Yemen president agrees to 72-hour truce

The United States, Britain and UN urged the warring parties on Sunday to declare a ceasefire

The conflict in Yemen has killed almost 6,900 people (AFP)

Monday 17 October 2016 19:55 UTC

Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi has agreed to an extendable 72-hour ceasefire, the war-torn country's foreign minister said on Monday, a day after international calls for a truce.

Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi wrote on Twitter that Hadi agreed to the halt in fighting if Houthi rebels adhere to it, activate a UN-backed committee to watch the truce, and lift the siege on the encircled city of Taiz.

UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities, which will be declared in the next few hours."

The envoy said he had been in contact with the Houthis’ lead negotiator and with Hadi's government.

But he warned that he hoped for "clearer plans" for a ceasefire in coming days.

The announcement comes after the United States, Britain and Cheikh Ahmed urged the warring parties on Sunday to declare a ceasefire, which they said could start within days.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said if Yemen's opposing sides accepted the ceasefire, the UN envoy would work through the details and announce when and how it would take effect.

"This is the time to implement a ceasefire unconditionally and then move to the negotiating table," Kerry said.

The conflict in Yemen has killed almost 6,900 people, wounded more than 35,000 and displaced at least three million since March last year, according to the United Nations.