Saudi-led cease-fire expires in Yemen with no deal in place
A unilateral truce in Yemen has expired as aid organizations fear a coronavirus outbreak in the war-ravaged country.
Amid fears of a mass coronavirus outbreak in war-ravaged Yemen, a two-week cease-fire expired Thursday with no permanent deal in its place to end fighting between Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition opposing them.
Heeding a call last month by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to implement a truce, the coalition, which backs the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, declared a cease-fire to allow for UN-brokered talks and to focus on containing the novel coronavirus.
The Houthis, however, rejected the unilateral cease-fire. Both sides have since traded accusations of truce violations in Marib and Bayda provinces.
On April 17, the coalition said it had recorded 100 Houthi violations in the preceding 24 hours. That same day, locals accused the coalition of launching six airstrikes on Sanaa, the capital, held by the Houthis.
