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Saudi-led coalition announces Yemen ceasefire in effect

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Saudi-led coalition announced that a five-day ceasefire in Yemen started at 11 p.m . (2000 GMT) on Tuesday, aiming to allow deliveries of desperately needed relief supplies, local daily Al Eqtisadiya reported.

The announcement was made by Ahmed Asseri, spokesman for the coalition, which has been striking Yemen's Houthi rebels since March 26.

The spokesman said no ship will be allowed to enter Yemen without the coordination with the coalition forces, in response to an attempt of an Iranian ship to break the maritime ban.

He said Iran could send relief supplies to Yemen through the United Nations as the coalition provides permission for humanitarian aid in association with the UN.

The Houthis militias Tuesday attacked locations in the Saudi border city Jezan, hours before the ceasefire took effect, the spokesman said, while affirming the readiness of Saudi land forces to response to any Houthi attack.

Saudi Arabia last week announced the truce to allow badly needed humanitarian aid to reach besieged civilians inside the conflict-battered country.

The conflict in Yemen has roughly claimed the lives of more than 1,500 and injured some 6,000 others since it started. Endit