Fresh fighting shatters peace efforts

ADEN, Yemen - A fresh wave of fighting erupted between the Yemeni government forces and the Houthi rebels in Yemen's western port city of Hodeidah just a few hours after the departure of the United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths.

Both warring parties ignored the UN calls aimed at de-escalating the situation and engaged in armed confrontations on the ground amid heavy exchange of artillery shelling, raising questions about the fate of ongoing peace efforts.

Although both sides had declared their willingness to halt the fighting and head to participate in the upcoming UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden, sporadic fighting and the exchange of gunfire continued.