Yemen rejects rebels' truce offer

The Yemeni government has rejected a ceasefire offer from Shi'ite rebels, saying fighting is still continuing. Meanwhile neighboring Saudi Arabia has accused the insurgents of mounting sniper attacks inside its territory.

Yemeni soldiers take position during clashes with Shiite Huthi rebels in the northwest Saada province. Government forces reported renewed clashes with Shiite rebels in northern Yemen, two days after the  embattled insurgents said they were ready for a truce if Sanaa halted its attacks.(AFP)

Yemeni soldiers clashed with rebels, known as the Houthis, in the northern provinces of Malahidh and Saada, killing 20, including a leader responsible for training.

Rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said on Saturday he was prepared to accept government conditions for a truce, days after he made a ceasefire offer to Saudi Arabia and said his fighters had withdrawn from Saudi territory.

But a government official said on Sunday the ceasefire initiative had nothing new on offer.

Tarek Ahmed Al-Shami, spokesman of Yemen's Ruling Party, said, "The ceasefire initiative has been attributed to Abul-Malik al-Houthi. He is trying to re-arrange himself but he does not have any new initiatives. He is still putting conditions on the ceasefire initiatives and he also dropped the sixth point of the six-point plan put forward by the state, of non-aggression to our brothers in Saudi Arabia. This is a fundamental point that can not be waived."