A ceasefire negotiated by Yemen’s vice-president and Western envoys has brought a temporary peace to the war-torn capital, Sanaa.
This was after government forces shelled a protester camp in Sanaa killing seven people, according to Reuters.
The ceasefire brought quiet to the city after almost a full day of running gun-battles between government troops and armed opponents that spilled over into the suburbs. This latest violence is the worst seen in Yemen for several months.
Protestors are wanting to see the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s three decade long rule. President Saleh has been in Saudi Arabia since June after being severely injured in a rocket attack on his presidential compound. Saleh has insisted he will not stand down and plans to return to the country.
Yemen is the most impoverished country in the Arab world, facing multiple crises including an active al-Qaeda cell, as well as a separatist movement in the south and a Shia-dominated uprising in the north.
Aid agencies have warned that Yemen is suffering a severe humanitarian crisis with around 7.5 million Yemenis, which amounts to one third of the population, going hungry.
(Image show panorama of Sanaa, Yemen).