Another Yemeni Fuel Tanker Seized by Saudi-Led Coalition
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Another Yemeni petroleum tanker carrying thousands of tons of fuel was seized by Saudi-led coalition, making it the second tanker in less than 24 hours, violating the UN-brokered ceasefire yet again.
Called Fos Power, the tanker had obtained necessary entry permits from the United Nations, but was barred from docking at Yemen’s western port of Hudaydah, Essam al-Mutawakil, a spokesman for the Yemeni National Oil Company, said on Wednesday.
“The Saudi-led coalition, keeping up its breaches of the ceasefire, captured a fuel tanker carrying 30,148 tons of gasoline and did not allow it to enter Hudaydah port, while the tanker had received required permits from the UN,” al-Mutawakil said, Alahednews website reported.
In a similar development on Tuesday, the coalition refused to authorize the Princess Halima tanker carrying 23,920 tons of gasoline to anchor at Yemen’s western port of Hudaydah and offload its cargo.
The capture of fuel tankers comes as, according to terms of the UN-brokered ceasefire in Yemen, tankers carrying oil products are entitled to dock at the port of Hudaydah.
According to a report by Yemen’s al-Masirah television network, Saudi-led coalition forces have violated the UN-brokered ceasefire at least 83 times during the past 24 hours.
Saudi-led aircraft conducted spying missions in the skies of the provinces of Ma’rib, Ta’izz, Hajjah, al-Jawf, Sa’ada, and Dhale as well as border areas in violation of the truce, the report added.
Saudi-led troops also heavily fired artillery shells and rockets into the positions of Yemeni army forces and fighters from the Popular Committees in the provinces of Ma’rib, Ta’izz, Hajjah, Jizan, Dhale, and Asir.
The truce initially went into effect at the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan (falling on April 2, 2022), reviving hopes that it could lead to lasting peace and would improve the lives of people in the crisis-hit Arab nation.
In compliance with the agreement, the coalition agreed to end its attacks on the Yemeni soil, which began in March 2015 to change Yemen’s power structure in favor of the country’s former Saudi-allied officials.
The coalition also agreed to end a simultaneous siege that it has been enforcing against Yemen.
On June 3, the UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced that the parties to the conflict in Yemen have agreed to the United Nations' proposal to renew the current truce in the impoverished country for two additional months.
However, since the beginning of the truce, the Saudi-led coalition has violated the terms of the truce time and time again.