Heavy losses in Taiz
The Yemeni Army announced late on Monday the death of 129 Houthi group members over two days in clashes and raids in Taiz governorate in the southwest of the country. The Taiz military axis, affiliated with the army, stated in a bulletin that the attack on "Houthi militia control sites in Al-Masrakh directorate south of Taiz continues, amidst heavy losses for the militia."
Raid and air raid operations
The axis noted that "the attack is launched by the army forces in the Taiz axis, supported by the popular resistance and local residents, for the second consecutive day." According to the axis, "a group of the army carried out a successful raid operation on a militia site at the Al-Aqroud front, resulting in casualties among militia members." Also, the warplane conducted "13 air raids on Monday evening targeting militia sites, weapons, equipment, arms depots, and personnel gatherings in scattered areas in Taiz governorate."
Details of strikes and siege
The axis clarified that among the targeted areas were "Al-Sittin Street to the north, Taiz Airport in Al-Jand to the east, Al-Rabiei to the northwest of the city, Al-Dabab to the west, and Al-Maafir and Al-Masrakh directorates to the south." It added: "129 Houthi elements were killed, and 176 others were injured by our forces' fire and air strikes over the past 48 hours." As of 06:15 "UTC", the Houthi group had not responded to what the Taiz axis announced.
Geographic and military context
Taiz holds strategic importance as it is the geographical bridge and vital link between northern governorates such as Ibb and Sanaa, and southern ones such as Lahj and Aden. Controlling it means controlling supply lines and transport arteries connecting the temporary capital Aden with central and northern governorates. It also oversees the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait via the port of Al-Mukha on the Red Sea, includes an important coastal strip, and is the largest of Yemen's 22 governorates by population (about 12 percent of the total population). Since the escalation resumed last July, fighting has continued on several fronts, with Taiz witnessing the most significant field developments, as government forces and their allies announced regaining control over the Bab al-Mandab strait and areas in Dhul Bab directorate. Meanwhile, the Houthis imposed a suffocating siege on the city of Taiz (the center of the governorate bearing the same name) from the northern, western, and eastern heights, following their field advances in areas in the countryside of Taiz governorate. Yemen has been witnessing a war since the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa and several governorates in September 2014, before an Arab coalition led by neighboring Saudi Arabia intervened in March 2015 in support of the legitimate Yemeni government. Overall, the Houthis control most of the northern and western governorates, including Sanaa, Saada, Amran, Dhamar (north), Al-Hudaydah (west), Ibb (southwest), Al-Mahwit, and Raymah (northwest), and exercise partial control in Hajjah (northwest), Al-Bayda', Marib (central), Al-Jawf (north), Al-Dhale', and Taiz (southwest). Meanwhile, government forces and their allies control the temporary capital Aden (south), and the governorates of Al-Mahra and Hadhramaut (east), Shabwa and Abyan (south), and most of Lahj and Al-Dhale' governorates (southwest), as well as parts of Taiz (southwest), Marib (central), Al-Jawf, Hajjah, and Saada.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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