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A state of cautious calm prevailed in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday morning as clashes between government army and Shiite Houthi group came to a halt.
Eyewitnesses said the lull came following four hours of fighting between the two sides, moments after U.N. envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar said that Yemeni parties had reached a deal to end the current crisis between the government and the Houthi group.
According to the witnesses, fierce clashes erupted at 2am (23: 00 GMT) in several areas in northern Sanaa and lasted for four hours.
On Saturday, Yemen's higher security committee imposed a nighttime curfew in some of the neighborhoods of northern Sanaa.
The committee cited what it described as "security situation developments" and takeover by Shiite Houthi militants of the headquarters of the Yemeni state television in the capital for its decision.
It said in a statement that the curfew would start from 9: 00pm local time (18: 00 GMT) and come to an end at 6: 00am local time (03: 00 GMT) every day from Saturday.
Yemen state television returned on air late on Saturday, almost half an hour after it went off air following its takeover by Houthi militants.
The television had to resume its broadcast from an alternative site, according to a television official, who refused to mention information about this alternative site.
Shortly later, Benomar announced that a deal had been reached to end the crisis and it would be possibly signed on Sunday. He did not, however, give further details about the agreement
The Houthis have been staging mass protests since mid-August to demand the dismissal of Prime Minister Mohamed Basindawa's government and the reversal of a recent government decision to slash fuel subsidies.
Demonstrations turned deadly earlier this month after protesters camped outside government buildings and blocked key roads in the capital to press their demands. Since then, army troops and Shiite Houthi militants have engaged in deadly fighting in several parts of the capital.
President ABD Rabbuh Mansour Hadi had already offered to sack the government, inviting the Houthis to take part in the formation of a unity government. He also offered to reduce fuel prices.
According to Hadi's proposal, however, the president would retain the right to directly appoint the ministers of "strategic" government portfolios (interior, defense and foreign affairs).
The Houthis, for their part, rejected Hadi's offer and vowed to escalate protests further.
Yemen has been dogged by unrest since a popular uprising that began in 2011 ousted longstanding president Ali Abdullah Saleh one year later.
By Maarib al-Ward
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en - Sana
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