Yemen Sides Trade Accusations of Cease-fire Violations

Rebels and pro-government forces accused each other of violating a cease-fire in Yemen, but the truce appeared to be largely holding Wednesday.

The accusations included continued ground fighting, shelling by Houthi rebels and airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition that has been backing President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government since March.

The cease-fire went into effect on Tuesday as representatives from the government and rebels began U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Switzerland.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the start of the negotiations, saying they are the only way to end a months-long civil war.  He urged all parties to work toward a permanent end to the conflict.

Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah expressed hope for his country as the week-long cease-fire deal took effect.  He said Yemen is "taking shape" through the talks in Geneva, noting the situation there is more hopeful than in other volatile Middle Eastern countries such as Syria and Libya.

U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said the goal of the Geneva peace talks is to "pave the way for a return to a peaceful and orderly political transition."

The conflict erupted in September 2014, when Houthis seized the capital, Sana'a, before pushing southward and forcing Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia as they took control of the port city of Aden.

The Saudi government responded with coalition airstrikes that have since pushed rebels out of Aden and allowed President Hadi to return to that city.  Rebels still control Sana'a.  The conflict has killed an estimated 5,700 people.

Last month, top regional U.N. official Johannes van der Klaauw said more than 21 million of the country's 27 million residents are in need of humanitarian assistance to meet basic needs, adding that some 3 million children and pregnant women are in need of preventative services to stave off malnutrition.
  voanews.com
16/12/15
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