After six-year blockade, Yemen's Sanaa airport is set to reopen with flights to Jordan
Sanaa International Airport is set to reopen for the first time in six years, with a flight arriving from the Jordanian capital Amman this Sunday.
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Sanaa International Airport was forced to close during Yemen's devastating civil war [Getty]
Flights to and from in Yemen's capital are set to resume on 24 April, according to aÌýstatement by the national carrier on Wednesday.
Ìýis planning to startÌýflights to and from the Jordanian capital , making them the airport's first commercial flightsÌýin sixÌýyears.
A no-fly zone was established in Yemen by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, grounding civilian aircraft while Saudi-led air raids continued in northern Yemen.
The embargo on airports and portsÌýseverely affected the Yemeni economy and compounded difficulties forÌýcivilians.
"Good news for all travelers, the Yemenia Airways is announcing a weekly flight from Sana’a to Amman and back, beginning from Sunday 24 April," read a post onÌýYemenia's Instagram page.
"[The airline] commends the ceasefire agreement sponsored by the United Nations with the aim of alleviating the suffering of Yemeni youth."
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A spokesperson for Yemenia Airways told °®Âþµº that the airport's reopening will "change everything"Ìýand "strengthen"Ìýthe country’s ailing economy.
"It is an indescribable feeling and Yemenis are eagerly awaiting Sunday to see if the flights will really resume or not,"Ìýthe spokesperson added.
The airline is also hoping that flights from cities includingÌý, Jeddah, and Jakarta will beginÌýsoon.
welcomed the announcement in a statement on Twitter, and said he was "grateful"Ìýfor "invaluable support".
"Congratulations to all Yemenis for this much-needed and long-awaited step. I'll continue to work with the parties to ensure all elements of the Truce are upheld, and to build on its momentum towards a sustainable political solution to the conflict,"Ìýhe added.
“Congratulations to all Yemenis for this much needed and long-awaited step. I'll continue to work with the parties to ensure all elements of the Truce are upheld, and to build on its momentum towards a sustainable political solution to the conflict."
— @OSE_Yemen (@OSE_Yemen)
Most civilian flights from theÌý ceased during the start of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen in March 2015, with only sporadic humanitarian and evacuationÌýflights allowed. The airport has also been the target of by Saudi-led forces.
Houthi rebels have also been accused of besieging government towns such as Taiz.
The re-opening of the airport comes as anÌý between the Saudi coalition and Houthi rebels began on 2 April, coinciding with the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
The port of Hodeida is also set to re-open followingÌýthe truce.
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