The humanitarian pause is intended to help allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to ease the suffering of civilians in the Arab world’s poorest country.
Advertisement
SPA said the decision was taken at the request of Yemen’s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who has taken refuge in the Saudi capital with much of his government.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the two sides were honoring the cease-fire.
At least 30 others were wounded in the strikes on hills overlooking the rebel-held Al-Anad airbase, as well as in nearby Radfan, the sources said.
A military source speaking with AFP said the raids targeted forces in Lahej province where Saudi-backed troops loyal to exiled Yemeni president Hadi have been advancing on Houthi rebels.
Clashes also erupted outside the southern port city of Aden, where pro-government fighters last week expelled the rebels after four months of ferocious fighting.
“Two representatives happen to be killed in combat in Yemen since the Saudi -led coalition’s latest unpleasant, known as the INCHWonderful Arrow”, started on July 16.
Security officials say the Houthis are battling their opponents north of the southern port city of Aden, and officials and witnesses say there are sporadic clashes in Yemen’s central Marib province.
But a Houthi spokesman said the rebels would not adopt a position on the move until they were officially informed.
Houthi officials have said their forces “will only abide by the Saudi-announced ceasefire if Saudi Arabia does”, said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the Houthi-declared acting president of Yemen.
Boucenine, of Doctors Without Borders, said the hospital in Mokha had closed weeks prior due to a lack of medical supplies and staff. Some of the injured died en route to the hospital in the city of Hodeida, 180 kilometers (112 miles) north. The provincial capital of Taiz was inaccessible due to ongoing fighting.
Coalition raids had bombarded the rebel positions just north of Aden up to 15 minutes before the truce began, residents said.
“There is no positive or negative stance until the United Nations formally addresses us concerning the matter”, he said.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was “disappointed” over the failure of the truce.
The past four months of fighting have devastated Aden and destroyed the lives of the majority of its people, the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator for the country, Johannes Van Der Klaauw, said in a statement Monday, a day after visiting the city.
There have also been difficulties over the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Advertisement
“The Secretary-General calls on the parties to the conflict to comply fully with their obligations under worldwide humanitarian law to protect civilians and to urgently work with the United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations to bring assistance to millions in need throughout the country”.
