The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen said on Tuesday that a ceasefire had begun at noon (0900 GMT) as scheduled.
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri confirmed that the truce had taken effect. The militia forces have yet to say if they will abide by the ceasefire.
“The command of the coalition forces announces a ceasefire as of 12 P.M. Sanaa time … while retaining the right to respond to any breach of the ceasefire,” the alliance said in a statement on the Saudi state news agency, SPA.
“The ceasefire (will last) for a period of seven days starting from the 15th to the 21st of December in conjunction with the launch of consultations, and will be renewed automatically in the event of the commitment of the other party,” it said.
The coalition opened a military campaign in late March to stop Houthi militias from taking complete control of Yemen after they seized the capital, Sanaa, last year. The Houthi militias accuse the coalition of launching a war of aggression.
The campaign has brought embattled Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi little closer to running a united country again.
Reuters
