Summary
A U.N. envoy called for an extension of a humanitarian cease-fire in Yemen due to expire Sunday as the Houthi Shiite rebels boycotted political talks in Riyadh.
The appeal followed clashes on the ground between rebels and pro-government forces that killed dozens across south Yemen on Saturday despite the truce, which has largely held.
Aid groups have also called for a lasting truce in the impoverished country, where a Saudi-led regional coalition has been waging an air war on the Iran-backed Houthis since late March.
The rebels, who seized the capital Sanaa in September and have since swept across many other regions, bombed a village south of Taiz city, killing 14 civilians, a local official said.
The Houthis are boycotting the three-day meeting in Riyadh, insisting on holding the talks in Yemen.
A local official said 36 Yemeni soldiers were kidnapped on Friday by suspected Al-Qaeda members in Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt province.
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