United Nations, Dec 19 (IANS): A UN spokesman said that the redeployment of forces from the city of Hodeidah and three ports shall be completed within 21 days.

"The full mutual redeployment of all forces from the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa shall be completed within a maximum period of 21 days after the cease-fire enters into force," Xinhua quoted Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying.

The UN will convene Yemen's warring parties by video link on Wednesday to discuss the redeployment, he said on Tuesday, adding that the meeting will be chaired by retired major general Patrick Cammaert, who has been appointed as the UN Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee.

The cease-fire agreement reached between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels during the UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden went into effect at midnight local time (2100 GMT) on Monday.

The UN-brokered cease-fire covers the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah along with its seaports which are still controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthis, local officials told Xinhua.