The legitimate Yemeni government condemned the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ “policy of deception” after they announced their pullout from the ports of the Red Sea city of Hodeidah.
Government officials cast doubts over the handover process, saying it was unclear who was taking control of the ports, reported AFP.
According to the United Nations, the Houthis began to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Issa on Saturday in line with the Stockholm agreement that was reached with government representatives in December.
The pullback is considered a first step in implementing a hard-won truce agreement.
The flashpoint city is the main entry point for Yemen's imports and humanitarian aid.
Yemen's information minister accused the militias of faking the pullout.
"What the Houthi militia did is a repeated theatrical play of handing over control of the port to its own forces (in different uniforms)," Moammer al-Eryani tweeted on Sunday.
"This shows its continued manipulation and evasion to implement the Sweden agreement... by adopting a policy of deception."
The governor of Hodeidah, Al-Hasan Taher, said Saturday the Houthis were merely reshuffling personnel.
"The Houthis are staging a new ploy by handing over the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Issa to themselves without any monitoring by the UN and the government side," said the official.
"This is totally rejected by us, and the agreement must be implemented in full, especially with regards to the identity of the troops that will take over from the Houthis," he added.
The UN Security Council is due to hear a briefing on Hodeidah on Wednesday -- a day after the rebel withdrawal is expected to be completed.
