Saudi Arabia welcomes extension of Yemen truce

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday welcomed the extension of a UN-brokered truce in war-torn Yemen for additional two months.

In a statement carried by the state news agency SPA, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said it welcomes the extension of truce in Yemen for two more months.

"The Kingdom reaffirms its support of all UN-led efforts to reach a permanent political solution to the crisis in Yemen and to end the suffering of the Yemeni people," the statement said.

The ministry underlined the importance of the Houthi commitment to the truce and "opening crossings in Taiz (in central Yemen) to ease the humanitarian suffering" there.

On Tuesday, UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg announced the extension of truce in Yemen for additional two months through Oct. 2.

The extension includes a commitment by the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels to intensify negotiations to reach an expanded agreement as soon as possible.

"I count on the continued cooperation of the parties to meet their commitments and implement all elements of the truce and to negotiate in good faith to reach an expanded truce agreement, and to put Yemen on a path to sustainable peace. The Yemeni people deserve no less," Grundberg said in a statement.

Under the truce, which was first reached on April 2, all military operations were halted. The agreement also allowed the operation of commercial flights from rebel-held Sana'a Airport in the Yemeni capital.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since September 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in early 2015 to restore the Yemeni government to power.
The eight-year conflict has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions suffering from hunger.