Al Mukalla: Warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore the rule of the Yemeni government attacked Al Houthis controlled military facilities and suspected arms depots in the Yemeni capital on Monday, residents said. The aircraft had reduced strikes on Sana’a since the announcement of widely violated ceasefire in April that was meant to coincide with peace talks.
The air strikes struck Roudha district and military camps triggering explosions, according to witnesses. The warplanes also launched massive air strikes on Al Houthi military sites in Taiz, Jawf and Abyan.
In the southern province of Taiz, Al Masder Online reported on Sunday that at least 20 Al Houthis and forces loyal to the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh were killed in heavy air strikes in Mokha city. A local source told the website that the air strikes targeted three vehicles carrying the rebel forces killing a field commander called Abu Taha. Another air strike hit fuel and arms stores in the same area.
In the northern province of Jawf, residents told Gulf News that 15 Al Houthi fighters were killed and dozens were injured in fierce clashes with government forces in Al Gaba region, northern Hazem, the province. The clashes erupted when the rebel forces launched an attack to regain control of new areas.
In Al Masloub district, government forces also pushed back another attack by Al Houthi fighters. Sporadic, fierce clashes were reported on Monday in other front lines like Ghayel, Sabreen and Matoun.
Suspected coalition warplanes targeted on Sunday military camps controlled by Al Qaida militants in the southern province of Abyan. A resident told Gulf News by telephone that the warplanes targeted a military camp in Khanfar district and farms in Jaar district. “Al Qaida used 7 October military camp in Khanfar for using arms and training fighters.” a member of southern resistance that fought off Al Houthis last year said.
Residents in province’s capital, Zinjibar, recently told Gulf News that the militants have abandoned their heavy vehicles to avoid the coalition warplanes or US drones. Al Qaida exploited security vacuum stemmed from Al Houthis military expansion in the south to overrun some provinces. Trained and armed by the coalition, government forces cleared Aden, Lahj and Hadramout from the Al Qaida militants.
In Aden, Munair Mahmoud Al Mashali, the commander of Special Task Forces yesterday survived a roadside bomb blast in the city’s Mansoura district. No one was reportedly hurt in the explosion. Al Mashali was the commander of the government forces that pushed Al Qaida out of Lahj.
