68 Al Houthi fighters arrested including 26 Somalis

By Nasser Arrabyee/20/11/2009

A total of 68 Al Houthi rebels were arrested including 26 Somalis in different places in Sa'ada, defense ministry said Friday.

A group of six of them were arrested in Al Malahaid far west of Sa'ada and the 36 other were arrested in the areas around Sa'ada city, the ministry said in an official statement sent to media.

The terrorists Fayed Taleb Ghaithan, Abdullah Mohammed Al Khayami were among those arrested, the statement said.

The 26 Somalis, arrested while fighting with Al Houthi rebels against the government troops, were sent to the central prison in the capital Sana'a, where they will be referred to the prosecution on charges of participating in an armed gang for fighting with Al Houthi rebels.

Dozens of both sides were killed and injured when the army repelled an attack by Al Houthi rebels a government building at the outskirt of Sa'ada city known as Al Camp and called by Al Houthis the republican palace.

Despite the fact that Sa'ada city is surrounded by military camps from all directions since the beginning of this war last August, Al Houthi rebels have been trying to attack and control the city.

"The repeated failed attacks on Sa'ada is suicide acts from defeated elements led by the pampered child Abdul Malik Al Houthi who does not know the consequences of what's he doing," said the official statement.
The army continues tightening the noose on the rebels by imposing a blockade on the remaining strongholds from all directions. Thursday and Friday, leaflets calling the misled rebels to surrender, were distributed all over Sa'ada by helicopters.

"Return to your homes, your families, and safety is guaranteed for you, return to your children, who will raise and take care of your children if you do not return to them?," said some of the leaflets.

In Al Malahaid frontline where the rebels fight the two armies of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, eyewitnesses said they saw Al Houthi rebels transporting their dead bodies and injured in five cars on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Saudi air strikes, artillery, and bombardments on the rebels' positions continued Thursday and Friday.

The Saudi website, Jazan news, said that 44 Al Houthi rebels were killed in combing operations by the Saudi army in the areas around the Al Dukhan mountain which overlooks the lands of both countries. The website also said that 3 Saudi soldiers were killed and 11 others injured two of them seriously, in those operations.