Week-long ceasefire in effect in Yemen as peace talks begin

A seven-day ceasefire has begun in Yemen, as peace talks are due to get under way in Switzerland, the UN says.

The UN's special envoy said he viewed the truce as a "first step towards building lasting peace".

The Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government said it reserved the right to respond to any breach.

The coalition has been fighting the Houthi rebel movement and its allies since President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi was forced into exile in March. At least 5,700 people have been killed so far, almost half of them civilians.

The ceasefire came into effect at noon local time (09:00 GMT).

A Yemeni government delegation and representatives of the Shia Houthi rebel group are meeting in the city of Biel for peace talks backed by the UN. The talks are expected to last all week.

Hours before the ceasefire began, a Saudi military commander and an Emirati officer were reported to have been killed along with a number of Gulf, Yemeni and Sudanese soldiers on Monday.

They appear to have been killed by a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Taiz province.

If confirmed, the attack would be the deadliest on the coalition since 45 Emirati troops were killed when a missile hit a base in Marib province, east of the capital, Sanaa, in September.

The Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign in March after the Houthis seized Sanaa and advanced on the second city, Aden.

The already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen has also deteriorated severely, with more than 21 million people - four-fifths of the population - now requiring aid.

Since March, coalition and pro-government forces have retaken Aden and the city of Marib, but have failed to drive the rebels out of the third city of Taiz.