Officials from the pro-Saudi military in Yemen are claiming that they killed “scores” of Shi’ite Houthi fighters in intense fighting in Yemen’s Dhalea Province on Friday. They did not offer specific numbers, nor did they reveal any casualties on their side.
The Houthis are known to have moved into Dhalea Province in recent weeks
in an offensive, and the new report suggests they sought to extend
their gain into several villages, where they faced resistance from
opposing forces.
Dhalea is much further south than the Houthis generally have tried to
engage in offensives, but once they take territory in the region’s
mountains they’ve proven incredibly difficult to unseat in the past, and
may be looking to block routes of offensive against territory further
north.
Despite reports of heavy casualties in the fighting, there is no sign
the Houthis have lost any territory, nor indeed that they are backing
away from the villages they are currently contesting.
Pro-Saudi Officials Claim Scores of Houthis Killed in South Yemen Fighting
Houthis reportedly seeking to add to gains in the Dhalea Province
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.
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