Saudi-Led Coalition Declares Five-Day Humanitarian Truce in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition of Arab states declared five-day humanitarian truce with Yemen’s Houthi movement. The truce will come into force on Sunday night, with the coalition reserving the right to respond to any military activity or movement by the rebels, according to the official statement.

CAIRO (Sputnik) — The Saudi-led coalition of Arab states announced the third five-day humanitarian truce with Yemen’s Houthi movement to allow for aid to be delivered to those injured and displaced by the violence, Saudi state news agency SPA reported Saturday.

The Saudi-led coalition is conducting airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen at the request of displaced Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi since March. A five-day truce between the Houthis and the coalition was announced in early July, but it was never carried out as the Houthis reportedly violated the ceasefire’s terms.

The truce will come into force on Sunday night, with the coalition reserving the right to respond to any military activity or movement by the rebels, according to the official statement.

Yemen has been in a state of turmoil since 2014, when Houthi rebels took control over large parts of the country, prompting President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee the country.

Since the conflict in Yemen escalated, more than 1,600 people were killed and more than 6,200 injured, according to the United Nations.

According to the UN statistics, more than 21.1 million people in Yemen are in need of aid, of which 13 million are faced with food shortages.