Pro-Saudi forces in southern Yemen today overran and captured the important military base of al-Anad, just 60 km from the southern port city of Aden.
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The Defense Ministry, from Saudi Arabia where the Yemeni government is in exile, announced the “liberation of Al-Anad military base”, thanking the Saudi-led coalition that has been targeting the rebels, known as Houthis, in an air-campaign since March.
The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, renewed his call on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict, based on a plan involving Houthi withdrawals from main cities to pave the way for the exiled government’s return.
Their seizure of Al-Anad base in a 24-hour assault using heavy armour supplied by the coalition came after hundreds of Gulf Arab troops landed in Aden to bolster the loyalist fightback.
At least 50 Houthi fighters and troops loyal to Hadi were killed in the battle for al-Anad base, military sources told Al Jazeera.
“The nationwide military and the favored resistance have accomplished management of the al-Anadmilitary and air base”, the operation commander, Brigadier-Basic Fadel Hassan, advised Reuters by phone.
Clashes took place across the southern province of Lahj, most of which is now back in the hands of the Saudi-backed loyalist forces.
Fawzi said that after Egypt, Ould Cheikh Ahmed would go to Oman, where he has previously met Houthi representatives, and to Riyadh, home to Hadi’s government in exile, and then to New York to brief the United Nations Security Council.
Despite losing Aden, the Huthi rebels and their allies remain in control of large swathes of Yemen, including the capital, which they overran last September. A military source said the troops arrived in Yemen’s second city on Sunday with tanks and armored vehicles.
The airport reopened on July 22, allowing planes to land with supplies from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
“They have been forced together by the Houthi threat but they have different agendas”.
It would also open the way to loyalist forces to push further north against the Houthis, who have enjoyed strong support on the ground from fighters close to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The Yemeni army has been split since the Houthis’ advance past year.
Sunni militants of both al Qaeda and the Islamic State group have carried out deadly attacks against the Shia rebels and their supporters, whom they regard as apostates. The Obama administration has said that the Saudis are exaggerating the ties between Tehran and the Houthi rebels, who control Sana, the capital, and other parts of Yemen.
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All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
