Off the wire
• Hybrid rice sets new world record in production  • Top news in major S. African news outlets  • Material and plant samples retrieved from space experiments  • Commentary: Asia-Pacific needs more inclusive trade pact  • Strict measures in place as smog hits Chinese cities  • 1 mln S. Koreans expected to join rally to demand president's resignation  • 2nd LD Writethru: UN Security Council greatly alarmed by renewed ethnic violence in S.Sudan  • Spotlight: How long will protest against scandal-hit president last in S. Korea?  • IS group commander among 7 killed in E. Afghanistan  • Interview: FTAAP ready for review by APEC leaders -- Chinese vice commerce minister  
You are here: 　 Home

Saudi-led coalition announces 48-hour cease-fire in Yemen

Xinhua, November 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Saudi-led coalition announced on Saturday a 48-hour cease-fire in Yemen, starting at noon local time (0900 GMT), Al Arabiya reported.

The coalition, which has been fighting Houthi rebels in support of the Yemeni government since March 2015, stressed that the truce will be automatically renewed upon the commitment of Houthi militias to the cease-fire rules.

The truce will allow the access of humanitarian aid to areas in the besieged areas, especially Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.

The coalition warned that its forces will respond to Houthi violations of the truce, while confirming the continuation of its air and maritime bans and inspections.

This agreement came as part of UN efforts to end the bloody war in Yemen. Most of the previously announced truces had failed.

Since March 2015, the coalition has been fighting both Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in a bid to restore to power internationally backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was overthrown by the Houthis in late 2014. Endi