UN condemns deadly truce violation by Yemen's Houthi rebels

The deadly attack by the Houthi-backed rebels came despite a ceasefire that first came into being in April as a two-month truce that has since been extended twice, most recently in early August by a further two months to early October.
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Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked soldiers fighting for the internationally recognized government three days ago [Getty]

The United Nations envoy to Yemen on Wednesday deplored an attack by the Houthi rebels against government positions that killed 10 people three days earlier near Taez in the country's southeast.

"I condemn the attack... on Sunday night... that left a number of soldiers killed or wounded and threatens to seriously worsen the humanitarian situation for civilians," Hans Grundberg said in a statement.

The deadly attack by the Iran-backed rebels came despite a ceasefire that first came into being in April as a two-month truce that has since been extended twice, most recently in early August by a further two months to early October.

The Yemeni government, which is backed by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, condemned the attack as a "dangerous escalation" that threatens UN efforts to sustain and expand the truce.

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Grundberg called on the parties to Yemen's conflict "to seize the opportunity provided by the truce extension to demonstrate full commitment to ending the prolonged conflict".

Hundreds of thousands of people have died, directly from fighting as well as indirectly, and millions have been displaced in what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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