The Shiite rebels reported to have carried out "at least 43" violations of the truce in force since yesterday. Houthi response: a Saudi air raid killed three civilians in Saada. Despite violence, UN diplomacy is hoping for an extension of the ceasefire. 80% of the population need humanitarian aid.
Sana'a (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Saudi led Arab coalition that supports the Yemeni government against rebel militias who occupy the capital and other areas of the country, charge the Houthis with having repeatedly violated the fragile ceasefire in force from midnight of yesterday.
In an official statement - even if there are no independent confirmation - the coalition says that the rebels have broken the UN backed cease-fire on at least 40 with rocket attacks and bombs along the border with Saudi Arabia .
The leaders of the rebel militias instead reply that the Arab coalition has carried out at least one airstrike in areas controlled by Houthis, killing three civilians in the province of Saada.
Despite this, the UN leaders continue to hope for a continuation of the ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks.
In the statement the Saudi leaders - recently responsible for an air strike on a wake that killed more than 140 people, a large majority civilians - have denounced the rocket fire by Houthi against the city of Jazan and Najra, across the border. "There were at least 43 violations along the border " adds the note, during which "snipers and other various kinds of weapons, including missiles" have been used.
In the past international diplomacy mediated a truce in the fighting five times the, without success, and this time the risk of failure is real.
Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody internal conflict pitting the country’s Sunni leaders, backed by Riyadh, against Shia Houthi rebels, close to Iran.
In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition began air strikes against the rebels in an attempt to free the capital Sana'a and bring back then exiled President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. So far the air campaign – criticised by the UN - has killed mostly civilians and many children.
To date they died about 7 thousand people, of which about 4125 civilians; least three million people displaced by conflict.