Yemen peace hangs on fragile truce as conflict far from over

Four years after Saudi Arabia led a military intervention in Yemen to back the government against rebels, the only hope for peace in a country threatened by famine hangs on a fragile truce.

Despite the Saudis entering the conflict on March 26, 2015 with a coalition composed of nine countries from the Middle East and Africa, Yemen's internationally-recognised government has failed to defeat the Huthi.

The Iran-aligned rebels continue to control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.

And the conflict -- which the United Nations says has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis and pushed the country to the brink of famine -- shows no sign of abating in the impoverished nation.

In December, the rival sides agreed to a ceasefire in the key lifeline Red Sea port of Hodeida -- just weeks after forces loyal to the government were able to enter the rebel-held city.

But even if major fighting has stopped, other elements of the accord -- including a prisoner swap -- have failed to materialise.

"There was a real breakthrough in Sweden. Substantive, on the one hand, but even more so in the psychological sense," Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank, told AFP.

"There have been delays, obstacles, and backtracking, but what is unchanged is that the parties still view the agreement as their best option."