5 killed in Yemen fighting

By Murad al-Arifi

SANAA (AA) - Five people were killed in armed clashes Friday between government forces and Houthi rebels in central Yemen.

The violence broke out in western Taiz after Houthi rebels attempted to advance into the area in an effort to capture a strategic mountain there, pro-government forces said in a statement.

According to the statement, three Houthi rebels and allied forces were killed and eight others injured.

“Two pro-government forces were also killed and five others injured in the violence,” it added.

There was no comment from the Houthi group on the claim.

Meanwhile, government forces backed by Saudi-led warplanes reportedly captured several positions in the southern Lahij province after clashes with Houthi rebels.

Yemen has been ravaged by civil war since late 2014, when Houthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa and forced the government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee to Riyadh.

The conflict escalated last year when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive military campaign aimed at reversing Houthi military gains and restoring Hadi’s government.

More than 3 million Yemenis have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in the Arab country, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.