By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch News Reporter, The Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – On Sunday, peace talks in Switzerland, regarding the Yemeni conflict, came to an end with no sign of resolution as combatants engaged in a fierce fighting. According to the United Nations, there were “numerous violations” to the ceasefire agreement.

According to Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the United Nations special envoy to Yemen, negotiations will resume sometime in the middle of January. He also stated that both sides, the Houthi rebels and the government of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, were far from a ceasefire as neither side trusts the other.

The ceasefire violations that occurred Friday and Saturday caused more than 100 deaths, 55 of which occurred on Saturday. According to the Houthi-run defense ministry, Saudi Arabia conducted 1,300 airstrikes in the Harath district of Hajah, since Thursday. According to Human Rights groups, the Saudi-coalition is responsible for the majority of civilian deaths.

The United Nations reported last month that 5,700 people have been killed in addition, tens of thousands have been wounded and 82% of Yemen, or 21 million people, is in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance. The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Johannes Van der Klaauw, stated, “The collapse of basic services in Yemen continues to accelerate.”

Houthi forces, over the past couple of days, have launched ballistic missiles at the Saudi-backed forces. According to Yemeni military officials, the Houthis have also attacked across the border, into Saudi-Arabia.

Anti-Houthi forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have started an offensive that sweeps across several northern provinces. The Anti-Houthi forces have recently captured new territory including a provincial capital.

During the peace talks, however, it was agreed that both sides would release prisoners and that both sides would create proposals on how to withdraw forces. An anonymous diplomat told The New York Times, that there has been a “palpable warming on a personal level between the two delegations over the course of the week.”

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – UN Announces End of Yemen Peace Talks Amid New Fighting – 20 December 2015

Reuters – U.N. Sees Progress in Yemen Talks but Urgent Need for Full Ceasefire – 20 December 2015

The New York Times – Yemen Peace Talks End with No End to Conflict – 20 December 2015

CNN – As Sides Talk, Fresh Violence in Yemen Leaves 55 Dead – 19 December 2015