UN special envoy on Yemen Hans Grundberg

Yemen's warring parties agreed to extend the truce for another two months just hours before it was due to expire, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced Tuesday.

"I am pleased to announce that the parties have agreed to extend the truce, under the same terms, for an additional two months, from 2 August 2022 until 2 October 2022. This truce extension includes a commitment from the parties to intensify negotiations to reach an expanded truce agreement as soon as possible," Grundberg said in a statement.

"The expanded truce proposal would provide for reaching an agreement on a transparent and effective disbursement mechanism for the regular payment of civil servant salaries and civilian pensions, the opening of roads in Taiz and other governorates, opening additional destinations to and from Sana’a International Airport, and providing fuel and its regular flow of fuel to the ports of Hudaydah," he added.

Grundberg also noted that "In order to consolidate the opportunity provided by the truce to pivot toward sustainable peace, I will also intensify my efforts with the parties to reach as soon as possible an expanded truce agreement."

After countless painful and devastating years, besieged Yemen witnessed the extent of atrociousness Saudi Arabia is willing to unleash as well as the fractured US policy that backs the Saudi's footsteps. Three US administrations later, the war on Yemen is still ongoing, civilian deaths are increasing, and the population is dangerously suffering from famine.

The Head of the Yemeni negotiating delegation, Muhammad Abdul Salam, reiterated Sanaa's calls for the UN to intensify work to solve the issue of disbursing salaries, opening the airport and port, and ending the siege.

It is noteworthy that the truce announced between the Saudi coalition and the Sanaa government entered into force on April 2 and was extended on June 2.

The Head of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, Mahdi Al-Mashat, underscored yesterday the necessity for the Saudi-led coalition to end the war and siege on war-torn Yemen.

During a meeting with a visiting Omani team in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, Al-Mashat highlighted the significance of a long-term peace accord that guarantees the Yemeni people's sovereignty and independence.

He went on to say that the Yemeni people want an end to the Saudi-led aggression, the lifting of the crippling siege on the crisis-stricken country, and the implementation of the provisions of the UN-backed ceasefire, such as the normal operation of Sanaa airport, the reopening of Al-Hudaydah port, and the payment of employees' salaries.

Al-Mashat emphasized that an optimal solution to these concerns will be critical in easing people's suffering and creating a favorable environment for attaining peace.

Read: Sanaa: Siege of Yemeni people hinders the extension of truce

"The main objective of the current truce continues to be to provide tangible relief to civilians and to create a conducive environment for reaching a peaceful settlement to the conflict through a comprehensive political process," Grundberg said.