Cease-fire begins in war-torn Yemen

By Zeynep Hilal Karyagdi Duran

ISTANBUL (AA) - A cease-fire began on Saturday between Yemen's warring parties following a UN-brokered agreement on a "long overdue" two-month truce.

According to local sources, Yemenis welcomed the cease-fire, which came into effect at 7 p.m. local time (1600GMT) as calm prevailed on the fronts in the last remaining hours.

On Friday, the UN's special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced the truce to halt all air, ground, and maritime offensives.

Grundberg said that during the two-month span of the truce, he would intensify work with the parties to reach a permanent cease-fire, "address urgent economic and humanitarian measures and resume the political process."

"I call on the parties to fully adhere to and respect the Truce and its elements and to take all necessary steps to immediately implement it," he added.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels said late on Tuesday that it would suspend military operations to ensure the success of ongoing consultations and to create a positive environment for peace-making efforts during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition, which seeks to reinstate the Yemeni government, has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises. Nearly 80%, or about 30 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.