Yemen declares truce

Yemen's government on Tuesday agreed on a truce with dissident general Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, whose forces have been engaged in bloody battles for weeks.

The announcement came after a day of violence in the capital and Yemen's second largest city Taez, which saw 10 people killed and dozens wounded in clashes, shelling and a government crackdown on protesters.

The truce stipulates that government and rival forces will remove checkpoints and blockades that were set up throughout the capital in recent weeks during intense battles between the disputed parties.

This is the third cease-fire declared since May between the government and Ahmar, whose well-armed tribesman have been engaged in fierce battles with President Ali Abdullah Saleh's troops in the capital's Hasaba district in recent days.

The two previous cease-fires were breached soon after the declaration of an agreement.

Meanwhile, the escalating violence in the country provoked a U.N. resolution last week that called for Saleh to immediately sign a Gulf-mediated transfer plan.

On Monday, Saleh welcomed the U.N. resolution but did not specify when or if he would sign the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative.