Clashes in eastern Yemen leave 20 Houthis dead: Army

MARIB, 09 Jun 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: At least 20 Houthi rebels have been killed fighting the Yemeni army in the Serwah Directorate in Yemen’s eastern Marib province, the army said in a Friday statement.

“Fierce fighting erupted Thursday after a group of rebels attempted to infiltrate army positions in southern Serwah,” the statement quoted an unnamed military source as saying.

“The fighting left at least 20 Houthis dead and a number of others injured,” the source added.

Army artillery, the source said, had targeted Houthi sites and concentrations throughout southern Serwah, leading to heavy casualties and material losses among the ranks of the rebel group.

Anadolu Agency was unable to obtain immediate comment from Houthi spokesmen regarding the army’s claims.

The Houthis have controlled the center of the Serwah Directorate since April 2015 and the area remains the scene of frequent clashes between the two sides. 

Impoverished Yemen has been wracked by violence since 2014, when the Shia Houthis overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.

The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies -- who accuse the Houthis of serving as Iranian proxies -- launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.

The following year, UN-sponsored peace talks held in Kuwait failed to produce any tangible breakthroughs.

The ongoing violence has devastated Yemen’s infrastructure, including water and sanitation systems, prompting the UN to describe the situation as one of “the worst humanitarian disasters in modern times”.