SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen’s Shiite rebels on Saturday said they handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the coast guard and local administrators, but the government denied that, calling it a ploy by the Iran-aligned rebels to maintain control of the strategic facility.

The handover was supposed to be the first in a series of confidence-building measures agreed to in Sweden that could pave the way for a political settlement of Yemen’s 4-year-old war pitting the rebels known as Houthis against the internationally recognized government backed since 2015 by a Saudi-led coalition.

But the pro-government Sabaa news agency quoted what it called an official source as saying the Houthis’ assertion about giving up the port was an attempt to sidestep the Sweden agreement.

“We cannot accept these violations, which will lead to the failure of the agreement,” the agency quoted the source as saying.

Military and local Hodeida officials loyal to the government said the Houthis had taken advantage of their control of the city to place loyalist administrators and fighters in both the port management and the coast guard.

“It’s a stage play in which the Houthis handed over the port to their fighters after they put on coast guard uniforms,” said the Hodeida governor, al-Hassan Taher.

The rebels control most of northern Yemen, including the capital of Sanaa, while their foes control much of the south, including the Arabian Sea port city of Aden, where the exiled government is located.

The two sides have observed a cease-fire in Hodeida for more than a week, ending months of fierce fighting between the two sides for control of the city. A U.N. team led by retired Dutch Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert arrived last week in the city to monitor the cease-fire.

Some 70 percent of Yemen’s imports come through Hodeida, and the Sweden deal is designed in part to facilitate the arrival of relief supplies to push Yemen back from the brink of famine. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people, and has driven millions to hunger. The U.N. calls it the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.

The two sides also agreed in Sweden to exchange prisoners of war in a deal involving thousands captured from both sides. The implementation of that deal is yet to begin and may run into difficulties.

Government officials maintain that the Houthis are denying the presence in their detention facilities of nearly 3,000 people among a total of some 8,500 prisoners whose names were submitted to the rebels.</s>SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Security officials say Yemen's Shiite rebels have handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the government's navy and coast guard.

They said Saturday's transfer was carried out under the supervision of U.N. monitors as part of a deal reached in peace talks in Sweden earlier this month.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured the capital Sanaa. They now control most of northern Yemen, including Hodeida. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting on the government side since 2015.

The talks in Sweden also produced a deal on the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war from both sides.</s>SANAA, YEMEN—Yemen's Shiite rebels on Saturday handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the country's navy and coast guard under U.N. supervision, security officials said, in a significant step in the implementation of a deal reached during peace talks in Sweden earlier this month.

The handover is the first in a series of confidence-building measures agreed to in Sweden that could pave the way for a political settlement of Yemen's 4-year-old war pitting the Iran-aligned rebels known as Houthis against the internationally recognized government backed since 2015 by a Saudi-led coalition.

The rebels control most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, while their war foes control much of the south, including the Arabian Sea port city of Aden, where the exiled government is located.

The two sides have observed a cease-fire in Hodeida for more than a week, ending months of fierce fighting between the two sides for control of Hodeida. A U.N. team led by a Dutch officer arrived last week in the city to monitor the cease-fire. The U.N. team is led by retired Dutch Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert.

Some 70 per cent of Yemen's imports come through Hodeida, and the Sweden deal is designed in part to facilitate the arrival of relief supplies to push Yemen back from the brink of famine. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people, and has driven millions to hunger. The U.N. calls it the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

The two sides also agreed in Sweden to exchange prisoners of war in a deal involving thousands captured from both sides. The implementation of that deal is yet to begin and may run into difficulties.

Government officials maintain that the Houthis are denying the presence in their detention facilities of nearly 3,000 from a total of some 8,500 prisoners whose names were submitted to the rebels.

The security officials said the Houthis have taken advantage of their control of Hodeida to place their fighters in both the navy and the coastguard, something that has been a major source of concern for the government side. The two sides also agreed over the weekend to open "humanitarian corridors" extending from Hodeida to Sanaa to allow relief supplies to peacefully pass through.

However, the government side complains that the proposed corridors have been heavily mined by the Houthis. There was no immediate comment from the rebels' side on this charge.

The security officials said the Houthis are expected in the next few days to hand over control of two more ports north of Hodeida — the oil terminal of Rass Issa and Salif, which has been used for incoming relief supplies — under the Sweden deal. The government side, on its part, would redeploy its forces out of the eastern reaches of Hodeida as a first step.</s>The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Security officials say Yemen’s Shiite rebels have handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the government’s navy and coast guard.

They said Saturday’s transfer was carried out under the supervision of U.N. monitors as part of a deal reached in peace talks in Sweden earlier this month.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured the capital Sanaa. They now control most of northern Yemen, including Hodeida. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting on the government side since 2015.

The talks in Sweden also produced a deal on the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war from both sides.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.</s>Shiite Houthi rebels have begun to withdraw from the key port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida as part of a deal reached in peace talks in Sweden earlier this month, a United Nations official said Saturday.

But the Yemeni government has disputed the withdrawal claim, calling it a ploy by the rebels to maintain control of the strategic area.

Military and local Hodeida officials loyal to the government have said the Houthis placed loyalist administrators and fighters in both the port management and the coast guard.

"It's a stage play in which the Houthis handed over the port to their fighters after they put on coast guard uniforms," said Hodeida Governor al-Hassan Taher.

Another pro-government official has called on the UN to put in place a "clear mechanism" to ensure a fair recruitment process at these facilities.

The Hodeida port handover was meant to be the first in a series of confidence-building measures between the Iran-aligned Shiite rebels and the Saudi-backed Sunni government, paving the way for a political settlement of Yemen's devastating four-year war.

The government and rebels also agreed in Sweden to exchange prisoners in a deal involving thousands captured on both sides.

The two sides have largely observed a ceasefire in Hodeida for more than a week, ending months of fierce fighting for control of the city.

A UN team, led by retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, arrived in the city last week to monitor the truce.

Houthi rebels control most of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, whereas their rivals govern much of the country's south, including the Arabian Sea port city of Aden, where the exiled government is located.

The Middle Eastern country has been torn apart by a protracted civil war between the internationally-recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Shiite Houthi rebels.

In support of the Hadi government, Riyadh launched an air campaign against the Houthis in March 2015. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing the rebels, who have made significant territorial gains in the impoverished Middle Eastern country.

At least 10,000 people have been killed and more than 3 million people have been displaced since the start of the conflict. Around 80 percent of Yemen's population is in urgent need of aid, and millions of people have problems accessing water, according to the UN.

International pressure has mounted for the two sides to end the conflict. The United States has called for a ceasefire and reduced some of its logistical aid for the Saudi coalition, while Iran has also signaled support for the peace talks.

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured the capital Sanaa. They now control most of northern Yemen, including Hodeida. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting on the government side since 2015.</s>Yemen’s Shiite rebels have handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the government’s navy and coastguard, security officials said on Saturday. The transfer was carried out under the supervision of UN monitors as part of a deal reached in peace talks in Sweden earlier this month, AP reports. The Houthi rebels now control most of northern Yemen, including Hodeida. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting on the government side since 2015. The talks in Sweden also produced a deal on the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war from both sides.</s>HODEIDA, YEMEN: Yemeni rebels have begun to withdraw from the port of Hodeida, the country’s key aid lifeline, under an agreement reached in Sweden earlier this month, a UN official said Saturday.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the Huthi rebels began to pull back from the Red Sea port at midnight (2100 GMT Friday).

The rebel withdrawal from the port, which is the point of entry for food aid to some 14 million Yemenis UN agencies say are on the brink of famine, is a key part of a ceasefire that went into effect on December 18.

Pro-government forces are also supposed to pull back from parts of the city they recaptured in an offensive they launched with the backing of a Saudi-led coalition on June 13.

The Huthis began “the first phase of redeployment from the Hodeida port”, a rebel official told the Huthi-run Saba news agency.

The rebels held a ceremony to mark the occasion, an AFP correspondent reported.

The UN Security Council last week unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to oversee a hard-won truce for Hodeida that was agreed by the Saudi-backed government and the rebels in Sweden this month.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading a joint truce monitoring committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, and chaired its first meeting this week.

The UN-led panel addressed “the first phase of the implementation of the agreement... based on ceasefire, confidence building measures to deliver humanitarian assistance and redeployment”, a UN statement said.

It added that the panel would convene again on January 1 to discuss “detailed plans for full redeployment”.

The UN also said that a humanitarian convoy was expected later Saturday to leave Hodeida port and travel along the main road that links it to the rebel-held capital Sanaa. Its destination was not immediately clear.

“As a confidence building measure, the parties have agreed to begin opening blocked humanitarian corridors, starting with the Hodeida-Sanaa road, followed by other routes, in a phased manner,” said the statement.

The truce has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations.

A resident reached by telephone on Saturday told AFP pro-government and rebel forces had exchanged fire briefly overnight.

The resident added that coalition jets were heard overhead on Saturday morning.

In addition to the withdrawal of fighters from Hodeida, the agreement included a planned prisoner swap involving some 15,000 detainees. A “mutual understanding” was also reached to facilitate aid deliveries to Yemen’s third city Taiz — under the control of loyalists but besieged by rebels.

The two sides have agreed to meet again in late January for more talks to define the framework for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement.

The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in March 2015, when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened.

Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high.

More than 22 million people — three quarters of the population — now depend on humanitarian assistance to survive.

Yemenis struggling to survive such conditions are also confronted with a collapsed economy, leaving civil servants and teachers without pay for months.

On Thursday, Hadi instructed the government to pay the salaries of civil servants in the rebel-held city of Hodeida starting this month, a move that was welcomed by the UN. “President Hadi’s decision is an important step towards improving the economic situation, and alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people,” the office of the UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths tweeted.</s>Shiite Houthi rebels have handed over the control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to Yemen's coast guards, the country's security officials told news agencies on condition of anonymity.

The transfer was carried out under the supervision of United Nations monitors as part of a deal reached in Sweden peace talks earlier this month.

The Hodeida port handover is believed to be the first in a series of confidence-building measures between the Iran-aligned Shiite rebels and the Saudi-backed Sunni government to pave the way for a political settlement of Yemen's devastating four years of war.

The government and rebels also agreed in Sweden to exchange prisoners of war in a deal involving thousands captured from both sides.

The two sides have largely observed a ceasefire in Hodeida for more than a week, ending months of fierce fighting for control of the city.

A UN team, led by retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, arrived in the city last week to monitor the truce.

Houthi rebels control most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, whereas their rivals govern much of the country's south, including the Arabian Sea port city of Aden, where the exiled government is located.

The Middle Eastern country has been torn apart by a protracted civil war between the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Shiite Houthi rebels.

Riyadh launched an air campaign against Houthis in March, 2015. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing the rebels, who have made significant territorial gains in the impoverished Middle Eastern country.

More than 10,000 people have been killed and more than three million people have been displaced since the start of the conflict. More than 80 percent of Yemen's population is in urgent need of aid, and millions of people have problems accessing water, according to the UN.

International pressure has mounted for the two sides to end the conflict. The United States has called for a ceasefire and reduced some of its logistical aid for the Saudi coalition, while Iran has also signaled support for the talks.

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>HODEIDA, Yemen: Yemeni rebels have begun to withdraw from the port of Hodeida, the country´s key aid lifeline, under an agreement reached in Sweden earlier this month, a UN official said Saturday.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the Huthi rebels began to pull back from the Red Sea port at midnight (2100 GMT Friday).

The Huthis began "the first phase of redeployment from the Hodeida port", a rebel official told the Huthi-run Saba news agency. The rebels held a ceremony to mark the occasion, an AFP correspondent reported.

The rebel withdrawal from the port, which is the point of entry for food aid to some 14 million Yemenis UN agencies say are on the brink of famine, is a key part of a ceasefire that went into effect on December 18.

Pro-government forces are also supposed to pull back from parts of the city they recaptured in an offensive they launched with the backing of a Saudi-led coalition on June 13.

The UN Security Council last week unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to oversee the truce.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading a joint truce monitoring committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, and chaired its first meeting this week.

The UN-led panel addressed "the first phase of the implementation of the Stockholm agreement... based on ceasefire, confidence building measures to deliver humanitarian assistance and redeployment", a UN statement said.

It added that the panel would convene again on January 1 to discuss "detailed plans for full redeployment".

The truce has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations.

A resident reached by telephone on Saturday told AFP pro-government and rebel forces had exchanged fire briefly overnight.

The resident added that coalition jets were heard overhead on Saturday morning.

The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in March 2015, when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led

coalition intervened. Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high.
Yemen's Shiite rebels say they have given control of the port of Hodeida to the coast guard and local administrators. The Yemeni government disputes this claim.