The UN's special envoy for Yemen urged the country's warring parties Tuesday to strive to ensure a “lasting and sustainable peace” during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 

“I call on the parties to silence the guns and allow Yemenis to observe the month in safety and dignity,” Martin Griffiths said in a Ramadan message.

Griffiths wished Yemenis a “blessed and peaceful” Ramadan.

“I hope this holy month of reflection and compassion will provide an opportunity for all of us to come together, think of those who are suffering, and overcome our differences,” he said.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sana'a. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to UN estimates, the conflict in Yemen has claimed the lives of at least 233,000 people, with millions more facing starvation and in need of humanitarian assistance.