By Mustafa Caglayan
NEW YORK
UN chief Ban Ki-moon is "gravely concerned" about the recent wave of violence in Yemen between presidential guards and Shia Houthi rebels, the UN said Tuesday.
"The Secretary-General calls on all sides to immediately cease all hostilities, exercise maximum restraint, and take the necessary steps to restore full authority to the legitimate government institutions," read a statement issued from Ban's office.
Clashes broke out early Monday in the capital, Sanaa, between Houthi vigilantes and presidential guards near the presidential palace.
Although a cease-fire deal was reached after hours of fierce fighting that left at least nine people dead, new clashes were reported Tuesday near the residence of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour.
Ban also condemned the kidnapping on Saturday of Presidential Chief of Staff Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak by Houthi militants, calling for his immediate release.
Yemen has suffered growing instability since a popular uprising in 2011 ousted long-ruling President Ali Abdullah Saleh a year later.
The Houthis seized control of Sanaa in September 2014 and have since moved to extend their control to other provinces.
