Yemen - ceasefire

Dozens killed or wounded in Yemen as ceasefire breaks down

Article published on the 2009-09-05 Latest update 2009-09-05 09:35 TU

A Yemeni soldier fires at rebels in northwestern Saada province
(Credit: Reuters)

Dozens of people are reportedly killed or wounded in clashes between Shia rebels and the Yemeni army in northern Yemen overnight after a ceasefire between the two broke down after holding only four hours. The army has been on an offensive since 11 August in an effort to quell Zaidi separatists in the mountainous Saada province.

The Yemeni government declared a ceasefire on Friday in response to repeated requests by humanitarian agencies for a ceasefire in order to help ensure the safety of civilians.

The Zaidi rebels said they had agreed to allow a humanitarian corridor into Saada province. UNHCR has said that more than 35,000 people have been displaced by the fighting.

Late last night, however, the rebels "broke (the ceasefire) and resumed their acts of sabotage in the Malaheez and Hafr Sufyan regions" of Saada, according to a statement made by a government spokesman and published on Saturday.

The military told newswire AFP that three rebels were killed at dawn on Friday and some vehicles carrying weapons and food to rebel strongholds were damaged in the pre-ceasefire military attack.

The source said that an additional 15 rebels were killed in an attack on an unnamed city in the area. 

The government had been carrying out an offensive for the past three weeks on the Zaidi rebels.

The Zaidis are an offshoot of Shia Islam and live mainly in the north of Yemen. Yemen is primarily a Sunni country.