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Fighting intensifies before Yemen truce

July 26, 2015

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has made gains ahead of a unilaterally-declared ceasefire. Houthi Shiite rebels retreated from north of Aden, to regroup at the country's largest air base, before the truce deadline.

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Kämpfe um den Hafen von Aden
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Muhammed

Forces loyal to internationally-recognized Yemeni President Adebrabbo Mansour Hadi battled Houthi rebels on the northern periphery of the country's second-largest city Aden on Sunday.

At least eight rebels were killed and 20 wounded during clashes in the town of Sabr, on the outskirts of Aden, which also left five pro-government fighters dead and 15 wounded, according to news agency AP.

Rebels are reported to be retreating to the Houthi-controlled al-Anad air base, considered the country's largest.

The loyalist forces - backed by a Saudi-led coalition - are seeking to tighten their control in the port city ahead of a truce declared unilaterally by Saudi Arabia, which is set to begin a minute before midnight (20:59 UTC).

As the truce deadline passed, it was unclear to what extent it would be observed by either side. The coalition announced the desperately-needed humanitarian truce on Saturday, though stipulated that it reserved the right to respond to "military activity or movement."

However, Houthi rebels have cast doubt on the humanitarian truce, with one official saying it could mark "the beginning of a new war," according to AP.

Jemen Taiz Humanitäre Hilfe
Yemen faces severe shortages of food, medicine and fuelImage: Reuters/F. Al Nassar

New weapons offer advantage

Loyalist fighters have taken advantage of recently supplied armored vehicles and weapons.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided the loyalists with more than 300 armored personnel carriers, although they are driven by non-Yemenis training pro-Hadi militia forces on the ground.

Many of the troops fighting in Sabr were trained at military camps in al-Buraiqeh near Aden, where Saudi, Emirati, Egyptian and Jordanian military advisers have set up camps.

More than 3,400 people have been killed - half of them civilians - since the Saudi-led coalition initiated airstrikes against Houthi targets in March, according to UN figures.

Around 13 million people - roughly half the population of Yemen - are in dire need of food and basic amenities. The International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday said the civilian suffering has reached "unprecedented levels."

ls/bk (AP, AFP, Reuters)