Conflict in Yemen: UN announces a 72 hour ceasefire

Cessation of hostilities begins 23.50 on October 19. Possible "renewal" in following days. The parties involved in the war have ensured compliance with the agreement. The objective is to avoid "further bloodshed" and encourage "the delivery of humanitarian aid."

Sana'a (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A humanitarian truce of 72 hours starting from October 20, to bring relief to civilians battered by months of war and violence was announced by the UN special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who has not ruled out a further extension of the ceasefire for the following few days.

The diplomat says he has assurances from all parties involved in the conflict - the army loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Shiite Houthi rebel militias that control Sana'a - regarding compliance with the agreement.

The ceasefire follows the dramatic appeal launched by the international community on the escalation of violence in the Arab country. Recently the Saudi-led  Arab due according to ‘mistaken’ intelligence information bombed the wake of the father of a senior Houthi leader killing over 140 people.

In the aftermath of the massacre, the international community - first and foremost the United States, Britain and the UN – have been trying to relaunch a dialogue between the parties to achieve a ceasefire with immediate effect. Even Saudi Arabia has been pressing for a truce in the fighting.

In an official statement the UN special envoy said he had received "broad assurances" from all parties to the conflict in Yemen. Hence the announcement of a truce that will start "in Yemen at 23:59 hours on 19 October 2016, for an initial period of 72 hours" and "subject to renewal." Ahmed hopes that the ceasefire "will avoid further bloodshed" for the civilian population and improve conditions "for the delivery of humanitarian aid".

Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody internal conflict pitting the country’s Sunni leaders, backed by Riyadh, against Shia Houthi rebels, close to Iran.

In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition began air strikes against the rebels in an attempt to free the capital Sana'a and bring back then exiled President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. So far the air campaign – criticised by the UN - has killed at least 6,600 people, mostly civilians and many children. At least 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes.

The Saudi coalition -  the center of an independent international investigation into claims "a third" of their air strikes hit civilian targets – benefits from US logistical and intelligence support. However, in recent times the relationship has cooled (at least according to official channels) precisely because of the high number of civilian casualties.

Recently, international diplomacy has tried several times to reach a ceasefire, without success. In August it held a series of peace talks in Kuwait, which ended with a stalemate. And even the announcement of a ceasefire to coincide with the talks was not reflected on the battlefield. The failure of negotiations led to a further escalation of the war.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlaf said that President Hadi is willing to extend the truce in the following days. Provided that the Houthi rebels interrupt the siege of Taez, the third largest city of the country for months under the fire of the rebel Shiite militiamen.