Sanaa, April 11 (RHC)-- A UN-brokered ceasefire for Yemen came into effect in the run-up to peace talks in Kuwait.  The ceasefire began at midnight (2100 GMT) Sunday and initially went into effect in the war-ravaged Ta’iz and Hajjah provinces.

This as sporadic fighting was reported in several regions around the capital, Sanaa, on Sunday.   Twenty people were killed as Saudi warplanes carried out several airstrikes across the capital to prevent advances of Houthi fighters.

The truce was announced by the UN special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed as a step to calm the situation ahead of the negotiations to be held on April 18 in Kuwait.  It was endorsed by Houthi Ansarullah movement and resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi’s loyalists.  Both sides said earlier this week that they submitted their documents on terms of the truce to the UN envoy.