Saudi Arabia, US propose five-day ceasefire in Yemen

Posted: 5:19 pm, May 7, 2015 by admin

Courtesy: IANS

Riyadh, May 7 (IANS) Saudi Arabia and the US said here on Thursday that a five-day “humanitarian pause” will start “soon” in Yemen.

The proposed ceasefire was announced at a joint press conference by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and US Secretary of State John Kerry, Xinhua news agency reported.

Airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition on Houthi rebels in Yemen have been going on since late March.

More than 1,000 people have been killed and 3,000 injured in the airstrikes and in fierce fighting between the Shia Houthi group and tribal militia loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Riyadh and Washington have conditioned the proposed ceasefire deal on Houthi rebels agreeing to abide by its terms.