CAIRO (Sputnik) — The humanitarian truce in Yemen set to expire on Sunday should be extended by five more days at least, UN Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said Sunday.
"I call on all parties to renew their commitment to the truce for five more days at least," he said at the Yemen reconciliation conference in Riyadh.
The envoy stressed that the five-day truce in Yemen that came into force on Tuesday has alleviated suffering of civilians.
Yemen has been in a state of turmoil since early 2015, when Houthi rebels took control over large parts of the country, prompting President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee the country.
A Saudi Arabia-led coalition began conducting airstrikes against the Houthi positions in Yemen at the end of March, upon Persident Hadi's request.
Since the conflict in Yemen escalated, more than 1,600 people were killed and more than 6,200 injured, according to the United Nations.
