Truce in Yemen's Hodeida starts Tuesday: UN source

The UN-brokered agreement to halt hostilities in Yemen's Hodeida and its surroundings starts on Tuesday, a United Nations official said on Monday after renewed clashes in the flashpoint city. When asked if the ceasefire in Hodeida province starts midnight Monday, the UN official, who requested anonymity, told AFP: "it is true".

The announcement of the ceasefire date follows Yemen's warring sides clinching a deal in Sweden on Thursday, under which an "immediate ceasefire" was to be implemented in Hodeida. The UN source said the delay until 2100 GMT on Monday was necessary for "operational reasons".

Yemen's Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani, who led the government's delegation to the peace talks, told state-run television late Sunday that the ceasefire takes effect at midnight Monday. Residents in Hodeida and the surrounding areas have reported fierce fighting and air strikes in recent days, as clashes continued between Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels.

At least 29 fighters, including 22 Huthi rebels, were killed on Saturday night in Hodeida province, a pro-government military source told AFP. 

(With inputs from agencies.)