Yemen raids intensify as UN call to extend truce ignored

AFP, ADEN: The pro-government Arab coalition Sunday stepped up air strikes on Iran-backed rebels in Yemen and clashes raged on the ground as warring parties ignored a UN call to renew a fragile ceasefire.
The 72-hour ceasefire took effect just before midnight (2100 GMT) Wednesday to allow aid deliveries in Yemen, whose war has killed thousands of people and left millions homeless and hungry. It officially ended at midnight Saturday.
UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, had appealed for a renewal of the ceasefire, saying humanitarian aid had during the truce reached areas that were earlier inaccessible.
But Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi shrugged off the call as “useless”, accusing the rebels of ignoring the ceasefire.
The truce was the sixth attempt since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in March last year to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels and their allies overran much of the impoverished country. Ahmed urged “all parties to agree to its extension for at least another renewable 72 hours”, in a statement posted on the envoy’s Facebook page shortly before it expired.
The ceasefire was “largely holding despite reported violations from both sides in several areas”, he said.
“We noted over the last days that food and humanitarian supplies were provided to several affected neighbourhoods and that UN personnel were able to reach areas that were previously inaccessible. We would like to build on this and we aim for a wider outreach in the next few days,” he added.
But shortly after the appeal, coalition warplanes on Sunday pounded positions in Sanaa of the Shiite rebels and their allies, renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, military officials and rebel media said.
Rebel-controlled sabanews.net website counted nine air strikes on the capital Sunday.

Yemen raids intensify as UN call to extend truce ignored

AFP, ADEN: The pro-government Arab coalition Sunday stepped up air strikes on Iran-backed rebels in Yemen and clashes raged on the ground as warring parties ignored a UN call to renew a fragile ceasefire. The 72-hour ceasefire took effect just before midnight (2100 GMT) Wednesday to allow aid deliveries in Yemen, whose war has killed thousands of people and left millions homeless and hungry. It officially ended at midnight Saturday. UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, had appealed for a renewal of the ceasefire, saying humanitarian aid had during the truce reached areas that were earlier inaccessible. But Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi shrugged off the call as useless, accusing the rebels of ignoring the ceasefire. The truce was the sixth attempt since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in March last year to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels and their allies overran much of the impoverished country. Ahmed urged all parties to agree to its extension for at least another renewable 72 hours, in a statement posted on the envoys Facebook page shortly before it expired. The ceasefire was largely holding despite reported violations from both sides in several areas, he said. We noted over the last days that food and humanitarian supplies were provided to several affected neighbourhoods and that UN personnel were able to reach areas that were previously inaccessible. We would like to build on this and we aim for a wider outreach in the next few days, he added. But shortly after the appeal, coalition warplanes on Sunday pounded positions in Sanaa of the Shiite rebels and their allies, renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, military officials and rebel media said. Rebel-controlled sabanews.net website counted nine air strikes on the capital Sunday.