Dozens of Houthis surrender to government forces in northern Yemen: Yemeni media

Mohammed Sameai and Lina Altawell

Dozens of Houthi fighters surrendered to government forces in northern Yemen, Yemeni state television said Monday.

“Dozens of Houthi militia fighters surrendered themselves and their weapons to the armed forces in Al-Jawf (province),” Yemen TV said in an urgent report.

It did not provide further details on the number of fighters.

The development came as government forces launched a military operation in Al-Jawf, where state media reported that government forces captured positions in the province toward Al-Labanat camp.

Mansour al-Zaylai, media official for the government’s First Emergency Division, said government forces “succeeded in securing the Upper Al-Labanat and Lower Al-Labanat areas.”

“The forces captured important strategic positions in Al-Jawf and advanced toward Al-Labanat camp,” state-run Saba news agency reported.

In a related development in the southwestern city of Taiz, a military source said government forces targeted large Houthi reinforcements heading to the Al-Barh and Maqbanah fronts west of the city, Yemen TV reported.

The reinforcements were targeted near Al-Rawd School, close to the Sharaab junction and Al-Rubei area west of Taiz, the source said.

More than 21 military vehicles and pickups carrying fighters, military equipment and weapons were part of the reinforcements, which were also heading to attack Mount Han, the source added.

The strikes caused significant losses among Houthi fighters and vehicles and prevented the reinforcements from reaching the battlefronts, according to the source.

Several fronts in Yemen have witnessed an escalation in fighting in recent days between government forces and the Houthis, particularly in Taiz, Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda.