Foreign Affairs

bemildred

(90,061 posts) Wed Aug 19, 2015, 07:56 AM Aug 2015

Yemen's rebels ambush pro-government forces, kill scores

CAIRO (AP) -- Yemeni rebels ambushed pro-government forces in the south on Tuesday, setting off a major battle that killed 65 anti-rebel forces and handed them their first serious setback following a series of recent advances, officials said.

The officials said 15 Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, were killed in the fighting near the Aqaba Tharaa area, where anti-rebel forces were advancing from Abyan into Bayda province.

The officials, who hailed from both sides of the conflict, said the rebels destroyed at least eight armored vehicles and four tanks, which were left burning. The officials said both sides were rushing reinforcements to the area, with the Houthis attempting to squeeze the pocket closed and their opponents attempting to break out.

Dozens of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition opposing the rebels hit the mountainous area, but had yet to open up the rebels' positions.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_YEMEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-08-18-13-39-15

1 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Yemen's rebels ambush pro-government forces, kill scores (Original Post) bemildred Aug 2015 OP

AP interview: Red Cross chief decries Yemen violence bemildred Aug 2015 #1

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

1. AP interview: Red Cross chief decries Yemen violence

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Wed Aug 19, 2015, 08:03 AM

Aug 2015

GENEVA (AP) -- The head of the international Red Cross says "Yemen after five months looks like Syria after five years."

Peter Maurer, fresh off a trip to Yemen, said entrenched poverty, months of intensified warfare and limits on imports because of an international embargo have contributed to "catastrophic" conditions. The conflict has left more than 1,900 people dead since March.

In an interview, Maurer contrasted Yemen's war with others in the Middle East "where infrastructures are better off, and people are wealthier and have reserves and can escape."

The conflict pits Shiite rebels known as Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, militias, Sunni militants and troops loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is in exile in Saudi Arabia.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RED_CROSS_YEMEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-08-19-07-13-24

Reply to this discussion