Yemen rejects rebels' cease-fire offer

(AP) — Yemen's government has rejected a cease-fire offer from the country's northern rebels and called on the militants to pledge not to attack neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The Supreme Defense Council also said Sunday the rebels must comply with the government's original cease-fire offer, which demanded the militants disarm, release captured soldiers and withdraw from strategic positions.

Yemen's northern rebel leader, Abdel-Malek al-Hawthi, said Saturday he is ready to accept government conditions for a cease-fire to bring a halt to the nearly five-year-old war.

The northern rebels appear to be seizing on international pressure on Yemen to end the conflict.

The fighting intensified in August, claiming an undetermined number of lives and uprooting 125,000 people.