PARIS, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- France expressed concerns on Monday over escalating violence in Yemen, calling rival factions to "engage in dialogue" so as to not "hinder the resolution of the crisis," the country's foreign ministry said.
"The priority in Yemen is to resume negotiations leading to a political solution, the only way to preserve the country's territorial integrity, restore peace and security in the long term, and bring an end to a tragic humanitarian situation," the ministry said.
As such, it is vital for all the Yemeni parties to resume the peace negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, the statement added.
France urged fighting camps to respect the international humanitarian law to allow "full, unconditional, unfettered access to humanitarian aid."
On Sunday, fresh violent clashes erupted between forces loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and forces allied with the Southern Transitional Council in the port city of Aden.
The armed confrontation left a reported 21 dead and wounded about 100 others.
Since 2015, Yemen has been suffering from a civil war and a Saudi-led military intervention.
The year-long military battle between the Iran-allied Houthis, who control Sanaa, against a Saudi-led military alliance backing a government based in the south, has led to the country becoming the world's worst famine and humanitarian crisis.
More than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed and over two million displaced, according to humanitarian agencies.
The Arab country has also been suffering from the world's largest cholera epidemic since April last year, with about 5,000 cases reported every day.
