April 9 (Reuters) - British foreign minister Dominic Raab
said on Thursday that the United Kingdom supported the Saudi-led
ceasefire in Yemen that went into effect on Thursday amid the
coronavirus outbreak and has raised hope for an end to the
five-year-old war.
A Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi movement said
it would halt military operations from 0900 GMT on Thursday for
two weeks in support of United Nations efforts to end the
conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people and spread
hunger and disease.
"This is an important step towards the permanent ceasefire
Yemenis need", Raab said on Thursday. "I urge the Government of
Yemen and the Houthis to immediately cease all hostilities and
engage constructively with these proposals."
The United States and Britain have provided the Saudi-led
coalition with arms, intelligence and logistics support during
the conflict.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra
Maler)