Yemen: Several dozen killed in clashes between rebels and government forces

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Clashes between Shi’ite Huthi groups and government forces in Northern Yemen have led to the deaths of several dozen people in the past 24 hours after a ceasefire between both parties had collapsed, military and tribal sources said.

According to sources, the fighting began on Sunday, and continued intermittently on Monday near the Jabal al-Dhine region, a mountainous area around 50 kilometers to the north of capital Sana’a. Government forces were reportedly able to repel three rebel attacks that were supported by armed tribesmen; they were able to kill 23 of the attackers, sources said. The clashes near the Jabal al-Dhine region on the southern entrance of the Amran province led to the death of several soldiers as well, the source added. A military official had earlier said that three soldiers were killed in strikes late on Sunday.

Rebels were able to advance to the city of Hamdan in the Sana’a province, sparking clashes that led to the deaths of 11 Huthis and 12 tribal fighters, army and tribal sources said; it was not possible to verify the death toll independently.

The latest round of clashes between government security forces and Shi’ite Huthi rebels, also known as Ansarullah, on Sunday ended the 11-day truce between the two, after mediation from UN envoy Jamal Benomar. The Huthis have been suspected of trying to broaden the region they influence. Yemen consists of six regions, and the Huthis are trying to move away from the mountainous region in the north to areas much closer to Sana’a. They have complained that the federalization plan agreed during the Yemeni political transition in February will only divide the nation into poor and rich regions.

They have for years been battling the central government, ever since they have been marginalized by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, ousted during the 2012 uprising. In February, the Huthis had captured parts of Amran province after clashes with local tribesman that led to the deaths of over 150 people.