Yemen's Shiite rebels say they back US-brokered cease-fire
SANAA -- Yemen's Shiite rebels say they have endorsed a US-brokered cease-fire deal, confirming an earlier announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry on their conditional acceptance of the proposal.
A spokesman for the rebels known as Houthis told the rebel-run Al-Masirah TV late on Wednesday that they agree to a cease-fire, the forming of a national unity government and discussing ways to end the conflict.
However, Yemen's internationally-recognized government has dismissed the deal as "unilateral." Kerry had said the cease-fire was to start on Thursday.
Fighting escalated on Thursday in the western city of Taiz, where government forces expelled the Houthis from several districts.
