Talks on increasing humanitarian aid to war-torn Yemen during a two-month truce brokered by the United Nations were held between the United States and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The US Envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, and ICRC head Peter Maurer discussed opportunities to increase the flow of vital humanitarian aid in Yemen during the two-month truce, a statement by the US Department of State said on Saturday.
Noting the urgent need “to intensify humanitarian aid to Yemen,” the two sides also discussed “bridging the funding gaps that have reduced the reach of life-saving aid to millions.”
The UN Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced a “long overdue” two-month truce between Yemen’s warring rivals on April 1, under which all offensive air, ground and maritime operations were halted.
Since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability.
The conflict has created one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, according to the UN.
