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| Arabia |
| Final touches on Taiz battle strategy complete |
| 2015-11-01 |
| Dubai: The Saudi-led coalition forces have put the final touches to the battle strategy to liberate Taiz and push back militia forces loyal to deposed Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh and Al Houthis. In an interview with London-based Arabic newspaper Al Sharq Al Awsat, Brigadier General Yousuf Al Shraji, Deputy Chairman of the Military Council in Taiz, said crimes of the militia groups have been recorded by the National Army and will be submitted to the International Criminal Court. He also said the militia groups recruited a number of African mercenaries to fight in their ranks at the front of Al Dhabab. “The war led by the deposed president and Al Houthis on the people of Taiz is a war of vengeance,” Brig Gen Al Shraji said, “It is aimed at punishing the people of Taiz because they sided with the legitimate government and the Yemeni people.” When asked how the military scene in Taiz looked after six months of battle, Brig Gen Al Shraji said the city was mostly under the control of the National Army and the resistance. “The city’s heart is under the National Army’s control,” he said. “All current confrontations are taking place in the eastern and western fronts, where the militia forces are stationed with heavy artillery. During the last period, we were able to liberate key areas in the city’s centre and Al Dhabab, which forced the militia forces to retreat to the outskirts of the city. They are committing horrific and immoral acts there, breaking every international human rights law.” Brig Gen Al Shraji said Taiz held a strategic point in the war since it was in the heart of the country, as well as the province having the largest population mass in Yemen. “The liberation of Taiz means securing the governorate of Aden, and the South in general,” he said. “The liberation plans have already been drafted and finalised, and we’re soon to begin their implementation. We discussed every detail of our military operations and what the National Army and the Taiz’s resistance needs. In the coming few days, there will be surprises.” The deputy chairman of the military council said Taiz is home to more than four million people, and the “extraordinary situation has disabled most of the state institutions. Restoration projects are being conducted in parts of the city under Taiz control. We reopened the police stations and recruited employees, and are pursuing our ambition of restoring security and stability. There are plans to rework service institutions after Taiz is liberated”. Brig Gen Al Shraji said he expects Taiz’s liberation to be near at hand. He also refuted the presence of militia groups embedded within the Taiz resistance’s ranks. Last week, Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi stressed that the city of Taiz and all other Yemeni governorates and cities will be liberated soon from the Al Houthi militia and forces loyal to Saleh. Hadi said that the militia groups have been “hysterically” murdering women and children and destroying schools, mosques and residential areas in Taiz City using medium and heavy weapons. |
| Posted by:badanov |