Saudi-led coalition declares 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's government against Houthi rebels declared a renewable 48-hour ceasefire to begin Saturday, it said in a statement on the kingdom's SPA news agency website.

"It has been decided to begin a 48-hour ceasefire from 12:00 noon in Yemen's timing (0900 GMT) on Saturday," said the coalition statement, adding that the truce will be renewed if the Houthi rebels and their allies abide and allow aid deliveries to besieged cities such as Taiz in the southwest.

A US-brokered ceasefire and peace deal that was scheduled to start on Thursday was rejected by the government for giving rebels a share of power.

Six attempts to clinch a ceasefire in Yemen have foundered, including a three-day October truce that fell apart as soon as it went into force.

It was designed to allow aid deliveries to millions of homeless and hungry Yemenis.

The UN says more than 10,000 people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded in Yemen since the Arab coalition launched a military campaign in March 2015 in support of the government against the rebels.