UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is warning that Yemen could face "the worst famine we have seen in decades" and is urging the country's warring parties to halt the violence.
The U.N. chief told reporters Friday that "the urgency of the humanitarian crisis leaves no room for complacency," and the "building wave of momentum" for peace must be seized.
He urged the warring Saudi-backed coalition and Houthi Shiite rebels "to overcome obstacles and resolve differences" at U.N. facilitated talks later this month.
Guterres stressed that "violence must stop everywhere — with an immediate halt around critical infrastructure and densely populated areas."
The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis toppled the internationally recognized government. A Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.
Disclaimer: This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Associated Press (AP) wire.
