Heavy fighting rocked Yemen Wednesday (October 19th), hours before a UN-brokered ceasefire was due to begin, AFP reported.
The truce, set to begin Thursday, will be the sixth attempt to end the conflict, in which 6,900 have been killed and another three million displaced.
UN special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced the truce on Sunday, saying it would be in place for an initial three days, subject to renewal.
But clashes involving heavy artillery and air raids killed at least five people across the country on Wednesday, including fighting near the Saudi border and around Sanaa, military sources said.
Yemen's government said it would agree to the truce if the Houthis (Ansarallah) also adhered to it, agreed to monitor the ceasefire and ended their siege of Taez.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the Houthis expressed readiness for a "lasting ceasefire, comprehensive and without conditions".
On Wednesday, however, coalition airstrikes continued in Saada and Omran provinces, while at least two pro-government fighters were killed and 15 wounded in Hajja province.
Fighting also continued overnight in Taez, with casualties on both sides, according to witnesses and military sources.
Mention the number of those killed by the army of the Saudi enemy, those quasi-men, you grandchildren of apes and pigs. What peace are you talking about? It’s up to the Yemeni people, Popular Committees, Yemeni army and Ansarullah; they can agree or disagree and they should have the freedom of choice. I think that Yemenis cannot agree because they want to have revenge. It’s their right because they’re victorious.
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