SANAA: At least 23 people were killed in a fierce confrontation between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels in the southern province of Lahj on Sunday. As combat escalated, the Yemeni government condemned the Houthis for rejecting peace initiatives to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
The Houthi insurgents launched an assault on government troops in Lahj’s Yafae region, igniting intense fighting that resulted in the deaths of 15 Houthis and eight pro-government soldiers, along with injuries to at least ten others.
Mohammed Al-Naqeeb, a spokesperson for pro-independence southern forces controlling Yafae, characterized the Houthi attack as their most substantial and deadliest in recent months. He further noted that their forces successfully repelled the Houthi offensive, compelling them to retreat after suffering substantial casualties.
Al-Naqeeb asserted, “The Houthi militia’s assault on Yafae is a response to all concessions offered by the legitimate government and peace initiatives.”
Houthi Rebels’ Attacks in Yemen
While hostilities have considerably decreased since the UN-brokered truce came into effect early last year, tensions persist outside the government-controlled city of Marib. Yemeni government officials have reported continued Houthi attacks on residential neighborhoods and military targets in areas such as Lahj, Marib, and Taiz.
Local press reports, citing Houthi media, revealed that the militia has laid to rest over 4,000 fighters killed in battle since the start of the current year.
The Houthi assault on Yafae followed accusations by Sultan Al-Aradah, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, who accused the Houthis of obstructing peace efforts. Al-Aradah reiterated the government’s commitment to respond militarily to Houthi attacks on oil facilities.
Al-Aradah conveyed during a gathering of government officials in Marib, “We assure you, in the name of the political leadership, that we will restore our state, either through peace through the United Nations, which is what we are seeking, or through the valor of the armed forces, security, and popular resistance.”
With a resumption of peace negotiations in mind, the UN envoy has intensified diplomatic engagements to break the deadlock created when the Houthis declined to renew the UN-brokered truce in October.
A Yemeni government official told Arab News that ongoing peace endeavors, facilitated by either the UN envoy or Omani mediators, focus on persuading the Houthis to renew the truce and engage in end-of-war discussions.
The official, who requested anonymity, stated, “Mediators are engaging in discussions with the Houthis in an effort to persuade them of certain outstanding details and what is required to renew the cease-fire and build on it to initiate a comprehensive political process.”
