16 December 2018•Update: 17 December 2018
By Murad al-Arifi
ADEN, Yemen
Clashes erupted between government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen’s coastal city of Al-Hudaydah on Sunday despite a UN-brokered ceasefire, according to a military source and local residents.
“Fierce fighting erupted between the two rivals south of the city,” the military source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.
The source said rebels had pounded positions of government forces with mortar shells.
Local residents said clashes were continuing between the two sides in the city’s southern neighborhoods since late Saturday.
“The rebels are building more fortifications in the area,” a local resident told Anadolu Agency.
The violence comes despite a UN-brokered ceasefire on Thursday between the internationally-recognized government and Houthi rebels during peace talks in Sweden.
Yemen fell into civil war in 2014 when the Shia Houthi group overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to Saudi Arabia.
A year later, Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi military gains.
