[Al Arabiya Latest] President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Thursday a ceasefire in Yemen's six-month campaign against Shiite rebels in a conflict that spilled over into Saudi territory in the north. The ceasefire would kick in from midnight (212D GMT on Thursday), Saleh said in a decree that was read out on state television."We decided to stop military operations in the northwest from midnight," the president declared.
The leader of Houthi rebels in turn ordered his fighters to abide by the ceasefire with the Yemeni government, a rebel statement said. "According to what was agreed upon, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi issued instructions to all fronts and fighting sites to stop firing coinciding with the timing announced by the government," the statement said.
Saleh made the announcement after reports that the government and Shiite Zaidi rebels, also known as Houthis, were close to reaching a deal to end the fighting.
The truce was made possible after the rebels accepted six conditions put forward by the government for the cessation of hostilities.
Even so, an official told AFP earlier on Thursday that 12 Yemeni soldiers and 24 Shiite rebels were killed in heavy clashes in Amran province north of the capital Sanaa. The fighting had erupted late on Wednesday in the area of Burkat al-Shamsi following a sudden rebel attack.