Advance UN truce monitors arrive in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah

A UN advance team has arrived in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah to start monitoring a ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces agreed by the Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces, the organization said. The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the deployment – for an initial period of 30 days – of an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert. He is chair of a Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) that includes representatives from both sides of the conflict. “One of the priorities in the coming days will be the organization of the first joint RCC meeting, which is projected for December 26,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Sunday. Cammaert’s team, which the UN has said will not be uniformed or armed, will oversee the truce and troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports, Reuters reports.