|
ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 17-- The cease-fire agreement reached between the the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels during the UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden went into effect at midnight local time (2100 GMT) on Monday. The UN-brokered cease-fire covers the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah along with its seaports which are still controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthis, local officials told Xinhua. The Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), the joint committee in charge of implementing the Hodeidah agreement, is expected to start its work swiftly to translate the momentum built up in Sweden into achievements on the ground, the statement said. Mohammed Abdul-Salam, spokesman of the Houthi group, reaffirmed Houthis' "commitment to Stockholm's accord and the cease-fire in Hodeidah." Meanwhile, sources told Xinhua that the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has issued direct orders to commanders of the Fourth Regional Military Command and the forces in Hodeidah to stop the fighting and adhere to the cease-fire deal. The cease-fire deal signed between the two warring rivals last week in Sweden called for full withdrawal of all armed groups from Hodeidah and its strategic seaports. According to the terms of the deal, the UN will manage the port and supervise the redeployment of neutral forces there to prevent military escalation, while local forces will help support law and order in the city. | 
