Yemen’s Houthis announce resumption of direct flights with Egypt, India

By Shukri Hussein

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Yemen’s Houthi group on Sunday announced the resumption of flights between Sanaa and both Egypt and India.

The move marks the first direct flights from Sanaa to Cairo and Mumbai since the conflict in Yemen began nearly ten years ago.

The new flight schedule includes a daily flight between Sanaa and Cairo and two flights weekly between Sanaa and Mumbai, Yemen’s national airline Yemenia Airways said in a statement.

The flights are part of an agreement announced by UN envoy Hans Grundberg between the Yemeni government and Houthis to de-escalate their economic conflict.

The agreement included canceling all recent decisions and procedures against banks by both sides, resuming Yemenia Airways’ flights between Sanaa and Jordan, and operating flights to Cairo and India.

For over two years, Yemen has seen a de-escalation from a conflict that started in March 2015.

The war has pitted the internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, against the Houthi group, which controls key provinces and cities, including the capital Sanaa, and is supported by Iran.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi