3000 maximum duty-free purchase limit for incoming passenger    Glioblastoma: Top Australian doctor remains brain cancer-free after a year    Introducing Zilos: A luxury Culinary Oasis of Mediterranean and Asian Fusion in Jeddah    Al Hilal wraps up Saudi League title; Jesus touts season as model of excellence    Neymar celebrates Al Hilal's title win, eager for comeback next season    Al Hilal clinches Saudi Professional League title in a star-studded season    Saudi authorities recall contaminated mayonnaise after food poisoning incident at Riyadh restaurant    Al Ettifaq inflicts historic 5-0 defeat on Al Ittihad in Saudi Professional League    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Yemen aid starts to flow as ceasefire mostly holds
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 15 - 05 - 2015

Relief agencies on Thursday used a five-day humanitarian truce in Yemen to expand aid distribution to some of the millions deprived of food, fuel and medicine by weeks of fighting and airstrikes.

Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition of Arab states backed by the West, has pounded Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen's former leader since March 26, aiming to restore President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, now exiled in Riyadh.

Aid flights have started from the United Arab Emirates to the capital Sanaa, which is under Houthi control and has faced airstrikes but no ground fighting. The United Nations said aid ships had docked at ports of Hodeida and Aden.

A shipping source in Yemen said at least three ships with fuel and wheat had docked in Hodeida and in al-Mukalla; Saudi Arabia had sent eight truckloads of diesel overland to Hadramout province; and Qatar had sent medicine and food via Djibouti.

The Houthi-run Saba news agency said two planes with medics and supplies from the International Committee of the Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres had landed in the capital.

In north Yemen, aid agencies started to distribute food to 33,000 people, as well as medicine to hospitals and hygiene kits to refugees, said the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Since Saturday, about 8 percent of the 5 million liters of fuel needed to distribute aid each month had arrived in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia says the Houthis have been violating the truce.

Late on Wednesday, 24 hours after it began, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis had fired on the Saudi border and continued to fight inside Yemen, but that it would not resume airstrikes yet.

On Thursday, residents said Houthis were still pushing toward Al-Bureiqa, where Aden's oil refineries are located. Residents also said two people had been killed by Houthi snipers in Aden, and seven Houthis had died in the city of Al-Dhalea.

Talks between political parties other than the Houthis will start in Riyadh on Sunday and focus on southern demands for independence, which have grown as a result of the fighting, Foreign Minister Reyad Yassin Abdulla said.

“Aden and the south has suffered most of the damage, most demolition, most of the people killed and tortured. The Houthis concentrated their damage on the south. They killed what remained of the unity of Yemen,” he said by phone.

The former ruling General People's Congress and main opposition groups including the southern Herak and Islamist Islah will attend the three-day talks, as well as tribal leaders, he said. — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.