(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced in a statement today that it will observe a ceasefire in Yemen tonight in response to a call from Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The ceasefire began at midnight local time.
The coalition is committed to the ceasefire, but reserves the right to respond to any rebel attacks, the statement said.
The Yemeni government has notified the UN envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, that it has accepted the ceasefire in order to pave the way for the UN-sponsored peace talks to be held in Kuwait on April 18. The ceasefire will expire at 12 p.m. local time (9 a.m. UTC) of the day following the conclusion of consultations in Kuwait, unless the agreement is extended. The Yemeni government is obliged to notify the coalition of any decision to extend the ceasefire, the announcement said. However, the coalition will reserve the right to respond to any violations of the ceasefire by the Houthis and their supporters.
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia responded to an appeal for assistance from Yemeni President Hadi by forming an international coalition and launching military operations in support of the people of Yemen and the legitimate government of Yemen. Saudi Arabia supports all efforts to end the Yemeni crisis.
