People fleeing in Sana on Sunday after airstrikes hit the home of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's former president
CAIRO/ADEN: Yemen’s dominant Houthi group accepted a five-day humanitarian ceasefire proposed by its adversary Saudi Arabia yesterday but said it would respond to any violations of the pause.
Saudi Arabia had said on Friday that the ceasefire could begin tomorrow if the Iranian-allied militia agreed to the pause, which would let in badly needed food and medical supplies.
Backed by the United States, a Saudi-led coalition has been conducting air strikes against the Houthis and army units loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26 with the aim of restoring the government of President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi.
“We will deal positively with any efforts, calls or serious and positive measures that would help lift the suffering and allow aid, supplies and ships to move safely to Yemen,” the Houthis said in a statement carried by state media Saba.
Colonel Sharaf Luqman, spokesperson for the Houthi-allied army, yesterday said Yemeni forces had agreed to the truce but would confront any attacks by Hadi loyalists on battlefronts which stretch across much of the impoverished country.
The Houthis say their campaign is aimed at defeating Al Qaeda militants based in Yemen and accuse Hadi’s forces of supporting the group.
Arab planes bombed for a second day in a row the vast compound in the capital Sana’a which is home to ex-president Saleh, whose loyalists in the army fight on the Houthis’ side.
Saleh appeared unscathed. “It isn’t just me who is being targeted but every citizen ... This aggression is cowardly. Go ahead and come by land, we’ll make a welcome for you,” Saleh said.
“We doubt that the Houthis would stick to a ceasefire or truce because they have repeatedly broken political commitments they have made in the past,” a pro-Hadi militiaman in the city said.
Anwar Gargash, minister of state for foreign affairs for the United Arab Emirates, welcomed the Houthis’ acceptance of a ceasefire and said he hoped it would lead to political talks.
“The Houthis acceptance of the truce offer is important. Their realisation that they are part of the diverse Yemeni fabric and not a tool for regional influence is essential,” he wrote on his Twitter account.REUTERS
