Yemen's flashpoint city of al-Hodeidah was calm Tuesday (December 18th) as a ceasefire took effect and a team including members of the warring sides prepared to monitor the truce agreed at talks in Sweden, AFP reported.
A lasting ceasefire would be a major step in efforts to end Yemen's devastating war, which has killed thousands and left 14 million people on the brink of famine.
The truce which came into force overnight was due to be followed by a team of observers deploying "within 24 hours", a UN official said.
The Redeployment Co-ordination Committee includes members of the government and the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansarallah) but is chaired by the UN, said the official who requested anonymity.
"Both parties said publicly they are abiding by the ceasefire," the official said.
The observers are due to oversee the implementation of the truce, the withdrawal of both warring parties from al-Hodeidah city and the pullout of Houthis from its major ports.
The committee chair is expected to report to the UN Security Council on a weekly basis, as part of a diplomatic push to end the conflict which erupted in 2014.
