Truce agreed between Yemen's warring parties

Yemeni rebels and the government fighters will lay down their weapons on Thursday, after the two sides agreed a truce.

It follows US Secretary of State John Kerry's emergency visit to the Gulf to meet officials from both sides and bring to an end 20 months of war.

During this time there two rivals have remained in deadlock after previous attempts at reconciliation broke down.

"[Both sides] have agreed to work towards the establishing a new national unity government in a safe and secure Sanaa... as a goal towards the end of the year," Kerry said, according to Reuters.

The truce will begin on 17 November with Houthis and allies of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi agreeing to form a unity government according to the US-sponsored plan.

It follow's Kerry's visit to Oman to meet officials from the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel movement and talks with Yemeni government officials in the UAE.

"[The Houthis have agreed] to abide by the terms of the 10 April cessation of hostilities beginning... provided the other party implements the same commitment and thus far the Emiratis and the Saudis," Kerry said.

"They have both agreed to try to move forward with this."

Around 10,000 people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded in Yemen since March 2015, and the UN says millions are in need of food aid with starvation setting in.

Another 21 million people urgently need health services, according to the UN health agency.