Col. Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition invading
Yemen, finally addressed weekend reports of thousands of Saudi troops
being captured, saying that the Houthis’ claims were “misleading.”
The Houthis announced Saturday, and elaborated on the operation Sunday, saying around 500 Saudi soldiers were killed, and thousands of others were captured.
Malki’s statement suggested no fighting in the border region took place
at all, despite the Houthis showing videos of the operation.
Malki suggested that rather than sustaining losses, the Saudis had
actually killed 1,500 Houthis over the past several weeks. He did not
elaborate on how or when that happened, though heavy Saudi airstrikes
have been ongoing in north Yemen.
The Houthis have been showing off vehicles and arms captured in their
offensive, and while the Saudis are claiming none of this happened, they
don’t seem to have an explanation for how such a huge claim would be
“misleading.”
Is the Saudis deny it, then it must be true.
It is cynical to notice a pattern and just project that. Likely true too.
It is just as likely that the underage and ill organized mercenaries simply dissolved and disappeared into the seething mass of young refugees trying to survive the fighting. One 16-year old Muslim boy looks much like another, when all are trying to avoid the fighting. That is the population profile of Yemen anyway, overwhelmingly young, displaced by war, struggling to get by somehow with food for tomorrow.
Unfortunately your comment is based on zero facts and a rather pronounced belief that the Houthis rebels/fighters are totally stupid. This is incorrect. Yes, mercenaries and very young Saudi recruits might appear to look like locals, but they would and do not. These Saudi mercs are not locally recruited, usually and would speak and dress much differently than the locals.
If captured (and not simply deserters, who would also face the same problem of identity) they would be easily recognized and captured. English speakers have little trouble in sorting out locals from non locals. Arabic is full of dialects especially in remote areas. Also there would likely be differences in dress and color, dental work, etc. If captured or on the loose in enemy territory where they are seen as invaders and killers, they are unlikely to melt away unmolested. Rewards are offered and vengeance is a common trait in clan based Yemen. Those not killed or used as hostages will probably be sold as slaves. Just like defeated soldiers have been treated for thousands of years there.
Col. Turki al-Malki nose has already reached his feet!
The Saudi’s killed 1,500 civilians, then proclaimed them “Houthis” postmortem. Like most of their filthier habits, they learned it from us.
“No dead Saudis! Those 500 troops are all on vacation! They will be back, relaxed and ready to murder school children any day now! THAT IS ALL!!”
https://media2.giphy.com/media/u68yT3UFltigg/giphy.gif
I guess that the Saudis hired comical Ali for their PR office.