Baydha (Debriefer) - Battles have been boiling again since the beginning of this week in the Yemeni central governorate of Baydha between the internationally-recognized government and the Houthi group.
During the last two days, Houthi fighters seized the strategic mountain of Nowfan overlooking all the southern areas of the northeastern governorate of Marib, Houthi sources told Debriefer.
The fighters "separated Yakla area in Baydha from Thee Kalib village," the sources added, which means supply routes were disconnected from Marib to Thee Kalib, al-Najd and Leqah al-Awsat and the "takfeerieen" in Yakla were besieged from two sides.
The group "made great advance in Baydha and neared southern areas of Marib," they claimed, despite the Arab coalition support for government troops with intensified airstrikes that "failed to curb the Houthi advance."
Yakla fighting left "two senior leaders of al-Qaeda; Mabkhoot Salem al-Aamiri and Aamir Hussein al-Aamiri, killed."
On Monday, pro-government local media said the official army – backed by tribal gunmen in Qaifa, to the northwest of Baydha city – retook control of Nowfan Mont from Houthis after fierce counter offensive at which heavy weapons were used.
"The government troops destroyed two tanks and two vehicles and killed a leader of the group," military sources told local media, without identifying the leader.
According to the government sources, many of the official troops, including Moath Jabr (a field leader called Abu Soraima) and two of his guards, were killed.
The government-Houthi continuing battles will likely expand to other areas of Baydha near to Marib.
By its attack on Nowfan Mont, the Houthi group seeks to have full control over Baydha and choke government troops in Marib, observers tells Debriefer.
