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Yemeni forces, allies seize military base in SW Saudi Arabia

Wednesday, 26 October 2016 6:34 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 26 October 2016 7:07 AM ]

This photo released by the media bureau of the operations command in Yemen shows Yemeni army soldiers and allied forces reacting to the capture of Alib military base, southwestern Saudi Arabia, on October 25, 2016.

Yemeni army soldiers, supported by fighters from Popular Committees, have established control over a military base in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern border region of Najran as they continue their retaliatory raids against Riyadh’s military.

The media bureau of the operations command in Yemen released footage on Tuesday evening, showing Yemeni troopers and allied forces exchanging heavy gunfire with Saudi forces stationed in Alib military base in Najran.

Saudi soldiers at the site can be seen retreating, with scores of them lying injured on the ground as Yemeni forces advance.

Yemeni forces then destroyed an armored vehicle and a battle tank at the military site before confiscating a considerable amount of rifles and military equipment.

This photo released by the media bureau of the operations command in Yemen shows a Saudi battle tank in flames after Yemeni army soldiers and allied forces captured Alib military base, southwestern Saudi Arabia, on October 25, 2016.

Shortly afterwards, Yemeni soldiers and Popular Committees fighters seized the watchtower of the base, and detonated it using explosive charges.

Yemeni sources said Saudi military helicopters fired a number of missiles during the attack on Alib base, but the projectiles failed to strike targets and mishit.

A Saudi unmanned aerial vehicle was reportedly hovering the skies over Alib base at the time, monitoring the movements of Yemeni army forces and Popular Committees fighters.

More Saudi raids hit Yemen

Early on Wednesday, Yemeni army forces and fighters from Popular Committees repelled an offensive by militiamen loyal to resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in the Hayfan district of the southwestern province of Ta'izz.

There were no immediate reports about possible casualties within the ranks of Saudi-backed mercenaries.

Saudi fighter jets also bombarded Madfoun and al-Houl areas in Nihm district of the northern province of Sana’a, but no reports of fatalities and the extent of damage were quickly available.

A Yemeni man stands on October 24, 2016 at the site of an airstrike on a funeral ceremony that killed 140 people and wounded 525 others in the capital Sana’a on October 5, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Additionally, Saudi warplanes struck areas in the city of Sirwah, which lies about 120 kilometers east of the capital Sana’a, besides two other airstrikes against al-Dawar area in the Mustaba district of the northwestern Hajjah Province.

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in the deadly campaign against Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to bring back the former Yemeni government to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The UN puts the death toll from the military aggression at about 10,000.

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