UN urges ceasefire in Yemen amid Saudi-Iran rift
UN Security Council called for a new ceasefire in Yemen amid Saudi-Iran diplomatic crisis.
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday called for a new ceasefire in Yemen and a return to peace talks despite the diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The 15-member council urged the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels to "resume a meaningful and sustainable ceasefire" and engage in dialogue "without pre-conditions," said Uruguay s ambassador Elbio Rosselli, who holds this month s council presidency.
The appeal came a day before UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is due to hold meetings in Riyadh to press for a return to political negotiations and an end to the war.
There has been alarm that Saudi Arabia s move to break off diplomatic relations with Iran could derail fragile peace efforts in Yemen.
"We all hope that the parties that have influence in Yemen will be responsible and enter into dialogue and prevent the situation from impacting elsewhere," Rosselli told reporters.
At least 2,795 civilians have been killed in Yemen since a Saudi-led coalition launched an air war in March against Iran-backed Huthi rebels who had overrun the capital Sanaa, the UN said.
The coalition on Saturday announced that it was ending a truce with the rebels that was announced on December 15 but had been repeatedly violated.
In December at least 81 civilians were killed, most of them by Saudi-led airstrikes, the UN office of the human rights commissioner said.
Yemen s government sat down with the rebels and their allies in Switzerland last month for six days of talks that ended with no major breakthrough.
The UN envoy has called for a new round of talks on January 14 but the sides have yet to confirm that they will attend.
The council expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen "which continues to worsen" and demanded that vital supplies such as fuel and medicine be allowed to reach the impoverished country.
