![Yemenis check the wreckage of an armoured vehicle and a pick up truck after clashes between fighters loyal to President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Houthi militia fighters, near the coastal town of al-Hodeidah, on May 29th. [Abdo Hyder/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2018/06/05/12946-Yemen-Hodeida-port-700_496.webp)
Yemeni forces are nine kilometres away from liberating the Red sea coastal port of al-Hodeidah from the Iran-backed Houthi (Ansarallah) militia, the Arab coalition announced Tuesday (June 5th).
There is no delay in military operations, and major progress has been achieved in recent weeks with the National Resistance Forces advancing on one side and the coalition backed-Yemeni forces on the other, said coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki.
"There has been swift progress," he said, but there are concerns about "civilians being used as human shields by the Houthis".
"We are getting reinforcements, removing mines in preparation for subsequent operations," he said. "Once the measures are in place, the forces will advance to liberate al-Hodeidah."
UN envoy 'concerned' by fate of port
The UN envoy for Yemen said Tuesday he was "very concerned" over fighting for the port of al-Hodeidah, AFP reported.
Martin Griffiths was speaking as he wrapped up a three-day visit aimed at reviving talks between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis.
"Apart from the avoidable humanitarian consequences of such a battle, I am also very concerned about the impact [on] chances of a political settlement of this conflict," he told reporters in Sanaa.
The envoy, appointed to the post in February, said his talks had been "positive" but warned of the impact of the al-Hodeidah fight on civilians.
"My aim is to restart negotiations which have not taken place for a very long time -- for too long -- and I want that to restart in the very near future," he said.
Griffiths is due to report to the Security Council on June 18th on his peace efforts.
Conditions for withdrawal
Yemeni political sources said the Houthis have put in place a list of conditions in return for their full withdrawal from the port.
These include paying military and civilian employees in areas controlled by the Houthis, reopening the international airport in Sanaa and allowing commercial traffic to flow through Yemen's many ports.
"The Houthis have taken a tough stance and have set conditions that would prevent any political solution," a senior Yemeni government official told AFP.
The UN has warned that any operation aimed at seizing al-Hodeidah itself would disrupt the entry of aid shipments to Yemen, 70% of which flow through the Houthi-held port.
"The liberation of al-Hodeidah is only a matter of time," political analyst Waddah al-Jalil told Al-Mashareq.
"By advancing on al-Hodeidah, the legitimate government’s forces are pressuring the Houthis to make bigger concessions that would help with the negotiations," he said.
