Yemen army retakes strategic plateau from Houthi rebels

By Mohamed al-Samei

SANAA (AA) - The Yemeni army and pro-government “popular resistance” forces on Tuesday recaptured a strategic plateau from Houthi rebels in Yemen’s central Al-Bayda province, according to a local official.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency by phone, Mosaad al-Salahi, director-general of Al-Bayda’s Nati Directorate, said that Yemeni forces had wrested control of the strategic Al-Kataf Mountain region.

During the operation, government forces killed at least two Houthi snipers, he said, going on to note that the strategic plateau overlooked a number of villages in the directorate.

“Most of Nati Directorate is now under government control,” al-Salahi said.

Houthi spokesmen, for their part, have yet to confirm the official’s assertions.

Yemen has remained dogged by conflict since 2014, when the Shia Houthi militia overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies launched a wide-ranging military campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains and shoring up Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.