Clashes escalate as UN talks fail

A car bomb near a mosque in Yemen's capital yesterday killed two people, as Saudi-led warplanes bombarded second city Aden, after peace talks in Geneva ended without agreement.

The explosion in Sanaa, controlled by Iran-backed Shia Huthi rebels, went off outside the Kobbat al-Mehdi mosque as Shia Muslims emerged from midday prayers, witnesses and security sources said.

As well as the two dead, another 16 people were wounded, medical officials said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, SITE Intelligence Group reported, the latest in a series that has targeted Sanaa, which the Huthi rebels seized in September.

The car attack came hours after Saudi-led warplanes launched 15 strikes against Huthi targets in the port city of Aden. A pro-government military source said the dawn strikes pounded the northern, eastern and western approaches to Aden, to isolate the Huthis and support forces loyal to Hadi.

Yesterday, the rebels shelled several neighbourhoods of Aden, killing four people and wounding several others, the military source said, a toll confirmed by hospital officials.

The violence came after UN's special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced Friday in Geneva that talks between the warring sides ended without agreement.