Yemen's capital relatively calm after cease-fire

AHMED AL-HAJ, Associated Press, September 20, 2011

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Witnesses and security officials say the Yemeni capital is mostly calm after a cease-fire negotiated by the country's vice president and several Western ambassadors came took effect.

The cease-fire came into force at 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The city has since been calm, with only sporadic gunfire.

The cease-fire came on the third day of deadly violence between opponents of the Yemeni regime and forces loyal to its embattled president. At least 60 people have been killed, most of them protesters.

The truce was negotiated by Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and several foreign envoys, including the U.S. and British ambassadors in Sanaa, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.