Yemen’s Houthis violate Sweden agreement, block UN delegations from entering Taiz

The Houthi militias have blocked a UN delegation from entering the Taiz province, southwest of Yemen, the Yemeni legitimate government reported, stating that this was a clear violation of the Sweden talks.

Yemeni Minister of Local Administration and chairman of the Higher Committee for Relief in Yemen Abdul Raqeeb Fateh, said the militias prevented the UN World Food Program (WFP) delegation from visiting the province of Taiz, which was scheduled for Sunday, and blocked its entry into the province through the eastern port of Al-Houban.

He added that the militias blocked several vehicles carrying aid from entering Taiz, as well as stopping three UN delegations from entering, including former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Stephen O’Brien.

The delegation was forced to inform local authorities in the province that they would postpone the planned visit to next week, passing through the temporary capital of Aden.

The Yemeni official stressed that the siege imposed by the militias on most of the entrances of the Taiz province has been going on for more than three years, calling on the international community to exert all pressure on the militias to lift the siege on the province and areas under their control.

According to the sources, this action is contrary to the agreement on Taiz, signed by the legitimate government with the Houthi militias at the conclusion of the Stockholm talks sponsored by the United Nations recently.