Sana’a: Warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition have hit militia positions outside the Yemeni capital Sana’a, witnesses said Friday, after the alliance accused insurgents of breaching a shaky ceasefire.
The air strikes late Thursday targeted positions of the Iran-backed Al Houthi insurgents at Jebel Al Nabi Shuaib, on the southwestern outskirts of militia-held Sana’a, according to witnesses.
They said the area hosts bases for air defences controlled by renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is allied with the militia.
The truce, for an initial period of three days, took effect just before midnight on Wednesday to allow aid deliveries in Yemen, where the war has killed thousands and left millions homeless and hungry.
At least 11 people were killed in sporadic clashes between militia and pro-government forces, despite all sides insisting they will pause the fighting.
Major General Ahmad Assiri, the coalition spokesman, said, “there is no ceasefire at all” because of repeated militia breaches.
“This is the same situation as the previous time when we called for a ceasefire,” Assiri said.
And Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister told reporters in Washington that militia were stepping up their attacks.
“As of this morning Washington time there had been more than 150 violations by the Al Houthi-Saleh side,” Adel Al Jubeir said, referring to the militia and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the Al Houthi insurgents, but Tehran denies the charges.
The coalition and Hadi both vowed to abide by the ceasefire despite alleged violations by the militia.
Pro-government forces declared “respect for the truce”, but reserved the right to respond to infractions.
The militia said they would respect the ceasefire as long as “the enemy” abides by it, but urged their fighters to be ready to retaliate against “all aggression”.
Air raids also targeted militia in the northern provinces of Jawf and Saada, witnesses and militia media said.
Assiri said on Friday that alliance warplanes were only conducting surveillance flights and “reactive” strikes, in response to militia truce violations. “It’s so easy. If they stop, we will not fire a bullet.”
Official Saudi media said there were more than 43 militia violations along the border.
Military sources and residents said there had also been fighting around the besieged third city Taiz, and pro-Hadi positions came under fire in Sarwah, east of Sana’a.
Patriot missiles shot down two militia missiles fired in Marib, east of Sana’a on Thursday, he said.
The ceasefire does not apply to Islamist terrorists who have exploited the conflict to gain ground in the south.
Suspected Al Qaida militants on Thursday killed four soldiers at a checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, a security official said. One attacker was killed and another wounded.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support Hadi’s government after the Al Houthis overran much of the impoverished country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
Five previous truce attempts failed but cautious optimism preceded the current pause after intensified international pressure following an escalation in fighting.
Nearly 6,900 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians, while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid.
