Fighting raging in Yemen’s Taiz and Midi

Yemen troops seize several thermal missiles after capturing three hilltops in Mokha

Forces loyal to the internationally-recognised president of Yemen have retrieved bodies of at least 13 Al Houthi fighters killed in Taiz and military sappers defused hundreds of landmines as rebels suffer fresh setbacks in the area, a local government official said.

Colonel Abdullah Al Bahar, the deputy spokesperson of the Supreme Military Council in Taiz, told Gulf News yesterday that government forces seized control of three hilltops that overlook the vast Khalid Bin Waleed military camp in Taiz’s Mokha district and secured their positions on the main road that links the city of Taiz with the western port city of Hodeida.

“The national army troops stormed three hilltops and seized arms, ammunition and a number of thermal missiles,” Al Bahar said. Al Houthi fighters brought these arms from the heavily bombed Khalid Bin Waleed military camp and stored them inside caves and rugged mountains. “Government forces have many times tried to storm the camp, but retreated because of a large number of landmines planted by Al Houthis,” Al Bahar said.

Fighter jets from the Saudiled coalition launched a number of air strikes, targeting Al Houthi fighters and equipment inside the camp.

Last week government forces escalated attacks against the rebels in many locations in the province of Taiz, mainly in Mokha district on the Red Sea. Al Bahar said that army troops secured their positions on Taiz-Hodeida road as explosive experts cleared nearly 1,800 landmines laid by the rebels in the recently liberated regions in Mokha district and close to Khalid Bin Waleed military camp.

In Taiz’s Salo district, local army commander who are battling the rebels there said that bodies of at least 13 Al Houthi fighters were retrieved from the battleground while several wounded fighters were sent to local hospital in Taiz.

Government forces are fighting their way into a key road that links Al Salo with the southern port city of Aden.