UN: 72-hour truce in Yemen set to begin Wednesday

ISTANBUL (AA) – The United Nations said on Monday a plan for 72-hour truce in Yemen would begin Wednesday night.

The organization’s Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, received assurances from all parties in the country to ensure nationwide truce, starting at 23.59 local time Oct. 19, according to a statement.

Ahmed said the ceasefire “will spare the Yemeni people further bloodshed and will allow for the expanded delivery of humanitarian assistance,” adding that the 72-hour could be extended.

He also urged all parties to fully respect the cease-fire that allows “free and unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel” across Yemen, in addition to halting any kind military activities.

“It leads to a permanent and lasting end to the conflict,” he said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson issued the call in a joint statement with Ahmed on Sunday.

Yemen has been racked by chaos since late 2014 when Houthi rebels and their allies overran the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country, forcing President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and his Saudi-backed government to temporarily flee to Riyadh.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive military campaign aimed at reversing Houthi gains and restoring Hadi’s embattled government.

Last week, the U.S. directly intervened in the conflict through a missile strike on a coastal area held by the Houthis.