Reactions in Sanaa to Saudi call for Yemen ceasefire

(9 Apr 2020) A ceasefire proposed by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen went into effect Thursday, potentially paving the way for an end to the more than 5-year-old conflict. There was no official word on the ceasefire from the Houthis, raising concerns whether the initiative could translate into concrete changes on the ground. In initial comments, one senior Houthi member said the ceasefire was a ploy by the kingdom to boost its international standing. Saudi officials said late Wednesday the cease-fire would last for two weeks and that it's in response to the United Nations calls to halt hostilities amid the new coronavirus pandemic. But the initiative could also be an attempt by the monarchy to pull out of a war that has proved financially and politically costly. Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman tweeted Thursday that it "will hopefully create a more effective climate to deescalate tensions" and enable the sides to work toward a political settlement.   He also tweeted that Saudi Arabia would contribute $500 million to the U.N. relief efforts in Yemen this year, and an additional $25 million to combat the pandemic. The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015 on behalf of the U.N.-backed government of Yemeni President Abed Rabo Mansour Hadi. The conflict has killed over 100,000 people and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical care shortages and pushing the country to the brink of famine. In 2014, Houthi rebels had overran most of the country's north including the capital, Sanaa, forcing Hadi's government to flee to the country's south and later on to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Senior Houthi politician Muhammad al-Bukhaiti slammed the Saudi proposal in comments to The Associated Press.   The kingdom's cease-fire declaration comes after previous attempts at peace talks and cease-fires failed to hold. This time, however, the kingdom faces new realities. With oil prices hovering just above $30 a barrel, the kingdom has said it will cut government spending as it draws from its hefty foreign reserves to prop up the economy amid a shutdown of businesses across the country due to the pandemic.   The Saudi-led coalition was also dealt a blow last summer after the United Arab Emirates undertook "a strategic redeployment" of its troops in Yemen following heightened tensions with Iran in the Persian Gulf, leaving the coalition with a weakened ground presence. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...