Saudi Arabia, US Discuss 5-Day Ceasefire in Yemen

Saudi Arabia and the US have discussed a five-day ceasefire in Yemen, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said Thursday.

RIYADH (Sputnik) – Saudi Arabia and the United States have discussed a five-day ceasefire in Yemen, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said Thursday.

“The date when the ceasefire comes into force will soon be announced,” he said at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

The US top diplomat said, in his turn, that the ceasefire was needed to deliver humanitarian assistance to conflict-hit areas.

Yemen has been engulfed in violence and political deadlock since late 2014, when rebels took control over large swathes of the country, including the capital Sanaa. President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi was ousted earlier this year.

On March 26, the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states started conducting airstrikes on Yemen, targeting Houthi rebel positions at Hadi's request.

On April 21, the coalition said it had ended the Decisive Storm military operation and announced the start of the Restoring Hope campaign, saying it would focus on counter-terrorism and humanitarian efforts. Despite the announcement, the airstrikes have continued.

On Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said that the coalition intended to suspend the airstrikes to make aid delivery possible following earlier UN call to arrange a humanitarian pause in Yemen.

More than 1,200 people have died in Yemen since mid-March, according to recent UN estimates.