SANAA, Yemen

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday called for turning the ongoing truce in Yemen into "a permanent ceasefire."

"Great news for the people of Yemen. Let’s transform this truce in a permanent ceasefire," ICRC Regional Director for Near and Middle East Fabrizio Carboni said on Twitter.

"We’re running out of time, the people of this country are facing enormous challenges related to the climate crisis, the disastrous consequences of too many years of conflict," Carboni added.

The truce between Yemen’s warring rivals was extended for two months on Thursday, shortly before it was set to expire.

On Thursday, UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg said the extended truce enters into force upon the expiry of the current truce at 7 p.m. Yemeni local time (1600GMT).

According to the UN envoy, civilian casualties have dropped significantly since the truce took effect.

Yemen’s warring rivals agreed to a UN-brokered two-month truce on April 2 under which all military operations were halted. The agreement included the operation of commercial flights from the rebel-held Sanaa Airport in the Yemeni capital.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to restore the Yemeni government to power.

The eight-year conflict has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions suffering from hunger.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara