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| Arabia |
| Yemen downplaying defeats in north: Houthis |
| 2009-09-03 |
| [Iran Press TV Latest] Yemen's Houthi resistance fighters accuse the government of intensifying its offensive against the Shia group after their proposed peace offer was rejected. Zaidi Shias --also known as Houthis-- said Wednesday that the government troops took advantage of their soft position and started advancing in some districts of the northern provinces of Saada and Amran adding that they were forced to retreat after facing strong resistance. Houthis have also accused the government of downplaying its successive losses by Shia fighters in the north and also describing some of its defeats as "technical retreat". "The government is trying to deny its defeat in Saada and Amran while we have already documented them through (video) images", the office of Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, who heads the Shia group, said Wednesday referring to the retreat of Yemen's 105th Brigade in Saada's Maran district and seizure of their arms. On Tuesday, the government dismissed Houthis' peace offer to end the war, saying the military offensive against Shia fighters in the north would continue until the government's conditions for a ceasefire are met. The government's conditions for a ceasefire include Houthis' withdrawal from all districts of Saada and the mountainous sites and the return of military equipments they seized from the army. After the government rejected the offer, the Shia group warned of "a prolonged war of attrition and surprised measures", saying Sanaa "lost a valuable opportunity" to end the violence. Houthis who say they are defending themselves against religious oppression have vowed to fight until their rights are achieved. |
| Posted by:Fred |