Rebel chief in Yemen rules out surrender

The coalition had sent fighter jets and Apache attack helicopters to cover Yemeni troops fighting rebels on the ground

SANAA: Yemen’s rebel chief vowed on Wednesday he would never surrender to Saudi-backed pro-government forces, as international aid groups appealed for safe passage for civilians caught in the flashpoint port of Hodeida.

After six days of intense battles, pro-government forces on Wednesday pressed even closer to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by the Houthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies.

Plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the horizon on Tuesday as heavily armed pro-government forces moved towards the port on foot and on the back of pickup trucks.

The coalition had sent fighter jets and Apache attack helicopters to cover Yemeni troops fighting rebels on the ground, a progovernment military source said.

In a lengthy televised speech from an undisclosed location, the country’s rebel chief appeared to admit the alliance had made headway into Hodeida.

International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people.

The International Committee of the Red Cross appealed for the warring parties to “spare civilians and civilian infrastructure” including ambulances, hospitals, electricity and water plants.

Millions of people across Yemen are dependent on humanitarian aid to survive a deadly trifecta of war, disease and looming mass starvation -- and nearly 80 per cent of that aid comes through Hodeida. The Houthis seized large parts of Yemen in a 2014 takeover, including the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the Yemeni government’s war against the Houthis the following year, driving the rebels back but failing to retake Sanaa and Hodeida.

Rebel chief Abdulmalik Al Houthi on Wednesday acknowledged he was outnumbered, but appeared undaunted even while appearing to admit to incursions by the Saudi-led coalition.

“The enemy benefits from its numbers, which it has increased even further to pressure the city of Hodeida,” Al Houthi said.

“Does the enemy think that penetrating this or that area, or seizing this or that area, means we will be convinced that we should surrender and hand over control? “This is not happening and will not happen ever.”

Full story @ timesofoman.com/world