Yemeni army advances in Al Bayda, Taez and Nehim
The Yemeni army, with air support from the Arab coalition, seized back several areas from the Houthi rebels several on Saturday.
Brig Saleh Al Mansoori, commander at the front of the Natea province, said troops loyal to the internationally recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi “liberated the strategic Al Bayda mountain range in the Natea district” south-east of the capital Sanaa.
“Our forces were able to entirely secure Natea and advanced to liberate Al Fadha in Al Malagem district, south of Al Bayda, amid ongoing clashes in which at least 30 Houthi militants were killed and dozens were injured,” Brig Al Mansoori said.
He said that 12 members of the Iran-backed Houthi militia were arrested.
Meanwhile, in Taez province, Yemeni troops advanced along the Maqbana front in the south of the country, where they seized Al Hamam mountain range and Al Rahnaka area from the rebels.
“The army advanced towards Al Ayar mountain in the strategic area of Maqbana, which links Taez and Al Hodeidah and Al Moca in the western coast of Yemen,” Col Abdelbaset Al Baher, a Yemeni army spokesman, told The National.
He said that at least 15 Houthi fighters were killed and five were injured in fierce clashes.
On the Nehim front lines north-east of Sanaa – still under Houthi control – clashes between the Yemeni army and the rebels continued.
The 26 September news website said two high-ranking Houthi officers, identified as Ali Al Geez and Yehya Al Rezami, were killed in Nehim and Arhab.
Yemeni army spokesman Nasser Al Redhami said the Saudi-led coalition, which includes the UAE, launched strikes over the weekend targeting Houthi weapons caches near Al Hodeidah.