DHAKA: At least 38 people dead as fierce fighting raged on Saturday in south Yemen between Iran-backed rebels and loyalists of exiled president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, as pressure mounted for the warring factions to hold political talks.

The Houthi rebels, who have overrun large parts of the country and forced Hadi to flee overseas, have demanded a complete end to a month of Saudi-led air strikes against them as a condition for UN-sponsored talks, reports the Times of India.

Clashes left the huge death in the south of the impoverished country, strategically located next to oil-rich Saudi Arabia and key shipping routes.

Former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who still holds sway over army units allied with the Shia rebels, late on Friday urged the Houthis to heed UN demands to withdraw from territory they have seized.

US secretary of state John Kerry also called on the anti-government forces to enter into political dialogue to end a conflict that the UN says has killed more than 1,000 people since late March.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has announced plans to appoint Mauritanian diplomat Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed as his new envoy to Yemen. The appointment becomes official on Monday if no objections are raised.

BDST: 1035 HRS, APR 26, 2015
BD/