Cautious ceasefire begins in Yemen

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Cautious ceasefire begins in Yemen



KUWEIT:-- A tentative truce between Yemen’s rival sides came into force at midnight on Sunday as a precursor to peace talks set to begin on April 18 in Kuwait.

In the capital Sanaa, residents said they desperately wanted the UN backed attempt to end the conflict to succeed after two rounds of talks failed last year.

“We hope that this truce will be a serious one and it will be reliable, I mean from all parties, and that peace will prevail across the country. This is has to be a real respite for the poor and the needy who are dying in this civil war,” said one resident in Sanaa.

“The situation is very difficult for people without work, without electricity, without water and with the fear that at any moment a bombardment could kill those dear to us,” said another.

The fighting between the Yemeni army backed by Saudi Arabia and its Houthi rebel enemies has killed more than 6,000 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Al Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa in January 2015 along with several provinces in northern Yemen. The group placed President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi under house arrest, but he later escaped to Saudi Arabia in seek of support.

Saudi Arabia, as a pro-government coalition, has in response bombed Houthi rebels and their allies since March 2015.

During the year, the international community has unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the two sides, failing to bring an end to military operations.

The warring sides say they have now formed committees to observe the halt in hostilities and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-04-11