With Yemen truce renewed, what are the prospects of peace?

US has praised the role played by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in extending a ceasefire in Yemen ahead of an expected trip to Riyadh by President Joe Biden.

US praises Saudi royals on Yemen truce before expected Biden trip

The UN human rights chief warned Wednesday that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/defying-trump-senate-votes-to-end-us-support-for-yemen-war-203188"> three-month-old truce in a vital port</a>.

"Since the Stockholm agreement on December 13, it is estimated that eight children have been killed or injured in Yemen every day," Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Yemen's beleaguered Saudi-backed government and Iranian-linked Huthi rebels agreed in Sweden on a truce that included a ceasefire in Hodeida, the lifeline port on the Red Sea.

But Bachelet said children were currently living in 31 active conflict zones across the country, and witnessing "heavy, war-related violence", including in Taez, Hajjah and Saada.

The Norwegian Refugee Council said earlier this week that 348 civilians had been killed in Hajjah and Taez alone since the Stockholm accord was signed.&nbsp;

The UN rights chief voiced particular concern at the recent escalation in the northern province of Hajjah, where 22 people -- 12 children and 10 women -- were killed, and another 30, nearly half of them children, were hurt in strikes earlier this month.

An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- with the logistical and political backing of the United States -- unleashed air power against the Huthi rebels.

Rights groups say the death toll could be far higher. Save the Children has estimated that 85,000 Yemenis under five years old may have died of starvation.

Bachelet said it was unclear how many children had starved to death in Yemen but warned that "Yemeni civilians, including children, are now more vulnerable and hungrier than at any time since March 2015".

She said more than two million children were suffering from acute malnutrition, including 360,000 with severe, acute malnutrition, meaning they are wasting away and risk starvation.

Bachelet also voiced deep concern at reports that both the government-backed forces and the Huthis were continuing to enlist children as fighters.

"In most cases, the children are between 11 and 17 years old, but there have been consistent reports of the recruitment or use of children as young as eight," she said.&nbsp;

The UN human rights chief warned Wednesday that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite a three-month-old truce in a vital port.

The UN human rights chief warned Wednesday that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite a three-month-old truce in a vital port. "Since the Stockholm agreement on December 13, it is estimated that eight children have been killed or injured in Yemen every day," Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Yemen's beleaguered Saudi-backed government and Iranian-linked Huthi rebels agreed in Sweden on a truce that included a ceasefire in Hodeida, the lifeline port on the Red Sea. But Bachelet said children were currently living in 31 active conflict zones across the country, and witnessing "heavy, war-related violence", including in Taez, Hajjah and Saada. The Norwegian Refugee Council said earlier this week that 348 civilians had been killed in Hajjah and Taez alone since the Stockholm accord was signed. The UN rights chief voiced particular concern at the recent escalation in the northern province of Hajjah, where 22 people -- 12 children and 10 women -- were killed, and another 30, nearly half of them children, were hurt in strikes earlier this month. An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- with the logistical and political backing of the United States -- unleashed air power against the Huthi rebels. Rights groups say the death toll could be far higher. Save the Children has estimated that 85,000 Yemenis under five years old may have died of starvation. Bachelet said it was unclear how many children had starved to death in Yemen but warned that "Yemeni civilians, including children, are now more vulnerable and hungrier than at any time since March 2015". She said more than two million children were suffering from acute malnutrition, including 360,000 with severe, acute malnutrition, meaning they are wasting away and risk starvation. Bachelet also voiced deep concern at reports that both the government-backed forces and the Huthis were continuing to enlist children as fighters. "In most cases, the children are between 11 and 17 years old, but there have been consistent reports of the recruitment or use of children as young as eight," she said.

Eight children killed or hurt every day, despite Yemen truce: United Nations

An <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-warring-sides-trade-blame-for-truce-breach-swap-prisoner-lists-185321">uneasy calm returned to the battleground Yemeni city of Hodeida</a> on Thursday after further overnight skirmishes, as the warring parties await the promised deployment of UN staff to oversee a hard-won but fragile truce.

The ceasefire in the Red Sea port city, which is a vital aid lifeline for millions at risk of starvation, is the centrepiece of a peace push that is seen as the best chance yet of ending four years of devastating conflict.

Military officials and residents have reported intermittent fighting between Saudi-backed government forces and Huthi Shiite rebels since the UN-brokered ceasefire came into effect in the city and its surroundings on Tuesday.&nbsp;

A pro-government official told AFP that four loyalists were wounded in a firefight on Wednesday night.&nbsp;

"The exchange of fire lasted for about half an hour, and there is an uneasy calm this morning," he said.

Residents reached by telephone confirmed to AFP that there was no fighting on Thursday morning. &nbsp;

The official added there has been intermittent fighting on a number of battlefronts in Hodeida province, including the districts of Hays and Al-Tuhayta.

A coalition official told AFP the "level of intensity" of Huthi attacks had decreased, which was "a positive sign but too early to draw concrete conclusions".

Pro-government forces and Huthi rebels accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreed at talks in Sweden earlier this month.

The rebel-run Saba news agency said loyalists targeted a "number of neighbourhoods in the city" overnight.&nbsp;

'Breathing down the neck' 
UN observers are due in Yemen to head up monitoring teams made up of government and rebel representatives tasked with overseeing the implementation of the UN-brokered ceasefire, under the auspices of a Redeployment Coordination Committee.

The committee's UN chair, Patrick Cammaert, convened its first meeting by videoconference from New York on Wednesday "to discuss the general outlines of its work, including agreement of a code of conduct", UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.&nbsp;

UN chief Antonio Guterres was "breathing down the neck" of officials to make sure the UN observers are deployed as soon as possible, Dujarric said.

He added that Cammaert will head on Thursday to Jordan from where he will travel on to the rebel-held capital Sanaa and Hodeida.&nbsp;

A UN official told AFP that he was expected in Amman on Friday.&nbsp;

"His departure to Yemen depends on logistics arrangements and flight availability," the official, who requested anonymity, said.

Brigadier General Ahmed al-Kokbani, a Yemeni government representative on the committee, told AFP that the videoconference with Cammaert covered the bases of the committee's mission.&nbsp;

"Cammaert asked members of the team to work diligently in calming the situation and to reject any violations," he said.

The coalition source reiterated Thursday the Saudi-alliance's commitment to UN peace efforts, saying: "We will extend our full support to Cammaert... and we hope to see positive progress".

The coalition said Wednesday that the hard-won ceasefire agreement will collapse if rebel violations persist and the United Nations does not intervene.

The committee's observers are due to oversee the withdrawal of the warring parties from Hodeida, including a rebel pullout from the city's docks that are the entry point for 80 percent of Yemeni imports and nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid.

Cammaert is due to report back to the Security Council about the situation on the ground on a weekly basis.

According to the International Crisis Group, the "odds are stacked against" UN envoy Martin Griffiths and his team.&nbsp;

"The Hodeida agreement came about in a rush, and critics have assailed it as too vague and open to interpretation," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Griffiths will now have to build on this imperfect but highly welcome and overdue agreement, which, as Crisis Group has argued, the UN Security Council should endorse via a new resolution," it added.&nbsp;

"Without strong international support, the Hodeida ceasefire will falter."

The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in 2015, when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led military coalition intervened.

Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high.

The conflict has pushed 14 million people to the brink of famine in what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.&nbsp;

An uneasy calm returned to the battleground Yemeni city of Hodeida on Thursday after further overnight skirmishes, as the warring parties await the promised deployment of UN staff to oversee a hard-won but fragile truce.

An uneasy calm returned to the battleground Yemeni city of Hodeida on Thursday after further overnight skirmishes, as the warring parties await the promised deployment of UN staff to oversee a hard-won but fragile truce. The ceasefire in the Red Sea port city, which is a vital aid lifeline for millions at risk of starvation, is the centrepiece of a peace push that is seen as the best chance yet of ending four years of devastating conflict. Military officials and residents have reported intermittent fighting between Saudi-backed government forces and Huthi Shiite rebels since the UN-brokered ceasefire came into effect in the city and its surroundings on Tuesday. A pro-government official told AFP that four loyalists were wounded in a firefight on Wednesday night. "The exchange of fire lasted for about half an hour, and there is an uneasy calm this morning," he said. Residents reached by telephone confirmed to AFP that there was no fighting on Thursday morning. The official added there has been intermittent fighting on a number of battlefronts in Hodeida province, including the districts of Hays and Al-Tuhayta. A coalition official told AFP the "level of intensity" of Huthi attacks had decreased, which was "a positive sign but too early to draw concrete conclusions". Pro-government forces and Huthi rebels accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreed at talks in Sweden earlier this month. The rebel-run Saba news agency said loyalists targeted a "number of neighbourhoods in the city" overnight. 'Breathing down the neck' UN observers are due in Yemen to head up monitoring teams made up of government and rebel representatives tasked with overseeing the implementation of the UN-brokered ceasefire, under the auspices of a Redeployment Coordination Committee. The committee's UN chair, Patrick Cammaert, convened its first meeting by videoconference from New York on Wednesday "to discuss the general outlines of its work, including agreement of a code of conduct", UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. UN chief Antonio Guterres was "breathing down the neck" of officials to make sure the UN observers are deployed as soon as possible, Dujarric said. He added that Cammaert will head on Thursday to Jordan from where he will travel on to the rebel-held capital Sanaa and Hodeida. A UN official told AFP that he was expected in Amman on Friday. "His departure to Yemen depends on logistics arrangements and flight availability," the official, who requested anonymity, said. Brigadier General Ahmed al-Kokbani, a Yemeni government representative on the committee, told AFP that the videoconference with Cammaert covered the bases of the committee's mission. "Cammaert asked members of the team to work diligently in calming the situation and to reject any violations," he said. The coalition source reiterated Thursday the Saudi-alliance's commitment to UN peace efforts, saying: "We will extend our full support to Cammaert... and we hope to see positive progress". The coalition said Wednesday that the hard-won ceasefire agreement will collapse if rebel violations persist and the United Nations does not intervene. The committee's observers are due to oversee the withdrawal of the warring parties from Hodeida, including a rebel pullout from the city's docks that are the entry point for 80 percent of Yemeni imports and nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid. Cammaert is due to report back to the Security Council about the situation on the ground on a weekly basis. According to the International Crisis Group, the "odds are stacked against" UN envoy Martin Griffiths and his team. "The Hodeida agreement came about in a rush, and critics have assailed it as too vague and open to interpretation," it said in a statement on Wednesday. "Griffiths will now have to build on this imperfect but highly welcome and overdue agreement, which, as Crisis Group has argued, the UN Security Council should endorse via a new resolution," it added. "Without strong international support, the Hodeida ceasefire will falter." The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in 2015, when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led military coalition intervened. Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high. The conflict has pushed 14 million people to the brink of famine in what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

'Uneasy calm' in Yemen's Hodeida as combatants await UN truce team

A 48-hour ceasefire announced by a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen began on Saturday, after the beleaguered government finally agreed to a US peace push.

The government, which has deep reservations about a UN peace blueprint it believes undermines its authority, had previously rejected a ceasefire plan announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry after talks with the rebels in Oman earlier this week.

But it has come under huge pressure to back down in the face of an international outcry over the mounting civilian death toll from 20 months of conflict.

&quot;There are international pressures to observe a ceasefire and to resume (peace) negotiations,&quot; a source close to the presidency told AFP, requesting anonymity.

The announcement of the ceasefire came not from the government but from the coalition which intervened to prop it up in March last year. &quot;It has been decided to begin a 48-hour ceasefire from 12:00 noon Yemen time (0900 GMT) on Saturday,&quot; a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency said.

It added that the truce could be extended if the rebels hold fire and allow aid deliveries to besieged loyalist enclaves.

A spokesman for forces allied to the Huthi rebels, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman, confirmed that they would abide by the ceasefire. &quot;Based on the agreement reached in Muscat, we affirm our commitment to the ceasefire if the other party respects it,&quot; Luqman said, referring to the accord signed with Kerry in the Omani capital on Monday.&nbsp;

Six previous attempts to clinch a ceasefire have foundered, the latest in October.

The government of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi has been deeply reluctant to accept UN proposals to form a unity administration with the rebels for fear of undermining his legitimacy. The coalition underlined that the ceasefire came at Hadi&#39;s request.

The president asked Saudi King Salman for the pause &quot;in response to UN and international efforts to bring peace to Yemen&quot; and allow aid deliveries, its statement said.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in Yemen and nearly 37,000 wounded since the coalition intervention began, the United Nations says.

&nbsp;

Blockade to continue

Millions of civilians are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Many have fled their homes.

The coalition has enforced an air and sea blockade on rebel-held areas throughout its intervention. That will remain in place for the duration of the ceasefire, it said. Despite the support of coalition firepower, the government&#39;s writ is still largely confined to the south and areas along the Saudi border.

The capital Sanaa, the Red Sea coast and most of the northern and central highlands remain in the hands of the rebels and their allies.

The millions of civilians in those areas are dependent on basic goods delivered under UN supervision. Some towns held by loyalist garrisons are under siege by the rebels.

Third city Taez is dependent on a single supply line to the rest of government-held territory that comes under frequent bombardment by the rebels.

The coalition insisted that aid must be allowed into those areas for the ceasefire to be extended. It also demanded that the rebels send representatives to a monitoring committee provided for under a previous, abortive ceasefire.

That committee is to meet just across the border in Saudi Arabia. During their meeting with Kerry on Monday, the rebels and their allies signed an agreement to attend.

&quot;We agree to send representatives to take part in the meetings of the calming and coordination committee,&quot; it said.

The border area remains volatile. A Saudi guard was killed on Thursday when a missile launched from Yemen crashed into a border post in the Asir region.

(AFP)

The government has come under huge pressure to back down after an international outcry over the increasing civilian death toll

A 48-hour ceasefire announced by a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen began on Saturday, after the beleaguered government finally agreed to a US peace push. The government, which has deep reservations about a UN peace blueprint it believes undermines its authority, had previously rejected a ceasefire plan announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry after talks with the rebels in Oman earlier this week. But it has come under huge pressure to back down in the face of an international outcry over the mounting civilian death toll from 20 months of conflict. "There are international pressures to observe a ceasefire and to resume (peace) negotiations," a source close to the presidency told AFP, requesting anonymity. The announcement of the ceasefire came not from the government but from the coalition which intervened to prop it up in March last year. "It has been decided to begin a 48-hour ceasefire from 12:00 noon Yemen time (0900 GMT) on Saturday," a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency said. It added that the truce could be extended if the rebels hold fire and allow aid deliveries to besieged loyalist enclaves. A spokesman for forces allied to the Huthi rebels, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman, confirmed that they would abide by the ceasefire. "Based on the agreement reached in Muscat, we affirm our commitment to the ceasefire if the other party respects it," Luqman said, referring to the accord signed with Kerry in the Omani capital on Monday. Six previous attempts to clinch a ceasefire have foundered, the latest in October. The government of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi has been deeply reluctant to accept UN proposals to form a unity administration with the rebels for fear of undermining his legitimacy. The coalition underlined that the ceasefire came at Hadi's request. The president asked Saudi King Salman for the pause "in response to UN and international efforts to bring peace to Yemen" and allow aid deliveries, its statement said. More than 7,000 people have been killed in Yemen and nearly 37,000 wounded since the coalition intervention began, the United Nations says. Blockade to continue Millions of civilians are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Many have fled their homes. The coalition has enforced an air and sea blockade on rebel-held areas throughout its intervention. That will remain in place for the duration of the ceasefire, it said. Despite the support of coalition firepower, the government's writ is still largely confined to the south and areas along the Saudi border. The capital Sanaa, the Red Sea coast and most of the northern and central highlands remain in the hands of the rebels and their allies. The millions of civilians in those areas are dependent on basic goods delivered under UN supervision. Some towns held by loyalist garrisons are under siege by the rebels. Third city Taez is dependent on a single supply line to the rest of government-held territory that comes under frequent bombardment by the rebels. The coalition insisted that aid must be allowed into those areas for the ceasefire to be extended. It also demanded that the rebels send representatives to a monitoring committee provided for under a previous, abortive ceasefire. That committee is to meet just across the border in Saudi Arabia. During their meeting with Kerry on Monday, the rebels and their allies signed an agreement to attend. "We agree to send representatives to take part in the meetings of the calming and coordination committee," it said. The border area remains volatile. A Saudi guard was killed on Thursday when a missile launched from Yemen crashed into a border post in the Asir region. (AFP)

Yemen: 48-hour ceasefire begins after US push

A Saudi-led military coalition will start a 48 hour ceasefire in Yemen&#39;s war at noon (0900 GMT) on Saturday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The truce will be extended if Yemen&#39;s Houthi movement shows commitment to it and if the group allows humanitarian aid into areas under siege, the news agency reported.

The coalition has been fighting Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen since March 2015 to try to restore to power the internationally backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, based in Saudi Arabia.

(Reuters)

The truce will be extended if Yemen's Houthi movement shows commitment to it and if the group allows humanitarian aid into areas under siege

A Saudi-led military coalition will start a 48 hour ceasefire in Yemen's war at noon (0900 GMT) on Saturday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The truce will be extended if Yemen's Houthi movement shows commitment to it and if the group allows humanitarian aid into areas under siege, the news agency reported. The coalition has been fighting Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen since March 2015 to try to restore to power the internationally backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, based in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Coalition to start 48-hour truce in Yemen: Saudi Press Agency

A 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen between the government and the Houthi-rebels will go into effect from Thursday, the United Nations announced on Monday.

A cessation of hostilities that first went into effect in April &quot;will re-enter into force at 23:59 Yemen time (2059 GMT) on 19 October 2016, for an initial period of 72 hours, subject to renewal,&quot; the UN&#39;s special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said in a statement, the AFP reported.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said he had received assurances from all Yemeni parties for the truce, the BBC reported.

The announcement comes after Yemen&#39;s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi agreed to the ceasefire in a statement earlier on Monday, urged by the United States, Britain and UN&#39;s peace envoy to Yemen.

&quot;The President agreed to a 72 hrs ceasefire to be extended if the other party adheres to it, activates a truce observing committee and ends the siege of third-city Taez,&quot; Yemen&#39;s foreign minister Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi had tweeted earlier.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir told Al-Arabiya news channel that his country was agreeable to the ceasefire. The Saudi Arabia-led coalition of Arab countries backs Yemen&#39;s president.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s impoverished neighbour has been engulfed in a deadly civil war after the pro-Iran Houthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa in 2014. The conflict escalated in 2015 after the Arab coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies.

The coalition has carried out hundreds of air strikes and provided ground troops to support Hadi&#39;s forces. But has failed to dislodge the Huthi rebels, who are allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Almost 6,900 people have been killed, more than 35,000 wounded and at least three million displaced in the conflict since March last year, the UN has estimated.

The ceasefire comes after Sunday&#39;s meeting in London between US Secretary of State John Kerry, the UN envoy and his counterparts from Britain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to discuss the Yemen conflict.

Previous attempts to enforce a ceasefire in the country had failed. The situation aggravated in August after a round of peace talks in Kuwait ended without a breakthrough. The Saudi-led coalition stepped up its air raids and cross-border attacks from Yemen also intensified, AFP reported.

The previous ceasefire, announced at the beginning of the Kuwait talks, was hardly observed with both sides blaming each other for violating the truce.

The rebels still control large parts of the north, their historic stronghold areas, and other regions of western and central Yemen. The country&#39;s third-largest city, Taez, is almost completely surrounded by the Houthis

Taez, the country&#39;s third city, is almost completely surrounded by the Houthis and their allies. Loyalist forces have for months tried to break the rebel grip on the southwestern city but to no avail.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi says he is ready for a ceasefire 'if the other party adheres to it'

A 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen between the government and the Houthi-rebels will go into effect from Thursday, the United Nations announced on Monday. A cessation of hostilities that first went into effect in April "will re-enter into force at 23:59 Yemen time (2059 GMT) on 19 October 2016, for an initial period of 72 hours, subject to renewal," the UN's special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said in a statement, the AFP reported. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said he had received assurances from all Yemeni parties for the truce, the BBC reported. The announcement comes after Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi agreed to the ceasefire in a statement earlier on Monday, urged by the United States, Britain and UN's peace envoy to Yemen. "The President agreed to a 72 hrs ceasefire to be extended if the other party adheres to it, activates a truce observing committee and ends the siege of third-city Taez," Yemen's foreign minister Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi had tweeted earlier. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir told Al-Arabiya news channel that his country was agreeable to the ceasefire. The Saudi Arabia-led coalition of Arab countries backs Yemen's president. Saudi Arabia's impoverished neighbour has been engulfed in a deadly civil war after the pro-Iran Houthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa in 2014. The conflict escalated in 2015 after the Arab coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies. The coalition has carried out hundreds of air strikes and provided ground troops to support Hadi's forces. But has failed to dislodge the Huthi rebels, who are allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Almost 6,900 people have been killed, more than 35,000 wounded and at least three million displaced in the conflict since March last year, the UN has estimated. The ceasefire comes after Sunday's meeting in London between US Secretary of State John Kerry, the UN envoy and his counterparts from Britain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to discuss the Yemen conflict. Previous attempts to enforce a ceasefire in the country had failed. The situation aggravated in August after a round of peace talks in Kuwait ended without a breakthrough. The Saudi-led coalition stepped up its air raids and cross-border attacks from Yemen also intensified, AFP reported. The previous ceasefire, announced at the beginning of the Kuwait talks, was hardly observed with both sides blaming each other for violating the truce. The rebels still control large parts of the north, their historic stronghold areas, and other regions of western and central Yemen. The country's third-largest city, Taez, is almost completely surrounded by the Houthis Taez, the country's third city, is almost completely surrounded by the Houthis and their allies. Loyalist forces have for months tried to break the rebel grip on the southwestern city but to no avail. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UN announces 72-hour truce for war-ravaged Yemen

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