Yemen government forces advance on Saada and Jawf fronts
Government forces also seize control of pockets of lands on Ham mountain
Published: 19:31 July 12, 2017 Gulf News
Saeed Al Batati, Correspondent
Al Mukalla: The Yemeni Ministry of Defence has said an Al Houthi field military commander was killed in clashes with government forces in the northern province of Saada as other government forces seized control of pockets of lands in Jawf province.
The minister’s official news site, 26sepnews.net said Hamza Al Medani, Al Houthi military commander responsible for Alab front in Saada, and a number of fighters were killed when they tried to sneak up on government and Saudi-led coalition forces protecting the Alab border crossing with Saudi Arabia.
A fierce battle erupted when Al Houthis began attacking government forces. The militants failed to take control of the area and were forced into retreating to their positions on Alab mountain.
On Al Bouqa front, east of Saada province, government forces, supported by fighter jets from the Saudi-led coalition, stormed several caves on Al Bouqa mountains and seized arms and ammunition. The assault began on Tuesday when government forces broke through Al Houthi lines on the mountain and managed to enter the caves where Al Houthi fighters hide arms.
Yemen government forces late last year made a major military breakthrough inside Al Houthi power base, Saada province, when hundreds of troops regained control of two border crossings with Saudi Arabia and thrust deeper into the province. The government forces slowed their advances when they reached rugged and heavily mined mountains.
The focus of fighting now is Al Bouqa, east of Saada, and Baqoum, north of the province. Military commanders in Yemen believe that Al Houthi movement leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi, is hiding somewhere in Saada.
Meanwhile in the northern province, government forces announced on Tuesday they had seized control of pockets of lands on Ham mountain in the district of Al Metoun after fierce clashes with Al Houthi fighters.
Yemen’s army said in a statement troops and allied tribesmen dislodged Al Houthis from Al Tawela mountain, which is part of a chain of mountains called Ham, and are moving towards cutting off military supplies to Al Houthis inside Ham military camp.
Government forces also battled Al Houthis in Al Masloub district amid intensive airstrikes by coalition fighter jets. On Nehim’s battlefield, just outside of Al Houthi-held Sana’a, Yemen army has sent more military equipment and troops to Nehim’s rugged mountain in an attempt to break months of military stalemate by controlling new areas in the neighbouring Arhab district.
At least 13 Al Houthis were killed or injured in heavy clashes with government forces in Karash region in the province of Lahj, Yemen’s army said in a statement. Four Al Houthis were killed when loyalists attacked their checkpoint in the province of Baydha.
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