Yemeni army says Houthi militia repeatedly breaching UN truce

Opposing sides in Yemen’s war agreed to two-month ceasefire starting in early April

A Houthi fighter stands guard during a rally in Sanaa, Yemen. The Houthis have been accused of repeatedly violating a two-month UN truce and ceasefire. EPA

The Yemeni army has said the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly breached a two-month UN truce agreed by opposing sides in Yemen’s war.

Both sides agreed to a two-month ceasefire which came into effect in early April and could be extended, UN envoy Hans Grundberg said at the time.

But the Yemeni army said it recorded 341 violations by Houthi militia committed during the five days of Eid Al Fitr.

In a long thread from its media account on Twitter, the army said these included 113 ceasefire breaches in fronts surrounding Marib, 69 west of Hajjah, 65 near Taez and 43 in Al Jawf.

It said the Houthis attempted to infiltrate Yemeni forces’ positions on various fronts.

“The Iranian Houthi militia continues its violations of the UN truce on all fronts of fighting in the governorates of Marib, Al Jawf, Saada, Hajjah, Abyan, Al Hodeidah, Taez and Al Dhalea,” said the army's statement.

The military said the Houthis also continued to create sites, build fortifications and dig trenches on various fronts.

The statement comes a day after the Yemeni government called on the UN and special envoy Mr Grundberg to take serious action to deter the Houthis' violations.

Saudi Arabian state media on Thursday quoted a Yemeni government official saying a Houthi attack targeting the Taez Security Department with drones this week injured 10 people as they celebrated Eid in a park.

The source said the repeated Houthi breaches were testing peace efforts by the UN and the international community and undermined the chance for a political solution to the Yemeni crisis.

The government source stressed the need to immediately lift the siege on Taez, in accordance with the truce.