Yemen's Houthi rebels have begun withdrawing from a key strategic port, in the first major step since a ceasefire agreement signed in December.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

Both the Houthis and government forces agreed to withdraw from Hudaydah port to allow in vital humanitarian aid.

Video footage obtained by the BBC shows Houthi forces setting off in trucks. The redeployment is expected to take four days in total.

But Yemen's government has accused the rebels of staging a "ploy".

At least 6,800 civilians have died in Yemen's four-year civil war. Some 10,700 more have been injured in the fighting, according to the United Nations, and many thousands more have died from preventable causes such as malnutrition, disease and poor health.