Day of fighting in defence of Marib kills 32 Yemeni government loyalists and 58 rebels
Fighting between Yemeni pro-government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels led to the deaths of at least 90 combatants from both sides in 24 hours, government military sources said on Saturday.
Last month, the rebels launched an offensive to seize Marib, the last stronghold in northern Yemen of pro-government forces who are backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.
The clashes in the oil-rich province left 32 dead among government forces and loyalist tribes, while 58 Houthi rebels were killed by coalition air strikes, the sources told AFP.
They said clashes started on six fronts, as the government forces were able to resist attacks by the Houthis, who tried to advance on the Kassara front, north-west of Marib city.
The fighting left dozens wounded, the sources said.
The loss of Marib would be a blow for the Yemeni government, but could also bring humanitarian catastrophe for civilians, including hundreds of thousands of displaced people who are sheltering in desert camps.
It would also be a setback for Saudi Arabia, which has been the target of increasingly frequent Houthi drone and missile attacks in recent weeks. Shrapnel from Houthi drones intercepted by the Saudis on Friday wounded two civilians, including a 10-year-old, in the southwest of the kingdom, the official SPA news agency reported.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Houthis to halt their offensive in Marib, as he announced $191 million in aid at a donors’ conference last week.
“Aid alone will not end the conflict. We can only end the humanitarian crisis in Yemen by ending the war … so the United States is reinvigorating our diplomatic efforts to end the war,” Mr Blinken said.
The UN sought to raise $3.85 billion from more than 100 governments and donors, but only $1.7bn was offered.