UN calls for an immediate end to military action in Yemen‏

UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has called for an immediate end to military action by Yemen’s warring parties as renewed violence between the Houthi movement and a Saudi-led coalition threatened peace efforts, Reuters reports.

Fierce battles have resumed in Al-Jawf province since last month and culminated with the Houthi group taking control of its capital Al-Hazem last week. The fighting in Al-Jawf in northern Yemen has displaced around 70,000 people, or 10,000 families, to neighbouring Marib province, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Saturday.

“Last week I issued a public call for a freeze on military activities. Today, I am reiterating that call for an immediate and unconditional freeze….Yemen simply cannot wait,” Griffiths told reporters in the central city of Marib.

The recent escalation has shattered more than three months of calm in the five-year-old conflict.