Ceasefire in Yemen at risk

BURSTS of shelling threatened a fragile new truce in Yemen’s capital Sanaa late yesterday as politicians scrambled to end the bloodiest fighting in eight months.

Both government forces and troops loyal to General Ali Mohsen, who defected to pro-democracy protesters in March, vowed to stand by a ceasefire ordered by Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

But witnesses said two mortars hit the end of a street where thousands of protesters were camping out to demand an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33-year rule.