Yemen UN chief 'safe' after convoy comes under fire

A leading UN worker in Yemen has survived a shooting in the country's troubled city of Hodeidah.

1 min read

17 January, 2019

Yemen's UN monitor chief is safe following the shooting [Getty]

The UN has said a monitoring team chief and his colleagues are safe, after they came under fire in Yemen on Thursday.

Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert was with members of his team for a meeting in Hodeidah when the shooting took place.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Cammaert and other monitors were safe and that they were seeking information on the incident.

"Patrick Cammaert and team are safe in Hodeidah following reported shooting incident. More information to come later," the office of the spokesperson for the UN chief tweeted.

A Yemeni source told Reuters accused the Houthis - who control the coastal city - of firing on the vehicle.

Cammaert has been in Yemen since 22 December heading a committee monitoring a ceasefire in the city, which has been a flashpoint for fighting between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Houthi rebels, who also control the capital Sanaa.

Talks are currently taking place between the two sides in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on the release of prisoners.

Yemen's war intensified after the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition, with at least 10,000 killed in fighting and air strikes.

Hodeidah is Yemen's main port and the UAE-Saudi-backed offensive on the city has threatened to plunge Yemen into famine.