Houthis reject Saudi backed ceasefire

The leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi has rejected a humanitarian truce announced by the Saudi-led coalition claiming the truce will only benefit the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda.

“The battle will continue and the war is not over,” Abdul-Malik posted on Twitter. However, Houthi spokesperson Hamad Al-Bukhaiti denied reports that Abdul-Malik has a Twitter account or that he posted the message.

The ceasefire was due to take effect at 23.59 Yemen time (20.59 GMT) on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, local witnesses said Yemeni forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition clashed with Houthi fighters over the largest air base north of Aden yesterday hours before the truce was due to begin.

The group has controlled the Anad airbase, 50 kilometres north of Aden, since the start of the civil war.

The group also seized 16 trucks loads of humanitarian aid from the World Food Programme in the Hodeida province.