Yemen clashes kill 13 as UN urges start of delayed talks

MARIB, Yemen: Clashes between Yemeni loyalist forces and rebels have killed 13 fighters, military sources said Tuesday, as the UN chief urged warring parties to begin delayed peace talks.

UN-brokered peace talks, which were set to open in Kuwait on Monday, were delayed after the insurgents failed to show up over alleged Saudi violations of a ceasefire that took effect on April 11.

Fighting erupted late Monday in Marib province, east of the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa, with warring parties trading blame for the ceasefire breaches.

Five soldiers loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and eight rebel fighters were killed in the clashes which continued intermittently through Tuesday, the pro-government military sources said.

They said the fighting erupted when the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies tried to capture positions held by loyalist troops.

The toll could not independently confirmed.

Sporadic fighting was also reported in other areas, including Nahm northeast of Sanaa and in the southwestern province of Taez.

At the United Nations, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Gulf-backed government and the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies to engage with his envoy “so that talks can start without further delay”. — AFP be