CAIRO (AP) — The Saudi-led military coalition has declared a 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen, on the condition that Shiite rebels abide by it and allow humanitarian assistance into cities under their control.

The Saudi news agency SPA carried a statement from the coalition early Saturday. The truce will take into effect at 12 p.m. Yemeni time on Saturday, the statement said, and it could be renewed. The coalition warns the rebels, known as Houthis, against any sort of military movement.

The ceasefire comes as forces loyal to the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognized government have made advances in the key western city of Taiz, which has been besieged by the rebels for the past year. </s> CAIRO — The Saudi-led military coalition declared a 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen on Saturday, on the condition that Shiite rebels abide by it and allow humanitarian assistance into besieged cities, particularly the city of Taiz.

However, minutes after it went into effect, activists in Taiz said that rebel shelling continued in the city while a rebel-affiliated military spokesman said that there was no halt of fighting.

Col. Sharaf Loqman, a military spokesman, told The Associated Press that the fighting hasn't stopped at any of the front-lines. He said that the rebels support a full cessation of hostilities, but that the reality at the moment is, "all parties are engaged in fighting."

The Saudi news agency SPA carried a statement from the coalition that said the truce would take effect at 12 p.m. Yemeni time on Saturday and that it could be renewed. The coalition warned the rebels, known as Houthis, against any sort of military movement.

The ceasefire comes at a time that forces loyal to the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognized government have made advances in Taiz, which has been besieged by the rebels for the past year.

The coalition has demanded that the Houthis send their representatives to meet with a de-escalation committee based in a southern Saudi city, in order to make security and military arrangements to end rebel control over several cities in the north — including the capital, Sanaa.

While the coalition stressed that the ceasefire is aimed at paving the way for peace, it didn't elaborate on whether it's accepting the U.N.-brokered peace plan — which sidelines President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and gives the rebels a share of power.

The truce also comes two days after an earlier plan for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire faltered. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who met with Houthi representatives in Oman this week, set Nov. 17 as the beginning of the ceasefire. The plan was immediately rejected by Hadi's government, which accused Kerry of striking a unilateral deal. The coalition made no comment on Kerry's announcement.

The conflict in Yemen has divided the country into rival regions with the northern — predominated by Shiites — under rebel control while the south — mostly Sunnis — is under the coalition's control.

The coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 at the request of Hadi, who was forced to flee the country when the Houthis joined ranks with forces loyal to the ousted Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and descended from their northern enclave — seizing the capital and pushing southward.

The coalition imposed a blockade on Yemen, and the airstrikes along with ground fighting have left over 4,000 civilians dead and tens of thousands wounded. The conflict has forced 3 million people to flee their homes and pushed the Arab world's poorest nation to the brink of famine. </s> A 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen is due to begin on Wednesday night, the UN envoy for Yemen said on Monday after he received commitments from all of the country’s warring factions.

UN special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said the cessation of hostilities would begin at 11.59pm local time (8.59pm Irish time) on Wednesday and could be renewed after the initial three-day period, the United Nations said in statement.

“The special envoy welcomes the restoration of the cessation of hostilities, which will spare the Yemeni people further bloodshed and will allow for the expanded delivery of humanitarian assistance,” the statement said.

Earlier on Monday, Yemeni foreign minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi said on his official Twitter feed that president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi had agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire with the possibility of it being extended.

“The president agreed to a 72 hours ceasefire to be extended if the other party adheres to it, activates the DCC (de-escalation and coordination committee) and lifts the siege of Taiz,” he said.

The DCC is the United Nations-backed military commission responsible for overseeing ceasefires in Yemen.

Mr Hadi’s exiled government has been requesting humanitarian access for Taiz, a divided city largely encircled by the Houthi rebels who overran Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014.

Government forces maintain control of only one of four access routes.

The Iranian-aligned Houthis and their allies, forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, hold most of Yemen’s northern half, while forces loyal to the Saudi-backed Hadi share control of the rest of the country with local tribes.

Houthi officials could not immediately be reached for comment about the ceasefire.

Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Monday that Saudi Arabia was prepared to accept a ceasefire if the Houthis agreed to one, but that he was sceptical about peace efforts after previous ceasefire attempts failed.

Saudi Arabia and several Gulf Arab allies have carried out air strikes and deployed troops in Yemen in support of Hadi’s government since March 2015. Some 10,000 people, including 3,800 civilians, have been killed in the conflict, according to UN estimates. </s> ADEN: A 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen will go into effect starting 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 announcement comes after Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi agreed to the ceasefire in a statement earlier on Monday, a day after international calls for a truce.

Ahmed on Sunday said he had been in contact with the Huthi militia’s lead negotiator and Hadi’s government.

The United States, Britain and the UN peace envoy to Yemen on Sunday urged the warring parties in the country’s civil war to declare a ceasefire.

Saudi Arabia’s impoverished neighbor has been rocked by a deadly war since pro-Iran rebels overran the capital Sanaa in September 2014.

However, the conflict escalated after an Arab coalition, led by Riyadh, launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies in March 2015.

The conflict in Yemen has killed almost 6,900 people, wounded more than 35,000 and displaced at least three million since March last year, according to the United Nations.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met in London with the UN envoy and his opposite numbers from Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Yemen conflict.

“This is the time to implement a ceasefire unconditionally and then move to the negotiating table,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters after the talks.

Previous attempts to enforce a ceasefire in the country have so far failed with the war intensifying after a round of peace talks in Kuwait ended in August without achieving a breakthrough.

The Saudi-led coalition has stepped up its air raids following the breakdown of talks and cross-border attacks from Yemen have also intensified.

The previous ceasefire, announced in conjunction with the start of the Kuwait talks, was hardly observed on ground, with both sides trading blame for violating the truce.

Earlier this month, the UN envoy had said that a 72-hour ceasefire was expected soon adding that he was hoping to draft a new peace plan for Yemen.

The coalition has carried out hundreds of air strikes and provided ground troops to support Hadi’s forces.

But it has failed to dislodge the Huthi rebels, who are allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, from key areas including the capital Sanaa.

The rebels still control large parts of the north, their historic stronghold areas, and other regions of western and central Yemen.

Taez, the country’s third city, is almost completely surrounded by the Huthis and their allies and loyalist forces have for months tried to break the rebel grip on the southwestern city.

Government forces have recaptured the south and east but failed to make any significant advances. AFP </s> A 72-hour ceasefire in Yemen will go into effect starting 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 announcement comes after Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi agreed to the ceasefire in a statement earlier on Monday, a day after international calls for a truce.

Ahmed on Sunday said he had been in contact with the Huthi militia’s lead negotiator and Hadi’s government.

The United States, Britain and the UN peace envoy to Yemen on Sunday urged the warring parties in the country’s civil war to declare a ceasefire.

Saudi Arabia’s impoverished neighbour has been rocked by a deadly war since pro-Iran rebels overran the capital Sanaa in September 2014.

However, the conflict escalated after an Arab coalition, led by Riyadh, launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies in March 2015.

The conflict in Yemen has killed almost 6,900 people, wounded more than 35,000 and displaced at least three million since March last year, according to the United Nations.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met in London with the UN envoy and his opposite numbers from Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Yemen conflict.

“This is the time to implement a ceasefire unconditionally and then move to the negotiating table,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters after the talks.

Previous attempts to enforce a ceasefire in the country have so far failed with the war intensifying after a round of peace talks in Kuwait ended in August without achieving a breakthrough.

The Saudi-led coalition has stepped up its air raids following the breakdown of talks and cross-border attacks from Yemen have also intensified.

The previous ceasefire, announced in conjunction with the start of the Kuwait talks, was hardly observed on ground, with both sides trading blame for violating the truce.

Earlier this month, the UN envoy had said that a 72-hour ceasefire was expected soon adding that he was hoping to draft a new peace plan for Yemen.

The coalition has carried out hundreds of air strikes and provided ground troops to support Hadi’s forces.

But it has failed to dislodge the Huthi rebels, who are allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, from key areas including the capital Sanaa.

The rebels still control large parts of the north, their historic stronghold areas, and other regions of western and central Yemen.

Taez, the country’s third city, is almost completely surrounded by the Huthis and their allies and loyalist forces have for months tried to break the rebel grip on the southwestern city.

Government forces have recaptured the south and east but failed to make any significant advances. </s> DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen’s southern separatists agreed on Sunday to a Saudi-led coalition’s calls for an immediate ceasefire in Aden, seat of the internationally recognized government, they said in a statement.

“The spokesman of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) confirmed its adherence to the ceasfire called for by the leadership of the Saudi-led coalition,” the statement said. </s> By AFP - Nov 19,2016 - Last updated at Nov 19,2016

A woman uses a wheelbarrow to carry a jerrycan filled with potable water from a charity tap during the first day of a 48-hour ceasefire in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday (Reuters photo)

SANAA — Yemen rebels and loyalist forces battled Saturday around third city Taez even as a 48-hour ceasefire announced by a Saudi-led coalition fighting the insurgents began following US pressure.

A few hours after the ceasefire took effect at midday (0900 GMT), fighting still raged around the flashpoint southwestern city, where violence has killed dozens this week, despite clashes subsiding on several fronts.

Clashes were heaviest in the town of Salo, southeast of Taez, military sources said, reporting casualties on both sides.

Inside Taez itself, rebel rocket fire into a residential district killed one civilian and wounded two, the sources added.

Intermittent fighting was also reported in Nahm near the capital Sanaa, in Shabwa in the south and Sarwah to the east.

The ceasefire comes after a push by US Secretary of State John Kerry who last week met rebel representatives in Oman and also urged the government to come on board.

At first the government, which has deep reservations about a UN peace blueprint it believes undermines its authority, rejected the peace bid before later agreeing to observe it.

Yemen’s government 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 48-hour truce could be extended if the rebels hold fire and allow aid into besieged loyalist enclaves, said a coalition statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in Yemen and nearly 37,000 wounded since the coalition intervention began in March last year, the United Nations said.

“We really hope that the war will end. All Yemenis are very tired of the conflict,” said Khaled Al Waysi, a resident of Sanaa.

Another resident, Sadeq Juhaifi, said: “We want one of the parties to be courageous enough to announce longterm peace, not just a two or one-day ceasefire.”

AFP received a copy of an official document issued by the defence ministry ordering all pro-government forces to abide by the ceasefire, report violations, and reserve the right to respond to any rebel breaches.

A spokesman for forces allied to the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman, confirmed that they would also 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 of the accord signed Monday with Kerry.

Six previous attempts to clinch a ceasefire have foundered, the latest in October.

All those truces were “useless”, said Sanaa resident Abdullah Hasan.

“We need a real truce, not one which is just for media consumption,” added the 29-year-old.

UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged all parties “to encourage full respect for the cessation of hostilities and to ensure that it leads to a permanent and lasting end to the conflict”.

Exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has rejected a UN proposal to step down while his government forms a unity administration with the rebels.

In an apparent bid to prove 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.

Millions of civilians, many of whom have fled their homes, desperately need humanitarian aid.

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 rebels still control Sanaa and most of the northern and central highlands.

Some towns held by loyalist garrisons are under rebel siege, including Taez.

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 Monday’s meeting with Kerry, the rebels and their allies agreed to attend.

UN experts will work alongside the representatives of the two sides, the envoy said. </s> Yemen’s southern separatists agreed on Sunday to a Saudi-led coalition’s calls for an immediate ceasefire in Aden, seat of the internationally recognized government, they said in a statement. </s> SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A Saudi-led coalition launched a series of airstrikes around the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, just hours after a 72-hour cease-fire expired, according to security officials.

They said the pre-dawn airstrikes targeted military facilities belonging to the Shiite Houthi rebels fighting the internationally recognized government. They had no word on casualties or damage.

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The airstrikes followed a call by U.N. special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on the warring parties to extend the temporary cease-fire for at least another renewable 72 hours.

The previous 72-hour truce expired at 11:59 p.m. local time Saturday. Ahmed said the cease-fire had largely held during the truce, “despite reported violations from both sides in several areas,” and that it had enabled U.N. personnel to deliver food and humanitarian supplies to several previously inaccessible areas.

“We would like to build on this and we aim for a wider outreach in the next few days,” Ahmed said. There was no immediate word on whether the combatants would consider another cease-fire.

The war in Yemen began in 2014 when Shiite rebels known as Houthis based in the north seized the capital, Sanaa, and later swept across much of the poor Arabian Peninsula country.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a campaign of airstrikes against the rebels.
The Saudi-led coalition announces a 48 hour ceasefire in Yemen from noon.