Dozens killed as battle for Yemen’s Marib flares between government forces and Houthi rebels
- The Iran-backed rebels are seeking to seize control of Marib and its surrounding oilfields, the Yemeni government’s last stronghold in the north
- The renewed fighting over Marib comes after the failure of a diplomatic push by the United Nations, United States and regional nations to secure a ceasefire
Renewed battles between government forces and Houthi rebels over the strategic city of Marib in northern Yemen have left 47 dead, including 16 pro-government forces, military sources said on Saturday.
The Iran-backed rebels are seeking to seize control of Marib and its surrounding oilfields, the Yemeni government’s last stronghold in the north after six years of fighting that has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis.
Diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Yemen had intensified, in parallel with the fierce campaign for control of Marib, which has left thousands dead on both sides.
But with no agreement in sight, the fighting has flared again after a lull over the past month.
Sources with the internationally recognised government said 16 soldiers from their ranks were killed, including six officers, on Saturday. The insurgents rarely report their casualties.
The Houthis “launched attacks on various fronts, in an attempt to advance, but they were mostly repelled,” one of the officials said.