イエメン内戦、２か月間の停戦発効

【ＡＦＰ＝時事】内戦が７年にわたり続く中東イエメンで２日、暫定政権を支援するサウジアラビア主導の連合軍と、イランが支援する反政府武装勢力フーシ派との間で２か月間の停戦合意が発効した。（写真はイエメンの首都サヌアで、軍事パレードに参加する反政府武装勢力フーシ派の戦闘員）
　停戦は国連が仲介。イスラム教の断食月「ラマダン」初日の午後７時に発効した。ハンス・グルンドバーグ国連イエメン担当特使は「陸、空、海の軍事作戦は今夜をもって全面的に停止されなければならない」と発表した。
　フーシ派のヤヒヤ・サリー報道官は「相手方が（停戦を）順守する限り、軍事作戦の全面停止を約束する」と確認した。
　停戦発効を受け、西部の港湾都市ホデイダには燃料運搬船１８隻の入港が許可され、フーシ派の支配下にある首都サヌアの空港を発着する民間航空便も週２便の運航が再開される。いずれの項目も和平交渉前からフーシ派が要求していた。
　グルンドバーグ氏によると、連合軍とフーシ派は、第３の都市タイズなど複数の行政地区での交通の再開に向け協議することでも合意した。停戦は双方の合意に基づき延長できる。
　イエメンでは内戦により直接・間接的に数十万人が死亡し、数百万人が難民・避難民となっており、国連は世界最悪の人道危機に直面していると指摘している。これまでの停戦は長続きせず、２０１６年４月の全国的な停戦も合意から間もなく破棄された。
【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/04/05-09:32）

Yemen's warring parties laid down their weapons for the first nationwide truce since 2016 on Saturday, with all eyes on whether the UN-brokered ceasefire will hold.
The Iran-backed Huthi rebels and Saudi-led coalition have both agreed to observe the two-month truce, which took effect at 1600 GMT on the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy fasting month.
The two-month truce started at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) tonight. As of tonight, all offensive ground, aerial and naval military operations should cease, UN special envoy Hans Grundberg said in a statement.
Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed our commitment to a comprehensive cessation of military operations as long as the other party adheres to this, in a statement released by the rebels.
Yemen's intractable war has killed hundreds of thousands directly or indirectly and displaced millions, triggering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations.
Previous ceasefires have been ineffective. A national truce ahead of peace talks in April 2016 was violated almost immediately, as were other ceasefires that year.
A 2018 agreement to cease hostilities around rebel-held Hodeida port, a lifeline for the Arab world's poorest country, was also largely ignored.
Both the Huthis and Saudi Arabia have welcomed the latest initiative, which follows a surge in attacks but also increasing diplomacy including ongoing talks -- snubbed by the rebels -- in Riyadh.
This time I am optimistic. This truce is unlike all the previous ones, Asmaa Zayed, a college student who also works as a cashier in Hodeida, told AFP.
The fact it comes with Ramadan gives us a lot of hope. This war started when I was 15 years old and turned all my dreams into nightmares.
- 'Suffered immensely' -
Under the agreement, all ground, air and sea military operations in Yemen and across its borders are to stop.
Eighteen fuel ships will be allowed into Hodeida and two commercial flights a week can resume in and out of Sanaa, which is also in rebel hands -- both key demands of the insurgents before they consider peace talks.
The two sides have also agreed to meet to open roads in Taez and other governorates, Grundberg said. The truce could be renewed with both parties' consent.
The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties' continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures, said the Swedish diplomat.
I also hope the goodwill that we saw from all sides in public will translate into long-term de-escalation of inflammatory media rhetoric and hate speech.
The US special envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, said in a tweet: Seven years of war have inflicted a lot of pain. We urge the parties to adhere to the terms and pave the way towards a sustainable ceasefire and inclusive political peace process.
With fighting in Yemen at a stalemate, the Huthis launched a series of drone-and-missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and coalition partner the United Arab Emirates this year, often targeting oil facilities.
The coalition has responded with air strikes.
Last week, on the seventh anniversary of the Saudi-led military coalition's intervention, and a day after an attack on an oil plant within sight of the Formula One Grand Prix in the Saudi city of Jeddah, the Huthis announced a three-day unilateral ceasefire.
The coalition then announced its own truce from Wednesday, ahead of discussions with international partners in Riyadh. The rebels declined to attend the talks in an enemy country.
- 'Reeks of death' -
Saudi Arabia expressed its support for the UN ceasefire, which was also welcomed by US President Joe Biden, UN chief Antonio Guterres, the European Union and the leaders of Britain, France and Iraq.
The major question now is whether the truce will be observed.
The Norwegian Refugee Council hoped it would be the start of a new chapter, while Save the Children said it offered a much-needed respite from all the violence.
The war in Yemen started when the Huthis took control of Sanaa in 2014, prompting the Saudi-led intervention in March of the following year in support of the ousted government.
It plunged what was already the Arab world's poorest country into years of crisis, with failing infrastructure and services and 80 percent of the 30 million population dependent on aid.
Everything around us reeks of death and war, said Zayed, the student in Hodeida. I think I will go into a depression if this truce ends or fails.