UN chief "extremely concerned" about fighting escalation in Yemen

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said he is extremely concerned about Yemen's escalating ground fighting and air-strikes that caused civilian casualties in recent days.

At least 20 people were killed and dozens of others wounded when warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition hit civilian houses in Sanaa, Yemen's national capital, Tuesday.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban said that "all parties to the conflict are obligated to take all feasible precautions to avoid loss of civilian life and damage to civilian objects."

Ban also welcomed the release of six foreign citizens by the Houthis Sunday, saying "this measure represents a concrete and positive step in efforts to lessen tensions in the region and ease the path to a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Yemen."

Yemen's Shiite Houthi rebels released six foreigners, including three Americans, two Saudis and one British citizen, who had been held for about six months after mediation of the Oman's authorities.

The Shiite Houthi group has controlled half of Yemen, including Sanaa, since September 2014.

In late March this year, Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his cabinet had taken refuge in Saudi Arabia after the Shiite Houthi group overran the capital Sanaa and besieged southern port city of Aden, the temporary capital announced by Hadi. Then the Saudi-led coalition began air-strikes against the Houthi group in Yemen at the request of the exiled President Hadi.

On Tuesday, President Hadi arrived in Aden, after almost six months of exile. Hadi's forces have retaken several southern provinces in recent months; however, the Houthis still controls the northern part of the country, including Sanaa. Endit