War in Yemen: Ceasefire in Hudaydah ends ‘within minutes’

A ceasefire between pro-government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen ended within minutes of coming into effect, reports the BBC.

Sporadic clashes between the pro-government forces and Houthi rebels broke out in the city of Hudaydah, which is a vital gateway for aid, according to the BBC.

A truce deal was agreed between the warring sides and was set to take effect at midnight local time on Tuesday, with the aim of halting hostilities in the port city.

According to reports, government forces were shelled by rebels in eastern Hudaydah with one pro-government official telling an international news agency that clashes are ongoing.

A ceasefire had been agreed by the two sides during talks sponsored by the UN in Sweden last Thursday in a bid to end nearly four years of civil war.

But the implementation of the truce deal was delayed as reports of strikes and fierce clashes emerged.

Located around 140km west of the capital Sanaa, Hudaydah is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and was a major economic hub prior to falling under the rebels’ control in late 2014.

The city has been under siege from a Saudi-led coalition supporting pro-government troops attempting to retake it since June.

The port city of Hudaydah is vital to nearly two-thirds of Yemen’s population who are almost entirely reliant on imports for food, fuel and medicine with over 22 million Yemenis requiring some form of aid, reports the BBC.