Yemen: Fighting rages in Taez province amid major offensive to drive out 30,000 rebels
Fighting raged across Taez province on Friday, a day after Yemeni pro-government soldiers and resistance fighters launched a major offensive to drive out tens of thousands of Houthi rebels and allied fighters.
Resistance leader Hamoud Al Mikhlafi, who is leading the offensive, told The National that the first aim of the campaign was to break the rebels’ siege on parts of Taez city, the provincial capital.
“I call on [pro-government fighters] to target the Houthis fiercely on all fronts in the province” to prevent the rebels from sending all of their fighters to uphold the siege on Taez city, he said.
Parts of Taez city have been under siege from the Houthis for more than nine months. The rebels and their allied fighters – renegade soldiers who are loyal to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh – have blocked food and medical supplies from entering besieged areas via official roads. Residents have been forced to smuggle in basic goods over the mountains.