The UN children’s agency, Unicef, has welcomed the agreement reached by Saudi-sponsored and rebel Houthi forces for an imminent withdrawal from Yemen’s key Red Sea ports. Unicef called for “unconditional and sustained humanitarian access to the 135,000 children remaining” in Hodeida city, where they are facing “the highest levels” of malnutrition and cholera in the country. Cross-border attacksMeanwhile, in Yemen’s north, Houthi fighters have conducted cross-border attacks on Saudi troops. Germany has joined Denmark, Norway and Finland in banning the sale of weapons due to the Yemen war. The Saudis and Emiratis launched their 2015 campaign against the Houthis – who are accused of receiving aid from Iran – with the aim of restoring to power Yemeni president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Source: The Irish Times February 20, 2019 20:15 UTC