Some 17 people including 10 rebels killed in clashes inside the old city of Sa'ada, Iranian official to visit Yemen on war

By Nasser Arrabyee/17/10/2009


More than 10 Al Houthi rebels were killed in fierce clashes inside the old city of Sa'ada between armed local residents supported by the government and the rebels living in the same city, local sources said.

At least 7 armed people were killed including three security men in the fiercest clashes that the city has ever witnessed, sources from the city said.

The sources also said that the local residents of the old city decided today to get rid of the rebels from the city after one of their houses was destroyed by the rebels, who put mines under the house.

Sporadic clashes continued all the day in the old city, although it has been surrounded by the security forces from all directions since the beginning of the war. The rebels who fight are from among the residents of city.

In the western frontline of Al Malahaid, the army says controls the most important posts. The fighters bombed the hideouts of the rebels in Razeh where the rebels wanted to push the population into the fighting by force.

Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said Saturday he would visit Yemen to talk with Yemeni officials about the war in Sa'ada.

"I will convey a letter from President Najad to the Yemeni President Saleh, we seek to bring peace to this country, and the Yemeni officials welcomed this visit," The Iranian news agency (IRNA) quoted Mottaki as saying.

The visit, whose timing was not determined by the official, came after semi-official accusations for Iran of supporting Al Houthi rebels with weapons including missiles against armors.

Press reports say that an Iranian ship laden with the missiles sailed from an African harbour across the Red sea to the Yemeni harbour of Midi which is close to Al Malahaid where Al Houthi rebels opened a new frontline in this round of war which started last August 10th.