Saudi-led coalition declares unilateral ceasefire in Yemen

Saudi Arabia says the kingdom and its allies will observe a unilateral cease-fire in the war in Yemen starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday

People stand next to a vehicle destroyed following airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen. File photo for representation. | Photo Credit: AP

Saudi Arabia announced that the kingdom and its allies will observe a unilateral cease-fire in the war in Yemen starting at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said the move was aimed at creating a productive environment for Yemeni political talks about the war taking place in Riyadh. The gesture also is meant to provide a “positive environment” during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan to jumpstart peacemaking efforts, it added.

However, the announcement raised immediate doubts because Yemen's rebel Houthis are boycotting the Yemeni talks in Saudi Arabia.

Other unilateral cease-fires announced by the coalition over the past two years swiftly collapsed.

Saudi Arabia and its allies have been fighting since March 2015 to push the Houthis back and restore the internationally recognized Yemeni government — with little success. The war has settled into a bloody stalemate and spawned among the world's worst humanitarian crises.