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2nd LD Writethru: UN Security Council hails announcement of humanitarian pause in fighting in Yemen

Xinhua, July 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council on Friday extended a welcome to the announcement of a humanitarian pause in fighting in Yemen, which starts a minute before midnight Friday, saying "all parties will need to suspend military operations during the pause and that no party should take advantage of the pause to move weapons or seize territory."

"The members of the Security Council welcomed the (UN) secretary-general's announcement on 9 July and parties'commitment to a humanitarian pause in Yemen," said a statement read to the press by UN Ambassador Gerard Jacobus van Bohemes, who holds the rotating council presidency for July.

The council members welcomed Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's July 8 letter indicating his support for a humanitarian pause and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's July 9 announcement of the commitment by the Houthis, the General People's Congress and other parties to support a humanitarian pause, the statement said.

The humanitarian pause in the fighting is expected to start in Yemen at a minute before midnight, local time, on Friday and will last until the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, on July 17.

"In this regard, the members of the Security Council joined the secretary-general in supporting the implementation of an unconditional humanitarian pause by all parties to start on Friday, " and "further urged all parties to exercise restraint in cases of isolated violations and to avoid escalation," the statement said.

The Security Council emphasized that all parties will need to suspend military operations during the pause and that no party should take advantage of the pause to move weapons or seize territory, said the statement.

The Council also urged all parties to facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance to all parts of Yemen, as well as rapid, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to reach people in need of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance, it added.

The Council members called upon all sides to comply with international humanitarian law and to urgently work with the United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations to bring assistance to those in need throughout the country, said the statement.

The planned pause in fighting in Yemen, which is expected to start late Friday, can pave the way for more than 1.1 million people to receive food aid, and the UN agencies and its humanitarian partners are ready to deliver the aid, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Friday.

More than 3,000 people have been killed since a Saudi-led coalition began air strikes in March to drive back Houthi rebels and restore the government.

Aid agencies say a blockade on Yemen has worsened the humanitarian crisis which is gripping the country. Endite