Aden, Yemen - (Xinhua) - The Yemeni government approved on Sunday the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, after nearly 8 years of ongoing war that caused destruction and damage to a number of archaeological sites and historical cities in the country.

The Yemeni news agency, Saba, which is run by the government, stated that the Council of Ministers, in its meeting today in the interim capital, Aden, headed by Prime Minister Dr. Maeen Abdul-Malik, approved Yemen's accession to the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict.

The Cabinet directed "the Ministry of Legal Affairs to complete the necessary procedures to ratify the protocol," according to the agency.

The Hague Convention (Dutch City) for the Protection of Cultural Property is an international treaty that obliges signatories to protect cultural property in war, and has been ratified by more than 100 countries.

The agreement provides for the protection of movable or immovable cultural property, such as architectural buildings of artistic or historical value, historical sites, archaeological sites, artifacts, manuscripts, books, and everything of archaeological or historical value.

According to the agreement, member states are obligated to protect cultural property as a result of armed conflicts, and to take many measures to preserve it.

Yemen has been suffering from a bloody conflict for 8 years, and the ongoing conflict has caused destruction and damage to a number of historical cities, archaeological sites, buildings and museums in large areas of the country.