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Yemen govt, rebels at odds over airport

Yemen's government and Houthi rebels are at odds over whether to re-open a key airport on the third day of UN-brokered talks aimed at ending a catastrophic war.

The government has proposed re-opening Sanaa airport in the rebel-held capital on condition it will be limited to domestic flights between the city and the government-controlled city of Aden.

Rebel representatives at the talks, which kicked off on Thursday in Sweden, insisted the airport must operate international flights, the pro-Houthi television al-Masirah reported.

The government says the airport is under control of rebel militiamen, and allege they could use international flights to smuggle in arms and Iranian allies.

The airport has been closed to commercial flights since August 2016 under a Saudi-led alliance that is fighting on the side of the Yemeni government against the Iran-linked Houthis.

The consultations in the Swedish town of Rimbo are a renewed attempt by the UN to end nearly four years of civil war that have pushed the country to the brink of famine.

Rebels continue to reject a government demand to hand over the Red Sea city of Hodeida and its vital port.

The two sides signed a prisoner swap deal before their delegations arrived in Sweden.

Yemen, one of the Arab world's poorest countries, has been embroiled in a power struggle between the government and rebels since late 2014.