At least 150 Al Houthi rebels killed in heavy battles

By Nasser Arrabyee/20/09/2009

At least 150 Al Houthi rebels were killed and 20 injured and 70 arrested around Sa'ada city in the fiercest battles since the war erupted early last August, local sources said Sunday. Two soldiers were killed in repelling those attacks, according to the same sources.

The sources made it clear that Al Houthi rebels tried to attack and control the city of Sa'ada from three directions early morning on Sunday but the troops drove them back killing all these numbers.

Neither the army nor Al Houthis rebels confirmed the number of the causalities, but military officials confirmed that the army drove back hundreds of Al Houthi rebels who tried to attack Sa'ada city from three directions early morning Sunday, the first day of Eid Al Fetr.

The rebels and terrorists attacke Makash check point, Ain check point, and mountain of Al Sama'a," said a military statement.

The military officials said only heavy "losses were inflicted on the rebels in those attacks," without mentioning the number of the casualties.

More than six Al Houthi rebels were also killed in attacks they tried to restore a position which was controlled by the army two days ago in Harf Sufyan, one of the three main frontlines where the rebels block the road between the capital Sana'a and Sa'ada city.

“Al Houthis tried to restore Al Shaqra position in Harf Sufyan, but the army repelled them and killed six of them while the rest escaped," local sources said.

Al Houthi, in statements sent to media, denied the attacks around Sa'ada city and in Harf Sufyan saying the government was only using them as justifications to continue its aggression.