April 10 Aden news: An official of the Yemeni coalition government said on the 10th that in the past 24 hours, there has been a fierce exchange of fire between government forces and Houthis in Malib province in central Yemen, killing at least 25 government soldiers and 33 Houthi members.
The official, who declined to be named, also said that with the support of Saudi Arabia-led multinational coalition air fire, the government forces “successfully repelled the Houthis”.
Sources from the Houthis said that the Saudi-led multinational coalition launched an air strike on military personnel of the armed forces in Marib province on the 10th, but did not disclose the specific number of casualties.
Malib Province is the main oil producing area of Yemen and the headquarters of the multinational coalition force. Since January this year, there have been many fierce exchange of fire between Houthis and Yemeni government forces in the province, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of thousands of families.
In September 2014, Yemeni Houthis captured the capital Sana’a and then occupied southern Yemen. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and other countries launched a military operation code-named “Decisive Storm” against the Houthis. In December 2018, under the mediation of the United Nations, the Yemeni government and Houthis agreed on ceasefire, prisoner exchange and other issues, but soon the two sides accused each other of breaking the ceasefire agreement. In December 2020, the Yemeni government formed a coalition government with the Southern Transitional Council. At this point, most of southern Yemen has achieved nominal unity.
