Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman has said the Iran-affiliated Houthi militia and forces of ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh are there only to undermine peace in Yemen, pointing out that the militia has violated the 48-hour truce announced yesterday by Saudi-led Arab coalition.  

Karman, in a statement posted on her Facebook account, stated that the Houthi militia and ousted president, as usual, have broken the truce by committing hundreds of violations.

Mrs. Karman emphasized the country will never enjoy peace as long as militiamen such as Abu Ali Al Hakim and his ilk have tanks and rocket launchers under their control.  

In order for Yemen’s control and power to be regained, the militia should be at least disarmed and disbanded, she said with emphasis. 

Saudi-led Arab coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Iran-backed Houthi militia and its close ally ousted president Saleh had announced a 48-hour ceasefire to begin Saturday, providing that the putschists allow aid deliveries to besieged cities such as Taiz.  

However, coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Ahmed Asiri has recently stated 185 breaches of the truce had been registered since the ceasefire came into force at 12:00 noon in Yemen’s timing (09:00 GMT) on Saturday, including firing missiles into southern Saudi Arabia. 

Likely six attempts to reach a cease-fire in the improvised country have failed; one of them took place only in last October, but it collapsed shortly after coming into effect.

War-torn Yemen has lapsed into chaos since late 2014 when Houthi rebels invaded the capital Sanaa and seized control of many parts of the country.

In March of last year, Saudi Arabia along with Arab allies launched a major air campaign aimed at restoring power to internationally recognized president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi after he was overthrown and forced to flee the country. 

Approximately 7,000 people, much of them are civilians, have been killed in the war in Yemen, while nearly three million are reported to have been displaced amid a spread of malnutrition and disease.