Yemen's Houthi rebels are preparing to withdraw from a key strategic port, in the first major step since a ceasefire agreement signed in December.
Both the Houthis and government forces agreed to withdraw from Hudaydah port to allow in vital humanitarian aid.
That process finally began on Saturday, with signs that Houthi forces were pulling back. The withdrawal was expected to take four days in total.
At least 6,800 civilians have died in Yemen's four-year civil war.
Some 10,700 more have been injured in the fighting, according to the United Nations, and many thousands more have died from preventable causes such as malnutrition, disease and poor health.
The UN has yet to confirm whether the withdrawal has begun, a process described by its special envoy for Yemen as a “first step”.
“I'm hopeful, but it's a fragile vessel,” Martin Griffiths told the BBC. “We have still got a job to do to make sure the government of Yemen is eventually happy with it.”
But Al-Hasan Taher, a senior pro-government official, accused the rebels of staging a “new ploy” by handing the ports to themselves, AFP news agency reported.
Why is Hudaydah so important?
Hudaydah port is the principal lifeline for two-thirds of Yemen's population. Its closure has had a devastating impact on the nation, which now sits on the brink of famine.
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