Yemen minister blames Houthis for end of ceasefire

Riyadh: Yemen`s foreign minister on Monday blamed violations by Houthi rebels for an abrupt end to a five-day ceasefire in Yemen with a Saudi Arabia-led coalition, media reported.

Riyadh Yaseen denied any ongoing negotiations to renew the ceasefire in the conflict-torn country, which expired late Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported citing Al Arabiya News.

He said the coming airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis will avoid airports and main ports to allow the entry of humanitarian aid to Yemenis.

On Sunday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed called for an extension of the humanitarian ceasefire.

"I call upon all parties to renew the truce for another five days at least," Cheikh Ahmed said during the opening session of a three-day Yemeni dialogue conference in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia, along with eight other Arab states, has been bombing the Houthi group and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26, aiming to reinstate the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced to flee the country. 

The toll from the battles between the Houthis and Hadi`s supporters and the airstrikes has exceeded 1,200, while more than 3,000 people were wounded across the country, according to statistics released by the Yemeni government.