Yemen rebels vow to respect truce: statement

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels vowed to respect a UN-brokered truce that began at midnight yesterday, joining other combatants in supporting the ceasefire.

The Huthis, along with allied troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have sent the United Nations a letter committing to "cease land, sea and air military operations" throughout Yemen, according to a communique carried by the rebel-run Saba news agency.