Today: 21 June 2025
17 May 2022
2 mins read

First Flight From Sanaa

1st commercial flight in years takes off from Yemen’s Houthi-held capital…reports Asian Lite News

The first commercial flight in six years took off on Monday from Sanaa, Yemen’s capital under the control of the Houthi rebels, as an essential part of the ongoing truce between the Yemeni warring sides.

A Yemen Airways flight, carrying 151 passengers, took off from the Sanaa International Airport bound for Jordan’s capital Amman, airport officials said, adding another flight is scheduled to arrive in Sanaa from Amman later in the day.

Earlier, the Yemeni national carrier’s plane had arrived in Sanaa from the southern port city of Aden to pick up the passengers. Water cannons sprayed Sanaa airport’s runway when it landed, giving the plane a ceremonial “water salute.”

Many of the passengers are patients who seek urgent medical treatment in Jordan as the crumbling health system in Sanaa is unable to treat them, according to the airport officials.

The flight to Jordan was originally scheduled in April but later postponed because of passport issues. The internationally-recognized Yemeni government allowed passengers with Houthi-issued travel documents to board the flight on Monday, according to pro-government media reports.

The airport officials said several other flights from and to Sanaa have also been scheduled for the next two weeks.

In a written statement, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg welcomes the successful operation of the flight, expressing his gratitude for Jordan’s support.

“I would like to congratulate all Yemenis on this important and long-awaited step. I hope this gives some relief to the Yemenis who need to seek medical treatment abroad, pursue education and business opportunities, or reunite with loved ones,” Grundberg said.

ALSO READ: UN envoy presses Yemen’s warring sides to uphold ceasefire

On Aug. 9, 2016, the Saudi-led coalition imposed restrictions on Yemen’s airspace, resulting in the closure of the Sanaa airport. After that, only planes of the United Nations and other international organizations are allowed to enter the Sanaa airport which used to be the largest hub in the country for international travel.

The UN-brokered two-month truce between the government and the Houthi rebels went into effect on April 2. It includes allowing two commercial flights a week to and from the Houthi-held Sanaa airport, the entry of 18 fuel ships into the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah, and lifting the siege of the government-held Taiz city.

The warring sides have largely held the truce, but they have yet to reach a final agreement on lifting the siege of Taiz city.

The truce marks the first breakthrough in years to end the war that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government out of Sanaa.

Previous Story

Palestinians call on world community to boycott Israel

Next Story

Erdogan Snubs Sweded, Finland

Latest from Arab News

War on Children Worsens, Says UN

The new high surpassed 2023, another record year, which itself represented a 21 per cent increase over the preceding year….reports Asian Lite News Violence against children in conflict zones soared to record

US weighs joining fight with Israel

Europe’s push for diplomacy is in sharp contrast to messages from Washington, with President Trump openly weighing bombing Iran  Iran’s foreign minister will meet in Geneva with counterparts from Germany, France and

Kremlin warns US against Iran strike

Putin revealed that Moscow had proposed several compromise frameworks to all involved parties — including the US, Israel, and Iran Washington would be making a serious mistake by launching an attack on

UAE tops global FDI charts

UNCTAD ranks UAE 10th globally for FDI inflows in 2024, with record AED 167.6 billion secured The United Arab Emirates has emerged as one of the world’s top ten destinations for foreign

Arab nations warn of wider war

According to GCC, the Israeli attacks not only undermine Iranian sovereignty but also pose grave threats to regional peace and security. 21 Arab and Islamic countries have urged a return to negotiations,
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Clashes break out between Israelis and Palestinians over flag march

Tens of thousands of Jewish nationalists, some chanting slogans, marched

Israel detects first polio case since 1989

The Israeli Ministry of Health has said it has detected