Yemen says truce holds despite Shiite attack

Shiite rebels shot at an Interior Ministry official and killed a soldier in northern Yemen on Friday, violating a truce announced hours earlier.

Yemen’s government and rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi agreed late on Thursday to a truce that began at midnight (2100 GMT). The truce was welcomed on Friday by Shiite Muslim Iran, which has criticized Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the fighting on the government side.

Interior Minister undersecretary Mohammed al-Qawsi, whose car was shot at by rebels, told Reuters minor violations had occurred because not all rebel fighters were aware of the ceasefire, but that the deal still held.

He said rebels had killed one soldier and wounded seven outside the northern city of Saada.

“There are some small violations here and there, and there have also been some violations by rebels outside the city of Saada,” Qawsi said.