Clashes erupt in Yemen's Hudaydah despite ceasefire

By Abdullah Ahmed

SANAA (AA) – Clashes erupted Tuesday between government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen’s coastal city of Al-Hudaydah despite a UN-brokered ceasefire, according to a military source and local residents.

The Yemeni army's media center said Houthi rebels attacked government forces in the southern neighborhoods of Al-Hudaydah.

Government forces retaliated with heavy and medium weapons, it said.

No information was yet available about casualties.

Tuesday's violence came despite a UN-brokered ceasefire reached late last year between the internationally-recognized government and Houthi rebels during peace talks in Sweden.

Yemen fell into civil war in 2014 when the Shia Houthi group overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to Saudi Arabia.

A year later, Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi military gains.