38 Brigades Defeated, Hundreds Killed as Houthis Claim Major Yemen Victory
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree says troops and allied fighters seized six districts, defeated 38 brigades and killed, wounded or captured hundreds of Saudi-backed fighters
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Yemeni Armed Forces have claimed a major territorial gain along the country’s strategic western provinces, saying their troops and allied fighters have taken control of 5,400 square kilometres and are advancing towards the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, announced the claim in a televised statement on Friday afternoon, saying Yemeni troops and fighters from allied popular committees had driven Saudi-backed forces out of six districts in Hudaydah and Ta’izz provinces.
He said the gains were made during a large-scale military operation dubbed “Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment.”
Saree said Yemeni Armed Forces and their allies had also defeated seven divisions of Saudi-backed forces comprising 38 brigades, killing and wounding hundreds of fighters and taking many more captive.
The Yemeni spokesman further said the forces had liberated a large number of prisoners held in what he described as inhumane conditions in detention facilities overseen by Saudi-backed forces.
He said Yemeni air defence units had conducted 32 operations and intercepted and shot down nine Saudi aircraft.
Saree paid tribute to Yemeni servicemen, praising what he described as their sacrifices in defending the country.
The spokesman also reaffirmed that passage through the Red Sea remained open to all vessels except shipments from Saudi Arabia, which he said were subject to a naval blockade.
He said the Yemeni military would maintain its “siege for a siege” policy, target Saudi military buildups and intensify attacks in response to any escalation for as long as what he described as aggression against Yemen continued and the blockade remained in place.
On July 20, the Sana’a government announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, citing what it described as an “unjust and oppressive siege” imposed on Yemen for almost 12 years.
The Yemeni Armed Forces have since reported a series of operations targeting vessels associated with Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia and its allies launched a military intervention in Yemen in March 2015, imposing a blockade and conducting a wide-ranging offensive with military, political and logistical support from the United States and several Western countries.
The intervention was aimed at restoring Yemen’s internationally recognised government after Houthi forces took control of large parts of the country.
The latest territorial and battlefield claims by Saree could not be independently verified at the time of filing.
SPONSORED
SPONSORED
SONSORED
