A/HRC/45/CRP.7 women) and 12,416 civilians injured (including 2,898 children and 1,395 women) in Yemen as a direct result of the armed conflict between March 2015 (when it began such tracking) and June 2020. 40. During the reporting period, many military, political and humanitarian developments have taken place. On the military side, in northern Yemen, the Houthis made noticeable advances, including taking control of parts of Nihm, Al-Jawf including Al-Hazm, and Ma’rib. Several other fronts, such as Sa’ada, Ta‘izz, Al-Bayda and Al-Dhale’e, witnessed tense confrontations. Fighting intensified on the southern front between the Government of Yemen forces and the forces affiliated with the STC backed by the United Arab Emirates. Developments in the south have weakened the Government of Yemen’s control over some southern governorates. Politically, Saudi Arabia sponsored talks between the Government of Yemen and the STC which led to the signing of the Riyadh agreement on 5 November 2019. However, the terms of the agreement have not been implemented. In April 2020, the STC declared the establishment of a “self-rule” administration, though it withdrew that declaration in July 2020. On 25 August, the STC withdrew from its participation in the consultations on the implementation of the Riyadh agreement. Very limited progress has been made in reaching a political solution to the conflict despite the inclusive and participatory process led by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Yemen. Against this backdrop, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis remains dire with the cumulative effects of six years of destruction and fighting compounded by an economy and public health system in tatters, made worse by COVID-19. 1. Military developments 41. The coalition continued to conduct airstrikes during the reporting period. Among other major military developments was the UAE two-phase withdrawal of ground troops from Yemen in the second half of 2019. The first phase was implemented in June and July, mainly from the west coast front. The second phase, in October, left a minimal presence of troops in Mukha, Aden, Balhaf, Al-Mukalla and Socotra. The withdrawal of UAE troops from Aden was completed with the handover of its base in Al-Buraiqeh to Saudi Arabia forces.37 Following these withdrawals, the UAE announced that “they fought three enemies in Yemen at the same time: the Houthi rebels, the Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist forces of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda”. The UAE stated, however, that it would continue its air operations in Yemen.38 In addition, some 90,000 UAE-backed Yemeni fighters remain on the ground in Yemen. The Sudan also withdrew several thousands of its troops stationed in Yemen that were part of the coalition. 42. On 1 August 2019, the Houthis launched a missile and drone attack against a graduation ceremony at Al-Jala’a military camp in Al-Buraiqeh, in western Aden, where the UAE-backed Security Belt Forces (SBF) are based, killing 18 soldiers, including high ranking officers, and injuring 23 soldiers.39 Following this attack, the SBF operating in southern Yemen, carried out retaliatory attacks against people from northern governorates.40 43. On 7 August, tensions in Aden city increased as STC supporters arrived for the soldiers’ funerals. After referring to the killing of three people who attended the funerals, and despite conflicting claims as to who carried out the attack, Hani Bin Brik, the STC Vice president, called for a general mobilization and the storming of Al-Ma’ashiq Palace..41 Armed 37 Final Report of the Panel of Experts, attached to Letter dated 27 January 2020 from the Panel of Experts on Yemen addressed to the President of the Security Council, S/2020/326, para. 24 Available at: https://undocs.org/ar/S/2020/326. See also: https://yemenshabab.net/news/51137 38 Lieutenant General Eisa Saif Almazrouei, Joint Operations Commander in Yemen and Deputy Chief of Staff of UAE Armed Forces brief, 9 February 2020. Available at: https://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395302822487 39 Confidential report on file. Also, see: A/HRC/42/CRP.1., para. 123. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/YemenGEE/Pages/Index.aspx 40 Press briefing note on Yemen, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 6 August 2019. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24871&LangID=E 41 https://twitter.com/HaniBinbrek/status/1159085348074545152/ 15