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| Arabia |
| Coalition forces close to recapturing Taiz |
| 2015-10-27 |
| [Asharq Al-Awsat] Forces belonging to the Saudi-led coalition targeting the Houthis and their allies in Yemen, aided by pro-government forces, are close to recapturing the presidential palace in the southwestern city of Taiz, according to sources. Parts of the strategic city, which lies 109 miles (176 kilometers) northwest of the southern port city of Aden where the Yemeni government is now headquartered, have been under the control of the Houthis and their allies for months. However, sources from the Popular Resistance, a coalition of volunteer forces loyal to the government and President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday that the Joint Forces, which comprises the Popular Resistance and forces belonging to the Saudi-led coalition, have made progress in recapturing large parts of the city. They said large numbers of Houthi fighters and those loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh—who along with Iran has aided the Houthi coup in Yemen—have in recent days fled the site of the presidential palace in the city, which has for months been in under Houthi control. They said “fierce battles” have raged for days around the palace and the nearby headquarters of the state security forces, where Houthi fighters have encamped. Local activist Fuad Al-Mussalami told Asharq Al-Awsat the Houthis have been “haphazardly targeting civilian areas in the city with a range of heavy and medium weaponry,” adding that “many” civilians have been killed in these attacks. More at the link |
| Posted by:badanov |