A/HRC/42/CRP.1 B. Armed conflict and political developments: September 2014 to August 2019 107. On 21 September 2014, President Hadi, together with Ansar Allah delegates and other major political parties, signed a ceasefire brokered by the UN, the “Peace and National Partnership Agreement”, ostensibly ending a month of fighting that had resulted in hundreds of casualties. However, on the following day, Houthi fighters attacked and seized the headquarters of the regional military command in Sana’a. 108. The security situation remained very tense and late in January 2015 fighting broke out in Sana’a between Houthi-Saleh fighters and members of the Presidential Guard. The Houthis seized the presidential palace on 20 January and the residence of President Hadi, who was then placed under house arrest, together with other senior officials.88 On 22 January, the President, Prime Minister and the entire cabinet resigned. President Hadi managed to escape to Aden on 21 February 2015 and from there he announced his intention to continue to exercise his presidential functions. 109. In March 2015, Houthi-Saleh fighters launched a military offensive to take control of the south. On 19 March, the presidential palace in Aden came under aerial attack, allegedly by pro-Houthi-Saleh supporters from the Yemeni Air Force. 110. On 24 March 2015, President Hadi requested the GCC and the League of Arab States to intervene militarily, notifying the United Nations Security Council and requesting a Chapter VII resolution inviting all willing countries to provide support to deter the Houthi advance. On 25 March 2015, 10 countries, led by Saudi Arabia, formed a coalition to intervene militarily in Yemen, in response to President Hadi’s request. The United States announced that it would provide logistical and intelligence support for the coalition. 89 Coalition forces launched an aerial military campaign which they named “Decisive Storm” against Houthi military targets in Yemen on 26 March. In addition to airstrikes, coalition naval forces imposed a de facto blockade on the ports of Aden and al-Hudaydah.90 111. On 9 August 2016, the Government of Yemen and coalition forces closed the airspace surrounding Sana’a, effectively closing Sana’a International Airport. The airport remains closed to commercial aviation to date. The closure has prevented thousands of Yemenis from seeking medical care abroad.91 The aerial blockade has also further limited cargo importation into the country and severely restricted the ability of civilians to enter and leave the north of Yemen. 112. In August 2016, coalition forces announced the establishment of the Joint Incident Assessment Team (“JIAT”), an investigative mechanism to examine, among other things, coalition compliance with international humanitarian law, comprised of 14 individuals with military and legal experience from the coalition member States.92 113. On 27 April 2017, President Hadi dismissed two pro-secession southern leaders who benefitted from the support of the United Arab Emirates – Aden Governor Aidarus alZubeidi and Minister of State Hani bin Breik. Major rallies were held in Aden protesting the decision. In mid-May the Southern Transitional Council (“STC”) was formed, including 88 UN Human Rights Yemen Report 2015 - A/HRC/30/31, p. 5. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/25/statement-nsc-spokespersonbernadette-meehan-situation-yemen 90 UN Human Rights Yemen Report 2015 - A/HRC/30/31, p. 5. 91 See e.g. https://twitter.com/ochayemen/status/820702897335922688; https://www.nrc.no/news/2017/august/yemen-airport-closure-killed-more-people-than-airstrikes/; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-airport/aid-groups-say-yemen-airport-closurehinders-aid-traps-patients-idUSKBN1AP11M. 92 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-investigation/body-set-up-by-saudi-led-forcesprobes-hits-on-yemen-school-hospital-idUSKCN10R28O. 89 26