4 Houthi rebels killed in Yemen ambush

By Mohamed al-Samai

SANAA (AA) – Four Houthi rebels were reportedly killed Tuesday in an ambush by pro-government forces in central Yemen.

Pro-government fighters attacked a Houthi patrol in Mashaba area in the central al-Bayda’ province, a pro-government commander told Anadolu Agency.

“Four Houthi militants were killed in the attack,” he added anonymously due to security concerns.

He said no casualties were reported among pro-government fighters.

The Houthi group could not be reached for comment on the claim.

Yemen has been wracked by chaos since late 2014, when the Shia Houthi group and their allies overran capital Sanaa and other parts of the country.

The conflict escalated in March of last year when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a major air campaign aimed at reversing Houthi gains and supporting Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.

Nearly 7,000 people have been killed in the Yemeni conflict -- more than half of them civilians -- while another three million are estimated to have been displaced amid a spread of malnutrition and disease.