Russia pushes UN to pause air strikes

Russia yesterday presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for a humanitarian pause in the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen, now in its 10th day.

Russia called the emergency meeting of the 15-member council amid growing alarm over the rising civilian death toll from the fighting in Yemen.

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The one-page text distributed to the council called on the Saudi-led coalition to halt air strikes to allow the evacuation of foreigners, but it did not specify the duration of the pause.

Yemen slid deeper into turmoil after the coalition launched an air campaign on March 26 to stop an advance by Shia Huthi rebels that forced President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia.

Coalition warplanes and ships bombarded Huthi positions in the southern port city of Aden yesterday and airdropped weapons and ammunition to Hadi's supporters.

The Russian-drafted text made no reference to previous calls by the Security Council for the Huthis to pull back and return to political talks.

Saudi Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi declined to say whether his country would agree to a pause, telling reporters that while he shared Russia's concern for the humanitarian situation, the "mechanism" for ensuring assistance would have to be discussed.

Some 591 people including at least 62 children have been killed and nearly 1,700 injured in two weeks of fighting in Yemen, according to UN officials.