The United Nations announced that a four-month-old truce between Yemen’s government and the rebel Houthi forces had been extended for two more months; the warring parties also committed to further talks on de-escalating the conflict (Middle East Eye)
Houthi Attacks in Taiz Violate UN-Brokered Truce
Houthi attacks in Taiz killed a government soldier and wounded four others (Arab News)
This constituted the second consecutive day of attacks on the government-held city, with Houthi strikes on a residential area having killed at least one child and wounded ten others the day prior (ABC)
Yemeni Houthis Say They Will Not Extend Truce
The Yemeni Houthis said they will not extend their UN-mediated truce with Saudi Arabia, after U.S. President Joe Biden announced a Saudi commitment to extension (Bloomberg)
Explosion at Arms Depot Kills Three in Yemen
At least three have been killed and eighteen wounded in Abyan, Yemen by an explosion of unknown cause at an arms depot (ABC)
At Least Seven Killed in Car Bomb in Yemen
At least seven people, including three civilians and four soldiers, were killed in a car bomb targeting a security convoy in Aden, Yemen (France 24)
The United Nations Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Prevent Oil Spill off Yemeni Coast
The United Nations has launched a social media campaign to fundraise $80 million for an emergency operation to transfer oil from a decaying supertanker to a temporary vessel, aiming to prevent a massive oil spill off Yemen’s Red Sea coast (UN News)
In other news, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have reportedly resumed direct talks to discuss security along the Saudi border (Voice of America)
New Internal Report Shows U.S. Government Has Failed to Track Civilian Deaths in Yemen War
The U.S. Government Accountability Office authored a report contending that the State and Defense Departments failed to track civilian casualties caused by the Saudi-led coalition and monitor the use of American weapons in the conflict (New York Times)
Yemen’s Warring Sides Agree to Extend Truce
The UN office for Yemen, which announced the two-month extension, said it provides a “rare glimmer of hope” that ending the seven-year conflict is possible (UN press statement)
U.S. Calls for Release of Embassy Staff Detained by Yemen’s Houthis
The United States called on the Houthis to release the U.S. embassy’s local staff after retired USAID staffer Abdulhameed Al-Ajami died while in Houthi custody (Al Jazeera)
First Commercial Flight in Six Years Departs from Sanaa, Yemen
The first commercial flight in six years departed from Yemen’s capital today, as part of a UN-brokered, sixty-day truce (Associated Press)
Yemen Permits Travel with Houthi-Issued Passports
The Yemeni government will permit citizens living in Houthi-held territory to travel with passports issued by the Houthis, removing a barrier to commercial flights out of Sana’a (Agence France Presse)
UN Fails to Raise Enough Funds to Address Decaying Tanker in Yemen
A UN pledging conference raised $33 million — less than one-quarter of the $144 million target — for a salvage operation of a decaying tanker off the coast of Yemen (Associated Press)
Saudi-led Coalition Transfers Freed Prisoners to Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition said it transported more than one hundred freed prisoners to Yemen as part of the UN-brokered truce (Reuters)
Saudi-led Coalition Transfers Freed Prisoners to Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition said it transported more than one hundred freed prisoners to Yemen as part of the UN-brokered truce (Reuters)
Yemen’s Saudi-Led Coalition to Free 163 Houthi Prisoners
A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition announced their intent to free 163 Houthi prisoners in an effort to shore up a truce with the Houthi rebels that began on April 2 (Reuters)
Oman Facilitates Release of Foreigners Detained in Yemen
Oman’s foreign ministry said Saudi Arabia helped arrange permits for fourteen foreigners to leave the country, where they had been detained by the Houthi rebels (Reuters)
Separately, parties to the conflict in Yemen failed to operate what would have been the country’s first commercial flight in six years; the flight to Amman, Jordan had been planned as part of the recent truce (Associated Press)
New Presidential Council Takes Power in Yemen
An eight-member presidential council led by politician Rashad al-Alimi was sworn in following the resignation of former President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi (Al Jazeera)
Houthi Rebels Pledge to End Recruitment of Child Soldiers
According to the United Nations, Yemen’s Houthi rebels signed an action plan to end and prevent the recruitment of child soldiers (Associated Press)
Ten Al-Qaeda Prisoners Escape from Yemeni Prison
Ten al-Qaeda militants escaped from a prison in Yemen’s eastern province of Hadramawt (Associated Press)
U.S. Navy Announces New Red Sea Patrols Amid Yemen War
The U.S. Navy announced it would begin a new task force with allied countries to patrol the Red Sea following recent attacks on the critical global trade route by Yemen’s Houthi rebels (Associated Press)
Yemen’s President Steps Aside Amid Efforts to End War
Following the first nationwide truce since 2016, President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi delegated his powers to a governing council in an effort to boost Yemen’s fragile peace efforts; Saudi Arabia—the main backer of Yemen’s government—called for talks with the Houthi rebels (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to provide funding to aid the transition, including $1 billion each for Yemen’s central bank and an additional $1 billion from Riyadh to buy oil and support development projects; the UAE had privately called for his ouster (Bloomberg)
Parties to Conflict in Yemen Exchange Accusations of Ceasefire Violations
The Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government exchanged accusations that the other side had violated the recent ceasefire, just three days after it went into effect (Agence France Presse)
First Fuel Ship Arrives in Yemen’s Hodeidah
The first fuel shipment arrived in Hodeidah, a Houthi-held city, on the first full day of a truce between the rebels and Saudi-led coalition forces (Associated Press)
Yemen’s Warring Parties Agree to Two-Month Truce
According to the UN envoy to Yemen, the parties to the country’s conflict have accepted a two-month truce starting with the month of Ramadan (Associated Press)
World Bank Approves $300 Million for Yemen Aid
The World Bank allocated $300 million in additional funding to address services in Yemen (Associated Press)