Yemen: Airstrikes target rebel positions in Sanaa
The Saudi-led coalition has continued its air war in Yemen targeting rebel-held positions in the capital Sanaa, as a Saudi soldier killed on the border.
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The Saudi-led coalition began action against Houthi rebels in March [Getty]
The Saudi-led coalition carried out air raids in rebel-held Sanaa and the central province of Ibb on Wednesday, as a Saudi soldier was killed in shelling from across the border.
"Coalition war planes bombed the Sabaha military base and other military positons south of the capital this morning. I could hear repeated explosions and anti-aircraft fire," a Sanaa local told The New Arab.
A Saudi soldier died on Tuesday in a strike on a border guards' observation post in the Harth district of Jazan in the kingdom's south, the Saudi Ministry of Defence has said.
Around 90 civilians and soldiers have been killed in shelling and skirmishes in Saudi border regions since March when a Saudi-led military coalition began air and ground action in Yemen against the Houthi rebels.
In Ibb, air raids targeted Houthi positions in the al-Sabra district, a day after the rebels blew up seven abandoned homes in the village of al-Arish.
"Militiamen planted explosives in the houses and blew them up. Villagers had fled because of intense shelling from the rebels," a local told The New Arab.
Also on Tuesday, rebels lost ground to pro-government forces around the flash point city of Taiz, which has been under a crippling siege for nine months.
Government troops took control of the majority of the town of al-Misrakh to the south of Taiz city after fierce clashes with rebels.
Loyalists to President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi backed by the Saudi-led coalition have fought back and for weeks been trying to retake Taiz province and pave the way towards the rebel-held capital.
The Saudi-led coalition is supporting local forces against the Houthi rebels who seized territory, including the capital Sanaa, from the internationally recognised government.
A UN panel of experts said on Tuesday that the Saudi-led coalition has carried out 119 sorties that have violated humanitarian law.
The report said that the UN Security Council should consider setting up the inquiry to "investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Yemen by all parties and to identify the perpetrators of such violations".
More than 5,800 people have been killed in Yemen since March, about half of them civilians, according to the UN.
"Coalition war planes bombed the Sabaha military base and other military positons south of the capital this morning. I could hear repeated explosions and anti-aircraft fire," a Sanaa local told The New Arab.
A Saudi soldier died on Tuesday in a strike on a border guards' observation post in the Harth district of Jazan in the kingdom's south, the Saudi Ministry of Defence has said.
Around 90 civilians and soldiers have been killed in shelling and skirmishes in Saudi border regions since March when a Saudi-led military coalition began air and ground action in Yemen against the Houthi rebels.
In Ibb, air raids targeted Houthi positions in the al-Sabra district, a day after the rebels blew up seven abandoned homes in the village of al-Arish.
"Militiamen planted explosives in the houses and blew them up. Villagers had fled because of intense shelling from the rebels," a local told The New Arab.
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| Around 90 civilians and soldiers have been killed on the Saudi border [Getty] |
Government troops took control of the majority of the town of al-Misrakh to the south of Taiz city after fierce clashes with rebels.
Loyalists to President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi backed by the Saudi-led coalition have fought back and for weeks been trying to retake Taiz province and pave the way towards the rebel-held capital.
The Saudi-led coalition is supporting local forces against the Houthi rebels who seized territory, including the capital Sanaa, from the internationally recognised government.
A UN panel of experts said on Tuesday that the Saudi-led coalition has carried out 119 sorties that have violated humanitarian law.
The report said that the UN Security Council should consider setting up the inquiry to "investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Yemen by all parties and to identify the perpetrators of such violations".
More than 5,800 people have been killed in Yemen since March, about half of them civilians, according to the UN.
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