8 killed in violent battles in Yemen

By Murad al-Arifi

TAIZ, Yemen (AA) – Eight people were killed and 17 injured Friday in a bomb attack and clashes between Houthi militants and pro-government forces in Yemen, local sources told Anadolu Agency.

Three civilians were killed and four others injured when an improvised bomb was detonated near a market place in the central Taiz province, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity due safety concerns.

Houthi rebels suffered the brunt of the attack with five killed and eight injured. Five allied troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh were injured in the clashes.

Yemen has been racked by chaos since late 2014, when Houthis and their allies overran the capital of Sanaa and other parts of the country, forcing President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and his Saudi-backed government to temporarily flee to Riyadh.

Last March, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive military campaign in Yemen aimed at reversing Houthi gains and restoring Hadi’s embattled government.

Approximately 80 Emirati military personnel have reportedly since been killed fighting the Shia militant group.

In April, the Yemeni government and the Houthis agreed to UN-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait aimed at resolving the conflict that has killed more than 6,400 victims and forced 2.5 million others to flee their homes.