Yemen’s Houthis in new push to capture Hadi’s last stronghold in north
Fighters of Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement have resumed an offensive to take control of the city of Ma’rib, the last northern stronghold of Saudi-sponsored militiamen loyal to the former pro-Saudi president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Clashes continued on Monday following weeks of relative calm in the strategic region, with dozens of casualties on both sides, AFP cited an unnamed source from Hadi’s militiamen as saying.
Fighting, the source said, took place about 10 kilometers west of Ma’rib, and at least 20 pro-Hadi militiamen were killed and 28 others were injured.
The source, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, also said at least three pro-Hadi militiamen had been killed and four wounded in a missile attack on their camp in Ma’rib on Sunday.
When Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the war on Yemen in March 2015, their objective was to bring Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh, back to power and crush Ansarullah. The goal of the deadly campaign has not materialized.
Houthi fighters have been of significant help to the Yemeni army in defending the country against the invaders, leaving the coalition forces bogged down in Yemen.
More than 110,000 Yemenis have been killed since the onset of war.
At least 80 percent of the 28-million-strong population is reliant on aid to survive in what the UN has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The war has destroyed or closed half of Yemen’s hospitals and clinics, leaving the people helpless particularly at a time when they are in desperate need of medical supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former US administration, led by Donald Trump, designated the Houthi movement a “terrorist organization” on January 19, just one day before the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
The so-called designation drew much condemnation from rights groups.
Last week, Biden formally notified Congress that it would reverse Trump’s move against Houthis.
Yemeni armed forces down F-18 fighter jet, repel US-UK attack: Spokesman
Iran: US airstrikes on Yemen war crimes, violation of international law
Iran warns against US-Israeli plot to weaken Muslims, dominate region
VIDEO | Yemenis praise the military for its successful operations against Israel
VIDEO | Israel continues to bomb Gaza homes
VIDEO | An insider's view of the country: Meybod City in Yazd
‘All wars have rules. All of those rules have been broken’ by Israel
VIDEO | Report flags India’s violation of rights of Rohingya detainees
Turkey's foreign minister meets Syria's de facto leader in Damascus
VIDEO | US Syria plots
'Next to impossible' to rescue patients from Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital: Director
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
