Strike Hits South Yemen Base, Killing Five; Houthis Blamed

Scores of soldiers reported wounded in blast

Over the weekend, an explosion hit a Yemeni military base in Mudiyah, in Abyan Province. The attack killed at least five soldiers and wounded some 40 others.

Government reports are that the attack was carried out by the Houthis, though the Houthis have not yet commented on the matter. It is highly unusual for the Houthis to target anything this far south.

Fighting this far south usually involves the southern separatist STC, though the Saudis are rejecting any suggestion that might be the case, saying the government and STC agreed to stop trading attacks for now.

Recently, the Houthis have mostly focused on the northern city of Maarib, the last government-held city in the north. The fighting over Maarib has been bloody, but so far indecisive.

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.