Three rebel leaders killed

By Nasser Arrabyee/04/09/2009

Three rebel leaders were killed and another was injured as fierce battles continued between Al Houthi rebels and government troops North West of the country, military sources said Friday.

"The terrorists Jarallah Mohammed Esmail, Ali Abdu Rabu jabal, and Abdul Azeez Al Aremi, were killed in an attack carried out by the troops on a position of the rebels in Al Malahaidh," the military sources said.

The rebel leader Hussein Yahya Hanash was injured in another attack, the sources added. Hanash is one of the 55 rebel leaders who were put in a list as wanted by the prosecution office earlier last month.

The army, which launches unprecedented operations known as the scorched earth operations, said it also destroyed two cars of the rebels laden with weapons on the way to Damaj area, and two check points established by the rebels on the way to Al Manzalah in Al Malahaid.

On their part, Al Houthi rebels repeatedly accused Saudi Arabia of participating in the war and supporting the government troops with weapons.

The rebels published Thursday a video footage showing various weapons which, they said, came from Saudi Arabia.


The military officials denied Al Houthi allegations about the Saudi weapons saying it was only "an attempt to mislead the public opinion and to gain regional sympathy".

Meanwhile, local sources in Sa'ada said dozens of rebels were killed and injured Thursday and Friday in clashes between security forces and Al Houthi supporters inside the city of Sa'ada.

The military sources said anti-terror forces were still surrounding a sleep cell of Al Houthi rebels inside the city of Sa'ada since Thursday until early Friday.

The anti-terror forces would continue surrounding the rebels' cell until they surrender, the sources said.

The Al Houthi sources denied they have any sleep cell in the city of Sa'ada.