Saudi-led coalition delays truce with Yemen rebels

The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government says a planned truce with the country’s Shia rebels has been postponed for 12 hours.

The official Saudi news agency announced the postponement late Monday, saying coalition forces will halt fire at noon (0900 GMT, 4 a.m. EST) Tuesday. The cease-fire was originally scheduled to start at midnight Monday (2100 GMT, 4 p.m. EST).

The statement did not provide further details about the reason for the postponement. Rebel leaders could not immediately be reached for comment.

The warring sides had agreed to a weeklong cease-fire to coincide with peace talks in Geneva scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Yemen’s fighting pits the internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi-led, U.S.-supported coalition against the rebels, known as Houthis, who are allied with a former president and backed by Iran.

source: AP