(VOVworld) - The United Nations has announced an unconditional week-long humanitarian ceasefire in Yemen, where more than 80 percent of the country's 25 million people are believed to be in need of some form of emergency aid.

More than 80 percent of Yemen's population is believed to be in need of some form of emergency aid (Photo:AFP/Getty Images)

Stephane Dujarric, the UN spokesman, said on Thursday that the truce would start on Friday, July 10 and last until the end of Ramadan on July 17. Mr. Dujarric said it was imperative and urgent that humanitarian aid reach all the vulnerable people of Yemen unimpeded and through an unconditional humanitarian pause. He said the UN chief Ban Ki-moon had received commitments to respect the truce from President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels but did not mention the coalition air strike led by Saudi Arabia.