Al Mukalla: Local government officials in Yemen’s northern province of Jawf have accused Al Houthi rebels of gunning down several African migrants and showing their bodies on their electronic media as Sudanese soldiers fighting along government forces.
Abdul Hadi Al Assa’ar, the director of Ministry of Human Right office in Jawf province, told Gulf News on Saturday that 10 Africans were walking on the main road in Metoun district shortly before an offensive by government forces. “Al Houthis began shooting at the Africans, killing several of them and injuring others, according to a local tribal leader who witnessed the incident.”
The African migrants were heading to Saada province and their ultimate destination was the country’s borderline with Saudi Arabia.
Al Assa’ar added that the rebels quickly retrieved the bodies and presented them on official TV, Al Masira, as Sudanese troops fighting against them in Jawf province.
Army commanders in the province said that only Yemen army troops and allied tribesmen are battling the rebels in Jawf and the Sudanese soldiers are stationed in Southern Yemen and supporting government forces along the country’s western coast.
Also in Jawf, army troops and resistance fighters stormed a military location controlled by Al Houthi fighters and they are now moving towards Ham military camp, north of Metoun district.
“The national army forces and resistance fighters seized control of Al Rabatah area in Metoun and killed at least six Al Houthis and injured several others,” Abdullah Al Ashraf, Jawf resistance spokesperson, told Gulf News by telephone. Al Ashraf said the government forces are now battling the rebels in their last strongholds in Metoun district.
“Government forces can now shell Ham camp but has yet to storm it because of a large number of landmines planted by Al Houthis,” he said.
Clashes also erupted on Saturday in Masloub district where fighter jets from the Saudi-led coalition attacked military vehicles hidden in farms. “The air strikes were precise.” Al Ashraf said.
Meanwhile, in Al Houthi heartland, Saada, a local army commander told Gulf News on Saturday that government forces took control of two mountains in Baqoum district after killing and injuring dozens of the rebels.
Brigadier Obaid Bin Al Athela said that government forces stormed Al Tibab Al Soud and Shaer mountains in Baqoum district, north of Saada province after fierce clashes with the rebels. In the southern city of Taiz, at least a dozen Al Houthis and several government forces were killed in heavy clashes in the northern and western parts of the city.
