Houthis Agree To Discuss Lifting Siege on Taiz, Possibly Extend Truce

The Houthi rebels have agreed to send representatives for a joint commission to discuss lifting the siege on Taiz city, the last item left to be fulfilled in the United Nations-brokered cease-fire that began on April 2. The civil war between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government of Yemen backed by a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states began in 2014.

The discussions over lifting the siege come days after the Houthis said they are considering a request by the United Nations to extend the two-month truce, which expires on June 2. As part of the truce, the Houthis have allowed 12 fuel ships to enter the port at Hodeidah and have allowed the departure of two commercial flights from Sanaa airport.

The government of Yemen provided a list of four participants for the meeting on April 7, three days after the UN asked for the negotiators. The Houthi representatives reportedly left on Sunday on a UN plane from the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa to Amman for the negotiations, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. according to Xinhua.