Dubai: Yemeni troops are continuing to advance towards Al Hays in the coastal province of Hodeida, with heavy backing from the Saudi-led Arab Coalition forces.
The UAE Air Force has provided cover for the troops, cutting the supply lines of the Iranian-backed Al Houthi coup militias between Taiz and Hodeida, south of Al Hays.
The forces are advancing towards farms adjacent to a line between Al Hays and Taiz.
UAE forces have secured the road, cutting the supply route of Al Houthis and capturing dozens of militiamen while regaining control of a number of villages in the region.
A number of tanks and military vehicles were also captured.
On Sunday, an Al Houthi militia commander turned himself in to UAE forces and voiced willingness to work for the Saudi-led Arab Coalition.
Shaikh Hamir Ebrahim, who was in charge of the Hais and Al Khokha fronts in Yemen, urged, in statements to the Emirates News Agency, his tribesmen to surrender, turn themselves in and join the ranks of the Arab coalition against the Iran-backed Al Houthi rebels in order to “liberate the entire Yemeni territories.”
He added that the rebels are forcing the Yemeni people to fight along with them before leaving them in the lurch in utter suffering along with their children who are “forced to fight on the frontlines.”
“Whoever dares to reject their orders is targeted and expelled away along with his family from their tribe and from the entire area,” he said.
He noted that he has received fair and decent treatment from the UAE forces after giving himself in, urging all those fighting along with the Al Houthi militias to renounce them and adhere to “the righteous path of the Arab Coalition who are fighting for restoring legitimacy in Yemen.”
He called upon all Yemeni people to close ranks against the Al Houthis who, he said, are “wreaking havoc on all Yemeni territories”, affirming that the Saudi-led Arab coalition forces are going on the “right path toward achieving victory and liberating the entire Yemeni lands from the grip of the rebels.”
Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi came to power in early 2012 after massive Arab Spring protests ousted Ali Abdullah Saleh who ruled Yemen for more than 30 years.
He was forced to flee to Aden after escaping Al Houthi-imposed house arrest in 2014.
Since then, Hadi has led an offensive to liberate Al Houthi-occupied territories. With help from the Saudi-led Arab coalition, it has achieved widespread gains in many provinces, but Al Houthis still control the capital Sana’a and most northern provinces including Hodeida, Ibb, Mahweet, Yareem, Amran, Baydha and Hajja.
