Some 16 Al Houthi rebels killed

By Nasser Arrabyee/22/09/2009

More than 16 Al Houthi rebels were killed in fierce confrontations with the army around Sa'ada city, military sources said Tuesday.

At least 13 Al Houthi rebels were killed in an assault they launched against the mountain of Al Sama'a which overlooks the city of Sa'ada, said the sources .

The other attackers of Al Houthi rebels escaped after the army thwarted their attack, said the sources.

A sniper killed three rebels in Harf Sufyan.

"The sniper, the hero soldier, Zaidan Al Ansi killed today three rebels including a field leader, while infiltrating to Wadi Shahwan, in Harf Sufyan," said an official statement," said a military statement.

"A number of soldiers and citizens were martyred and injured in those attacks," the statement said.

Four cars laden with weapons and ammunitions were destroyed in the west of Dammaj and Al Ain checkpoint, the statement said.

The rebels also attacked the village of Al Okab, which around to the city of Sa'ada, and they positioned there after the citizens left their houses, added the sources.

The spokesman of Al Houthi, Mohammed Abdul Salam, denied that the rebels launched attacks insisting they were only defending themselves.

"The army forced tens of families to leave their houses in Bani Muath, Al Okab, Mazrat Al Hadi, and Manzel Al Hadi," he said.

"The army tried to launch assaults on these areas but we, with the help of Allah, fought them back."

The confrontations continued Tuesday in the three main frontlines: around Sa'ada city, Harf Sufyan, and Al Malahaid. Three fragile truces failed to stop the war which erupted on August 10^th, 2009.