UN envoy calls for extension of Yemen truce

'Civilian casualties have dropped considerably, fighting has sharply reduced,' Hans Grundberg says

Saeed, 55 was driving to see his sister in hospital in Mokha when the car he was driving hit a landmine, which exploded instantly, killing his daughter, 3, and injuring her nine-year-old sister. Photo: Cherry Franklin for DRC

Working alone, without a salary or support, from his home in Khoka, Mohammad has been arranging transport and medical support to people injured by landmines and other explosive ordnance. Photo: Cherry Franklin for DRC

After enduring conflict and displacement, two years ago Eman and her family returned to their home, a tiny stone hut in the middle of the desert. But even though the fighting has moved on, the danger remains. Eman’s house is in the middle of a vast minefield. Photo: Cherry Franklin for DRC

Abdullah, 35, pours water for his goats into empty storage containers for bullets and soldier’s helmets, the remnants of Yemen’s ongoing seven-year conflict. He gestures to an anti-tank mine lying on the ground nearby: “There are mines everywhere here. Sometimes our sheep or camels set off the landmines and they explode, but you can see them everywhere on the ground.” Photo: Cherry Franklin for DRC

In Mowza, western Yemen, a tiny school sits on top of a hillside. There’s no road to the school, just a narrow dusty track that winds its way through open fields. The building was occupied by Houthi troops in 2018. The walls are riddled with bullet holes and the three small classrooms are in a bad state of repair – but it’s the land outside the school that poses the most threat to the young pupils. The school sits in fields littered with landmines and other unexploded ordnance. Photo: Cherry Franklin for DRC

The UN envoy to Yemen on Tuesday called for extending a long-sought truce between the government and the Houthi rebels, which is set to expire in two weeks.

The renewable two-month truce that went into effect in early April has made a “considerable positive impact on the daily lives of many Yemenis”, Hans Grundberg said at the end of a closed UN Security Council meeting.

“Over the past six weeks, civilian casualties have dropped considerably, fighting has sharply reduced with no aerial attacks from Yemen across its borders and no confirmed air strikes inside Yemen,” Mr Grundberg continued.

The official added, however, that he was seeing unconfirmed reports of continued armed clashes that were causing civilian casualties and called for further efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

“I continue to engage the parties to overcome outstanding challenges and to ensure the extension of the truce which is set to expire in two weeks,” Mr Grundberg said.

As part of the truce, the first commercial flight in nearly six years took off from Yemen's rebel-held capital on Monday. Mr Grundberg said another flight is scheduled for Wednesday.

The conflict pits Yemen's Saudi-backed government, officially based in Aden, against the Iran-aligned Houthis.

The Houthis took over Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year and igniting a war that has caused what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.