Raids hit southern Yemen

Sanaa

Saudi-led coalition warplanes carried out fresh raids on rebel positions in southern Yemen yesterday as pro-government tribesmen advanced on Shia Huthi strongholds in the north, tribal and army sources said.

On the political front, Iran said it backed UN-brokered efforts to relaunch political talks but was opposed to foreign interference in Yemen’s conflict, in which it backs the rebels.

Coalition warplanes twice bombed a Huthi gathering on a hill overlooking Taez, from which rebels have been attacking residential neighbourhoods of Yemen’s third city, a local government official said. 

He said four civilians were killed and six wounded in overnight mortar fire by the rebel forces -- Huthis and renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The warplanes also struck rebel positions in nearby Daleh as well launching three dawn raids on Al Anad air base in the southern province of Lahj, military sources said.

Arms depots of pro-Saleh forces at Dhamar and Baida provinces in central Yemen also came under air attack several times, residents said.

In main southern city Aden, witnesses reported sporadic fighting on the northern outskirts between rebel militia and forces loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

A rebel leader, Nabil Al Hashidi, was killed late Wednesday when pro-Hadi fighters stormed his hideout in Aden, tribal sources said, accusing him of “spying” for Iran.

In the rebel-held northern province of Jawf, pro-Hadi tribesmen seized control of Yatamah, a town on the border with Saudi Arabia, tribal sources said.