Yemeni Forces Kill 15 Houthis Outside Capital City of Sanaa

Saudi airstrikes, Saudi-backed fighters attack Sirwah District

According to a statement in Saudi-backed Yemeni government media, government forces attacked the Sirwah District, east of the capital city of Sanaa, killing at least 15 Houthis over the past 24 hours, and wounding dozens.

This fighting, between government-held Maarib and the Houthi-held capital, also saw at least three Saudi airstrikes against the area. The strikes killed a number of the Houthis, though it’s not clear that all of this fighting led to a substantial amount of territory changing hands.

While the ceasefire in Hodeidah has mostly held, fighting has erupted elsewhere around Yemen, likely reflecting both sides being able to divert forces that were battling over the port into other areas around the country.

Deals were also reached in recent weeks to open up the kilo 16 road between Hodeidah, Sanaa, and Taiz, which would allow substantial aid shipments between the major cities in western Yemen.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.