Riyadh, May 14 (IANS/EFE) The Riyadh-led Arab coalition has accused the Yemeni Shia Houthi movement of violating the humanitarian ceasefire that went into effect Tuesday night, claiming they made a dozen attacks on Yemeni territories and on border areas with Saudi Arabia.
In a statement released by the Saudi official news agency SPA, the alliance explained that these violations "are designed to thwart the humanitarian truce and impede the relief efforts for the Yemeni people".
The coalition listed among the violations that the Houthis tried to infiltrate Saudi border areas, and fired a mortar shell in the southern Saudi region of Najran.
Additionally, the coalition claimed that Houthi snipers opened fire on a Saudi border guard tower in the region of Jazan.
The Houthis also took control of the city of Loader, in the southern Yemeni Abyan province after bombarding indiscriminately, according to the coalition.
The coalition revealed, according to SPA, that "a large number of children and women" were killed by Houthi attacks on the city of Al-Sainiah in Taiz province, southwest of Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia proposed the five-day humanitarian ceasefire to coordinate and deliver aid to civilian populations in Yemen, while the Houthis later accepted the terms.
Nearly one month ago, Riyadh offered an aid package of $274 million to finance UN humanitarian operations after the UN agency requested it to cover its humanitarian campaign in Yemen for three months.
--IANS/EFE
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