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Pro-Hadi forces break Houthi ‘siege’ on Yemen’s Taiz
[AA.TR] Forces loyal to Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi say they have partially broken a months-long ‘siege’ by the Shia Houthi murderous Moslem group on the southwestern city of Taiz."The siege of Taiz has been broken from the city’s southwest by the national army... along with popular resistance forces," the city’s pro-Hadi military council tweeted late Friday. Taiz’s strategically important southwestern entrance -- which links it to the southern Lahij and Aden provinces -- had been one of three main city entrances held by the Houthis and allied forces loyal to former President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it... The southwestern entrance was reportedly secured Friday by pro-Hadi forces following three days of fierce fighting with the Houthis and their allies. Earlier Friday, pro-Hadi forces claimed to have scored other victories west of Taiz, where they said they had retaken several Houthi-held positions. On Friday evening, Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews... murderous Moslems reportedly staged several attacks on the eastern side of Taiz -- where local witnesses reported hearing violent kabooms -- in hopes of offsetting losses sustained to the west of the city. Al Arabiya sez 50 dead in Taiz battles so far [AlArabiy] Clashes intensified on Friday between Shiite rebels and local fighters in the besieged city of Taiz, killing at least 45 fighters on both sides and six civilians over the past 24 hours. The city has seen heavy fighting between rebels known as Houthis and local resistance units financed and armed by the Saudi-led coalition that is backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The local fighters have been advancing and have taken control of Taiz’s western outskirts. The medical officials said Friday that most of the 45 killed over the past 24 hours died in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition. They also said that six civilians were killed in random shelling of residential areas. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. According to witnesses, Islamic militants who are fighting next to the local resistance have kidnapped a number of Houthi supporters and members of the ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s party in the city of Taiz after storming their houses and shops. Al-Qaeda in Yemen has posted videos before for its operations in Taiz. The group, along with Salafis, has been fighting side-by-side with the local resistance fighters. The Houthis have besieged Taiz, widely known as Yemen’s cultural center, for over a year now. Saudi-led coalition launched an extensive air campaign and send ground troops to roll back Houthis. Posted by: Fred 2016-03-13 |
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