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Yemen

Yemen five-day humanitarian truce set to start on Tuesday

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By Keith Walker
Yemen five-day humanitarian truce set to start on Tuesday

Houthi fighters in Yemen have accepted a five-day cease fire but warned they would respond to any violations.

Issuing warnings of impeding attacks does not absolve the parties of their international humatarian law obligations to protect civilians from harm.

Saudi Arabia proposed the truce after US Secretary of State John Kerry appealed for a pause in the fighting to allow humanitarian aid into the battle-weary country.

Loud explosions were heard on Sunday morning as Saudi-led forces conducted air raids
targeting the home of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, loyal to the Iran-allied Houthis.

Other strikes targeted Sanaa airport’s runway, a Yemini official there said, and Houthi targets in the Sadda district of Ibb in central Yemen, residents there said.

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Breach of humanitarian law, says UN

Meanwhile the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said Saudi-led airstrikes on Saada city, where many civilians are trapped, are in breach of international humanitarian law.

“The indiscriminate bombing of populated areas, with or without prior warning, is in contravention of international humanitarian law (IHL),” Johnannes van der Klaaw said in a statement.

“Issuing warnings of impeding attacks does not absolve the parties of their IHL obligations to protect civilians from harm.”

The humanitarian ceasefire is due to come into force at 11 p.m. on Tuesday (May 12).