WASHINGTON: The United States has called for “an immediate humanitarian pause” in the Yemen war during Ramazan and Eid celebrations.

The US State Department also urged all those involved in the Yemen conflict to take advantage of this pause to start peace negotiations.

“In light of the critical humanitarian situation facing the Yemeni people, we again join the United Nations and the international community in calling for an immediate humanitarian pause,” said the department’s spokesman John Kirby.

He said the United States backed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s July 1 statement that the pause should be observed at least until the end of Ramazan and Eidul Fitr celebrations. On Wednesday, the United Nations designated the war in Yemen as a Level 3 humanitarian crisis, its most severe category.

“A pause, along with commensurate disengagement of armed forces in all areas including Aden, Taiz, and Marib, would allow international aid organisations to deliver urgently needed food, medicine, and fuel to citizens throughout Yemen,” Mr Kirby said.

The pause would also allow for the delivery of vital commercial goods on which Yemen depends, he added.

In the same statement, the United States also expressed its desire to continue to work actively with humanitarian organisations to help facilitate the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

“A humanitarian pause now could also further efforts to create space for productive political dialogue as part of the UN-facilitated political transition process in which all of Yemen’s communities have important roles to play,” Mr Kirby said.

Published in Dawn July 4th, 2015

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