Saudi-Led Coalition Declares Ceasefire in Yemen for Ramadan

Yemenis inspect the damage following overnight airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition targeting the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa, on Jan. 18, 2022. Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebel group in Yemen declared a ceasefire starting March 30 to make peace during the month of Ramadan, the Saudi state news agency reported on March 29.

“The joint forces command of the coalition hereby announces cessation of military operations in Yemen beginning at (0600) Wednesday, March 30, 2022,” it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

It stated that the cessation came amid international efforts to reach a comprehensive political resolution to end the Yemeni conflict. The United Nations has previously pushed for a temporary truce in Yemen for Ramadan that starts in April.

“The coalition will abide by this cessation, and undertake all necessary steps and procedures to ensure its success, and create the propitious conditions needed for successful consultations and favorable environment,” it said.

However, Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukaiti wrote on Twitter that the blockade of Yemeni ports remained a “military action,” as it was imposed by the use of weapons. He said the declaration for cessation would be meaningless unless the blockade was lifted.

“If the blockade is not lifted, the coalition’s declaration to stop its military operations will be meaningless because the suffering of Yemenis resulting from the blockade on ports is more severe than the war itself, which means our military operations to break the siege will continue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh welcomed the coalition’s truce declaration and hoped more efforts would be made to prioritize humanitarian issues in Yemen and that a prisoner swap could also move forward.

The seven-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of famine.

The coalition offered a unilateral ceasefire last year, but the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said the humanitarian situation and port restrictions needed to be resolved before any peace talks could resume.

On March 26, the Houthi group announced a three-day suspension of missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, as well as a three-day suspension of ground offensive operations in Yemen.

Houthi’s political leader Mahdi al-Mashat said the peace initiative would last if the coalition reopened the ports and ceased airstrikes. It also offered to extend the suspension of ground operations in exchange for Saudi Arabia withdrawing foreign troops from Yemen and ceasing support for local militias.

Both sides are also discussing a prisoner swap, which could see hundreds of detainees freed, including 16 Saudis and a brother of Yemen’s president.

Reuters contributed to this report.