Yemen army advances amid new peace drive
NEW UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH YEMENI PRESIDENT IN RIYADH
Yemeni government troops continued to advance in the northern province of Sa’ada, Al Houthis’ main bastion, as Yemen’s president discussed with the UN envoy ways of reviving of peace talks.
Yemen’s Defence Ministry has said government troops, backed by the Saudi-led coalition air power and military logistics, pushed into new areas in the district of Ketaf, northwest of Saada, killing at least 20 rebels and capturing several hills in the offensive that began on Saturday.
Brigadier Diab Al Kebli, the commander of Brigade 143, said government forces laid siege to pockets of Iran-backed Al Houthi militants at Ketaf district’s centre from three directions, adding that his forces liberated Al Frae and Saker hills and captured five Al Houthis during the fierce fighting.
Fighter jets from the coalition destroyed Al Houthi reinforcements before reaching the Ketaf battlefield, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on its official news site.
Meanwhile, in the southern province of Lahj, security authorities detained two Al Qaida operatives after a raid against their hideout in the province.
In the Saudi capital, Yemen’s president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi met for the second time with the new UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths who is seeking to push for peace talks between different factions in Yemen.
Saba news agency reported that Hadi told the UN envoy that his government had positively dealt with previous proposals and offered concessions during peace talks in Geneva and Kuwait.