War in Yemen: Houthi rebels confirm their imminent withdrawal in the west of the country

Houthi rebels in Yemen confirmed Saturday the beginning of a unilateral redeployment in three ports in the west of the country, axis from 2018 of a confrontation with the governmental coalition.

This one withdrawal, agreed at UN negotiations in December in Sweden, had planned to start at 10:00 local time (0700 GMT), said one of the leaders of the rebellion in Yemen, Mohamed Ali al Huthi.

If done, the redeployment agreement in the Hodeida region would be the best opportunity up to now to advance peace in Yemen, bloody conflict for over four years, badysts estimate.

The UN claimed on Friday that the rebels were to withdraw from the ports of Hodeida, Salif and Ras Issa, in the Red Sea.

Announced several times by the UN, for example in February and April, the effective withdrawal of fighters takes time to materialize.

Mohamed Ali al Huthi explained on Twitter that the "unilateral withdrawal" rebels he responded to the "refusal" by the pro-government coalition supported by Saudi Arabia to implement this agreement.

The accused specifically Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States and United Kingdom, which he described as "country of aggression".

A UN observation mission, led by the Danish general Michael Lollesgaard, he planned to monitor and report the relocation of the Houthi forces.

Lollesggard hailed the rebels' decision on Friday.

Hodeida is the main gateway for imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen, vital for millions of people on the verge of starvation.

The Yemeni government also welcomed the withdrawalalthough he expressed doubts about its effective application.

"We welcome any measures to implement the Swedish redeployment agreement in the ports of the province of Hodeida, although we have warned of attempts by the militia (Houthists) to deceive the international community", said the minister on Twitter. Yemeni intelligence, Muammar Al Iryani.

According to this manager, the agreement provides for the removal of the Salif and Ras Issa houthis and the submission to the UN of detailed maps of mines established in the region to deactivate them.

Follow the retreat of the Houthis of Hodeida and government forces from an area called Kilo 8, as well as the delivery of maps to clear the mines, he added.

Iryani said any unilateral rebel redeployment without joint control and verification would be a "fake and can not be accepted".

The war in Yemen pits government forces, supported militarily by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, and the Houthi rebels, who have the support of Iran and who control large areas of the west and north of the country, including the capital, Sana.

The coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in March 2015 counteract the advance of the rebels and restore power to the president Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi.

Since 2015, the conflict has left tens of thousands deadmainly civilians, according to a partial evaluation of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Around 3.3 million people are still displaced and 24.1 million, that is, more than two-thirds of the population, they need help, according to the UN, which denounces the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

(With information from AFP)