A senior Saudi commander and an army officer from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both working with pro-government forces in Yemen, were killed on Monday in the war-torn country, just a day before peace talks, a Saudi-led military alliance reported.
Colonel Abdullah al-Sahyan, who commands a special Saudi force, and UAE officer Sultan al-Kitabi were killed during a military operation to "liberate" Yemen's central province of Taiz from the Houthi rebels, the alliance said in a statement without giving details.
Saudi Arabia and fellow partners, including the UAE, have since March been carrying out a military campaign in Yemen against Houthi rebels, who are fighting to oust embattled President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi.
Pro-rebel media reported that al-Sahyan and al-Kitabi died in a rocket attack by the Houthis on a Saudi-led alliance base near Taiz, Yemen's third-largest province.
Violence in Yemen has escalated in the past few days ahead of negotiations between the Houthis and Hadi's government, scheduled to start Tuesday in Switzerland.
Hadi is expected on Monday to announce a ceasefire in Yemen, according to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television.
The truce will take effect at midnight Monday (2100 GMT), according to the broadcaster.
Previous ceasefires in Yemen have not held, worsening the humanitarian situation in the impoverished country.
Yemen's conflict has intensified since March, when the Houthis advanced on the port city of Aden, forcing Hadi to flee the country.
Saudis and allies have since vowed to reinstate Hadi and undercut the influence of the mostly Shiite rebels, who still control large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sana'a.
By Amal Al-Yarisi
This article has been modified from the source material.
