Sanaa, December 28 (RHC)-- In Yemen, a United Nations official tasked with overseeing a fragile ceasefire in the strategic port city of Hodeidah is calling on Houthi rebels and fighters with Yemen’s Saudi-backed government to maintain their truce.  Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general, spoke to representatives of the warring parties after a U.N. team arrived in the besieged city earlier this week.

Patrick Cammaert said: “Breaking a ceasefire is going back and not forward.”  The ceasefire has largely held since it began on December 18th.  Humanitarian groups warn a return to fighting could cut off shipments of desperately needed food and aid as half of Yemen’s 28 million people are on the brink of famine.