Yemeni army calls Al Houthi rebels to surrender before it's too late

By Nasser Arrabyee/18/11/2009


The Yemeni army called on the misled Al Houthi rebels to surrender themselves to certain places in Sa'ada province where fierce battles continue.

In a statement published by state-run media, the ministry of defense said the police stations, local authority buildings, houses of members of parliament and tribal sheikhs, will be the places where the misled rebels can surrender themselves.

The surrendering rebels will not be subjected to any harm and will be humanely treated, the statement said.

New enforcements from the republican guards took their positions in the mountainous areas of Harf Sufyan this week in preparation for a wide ground attack to storm the remaining strongholds of the rebels in Sa'ada, military sources said Wednesday.

A group of 18 rebels were arrested including Abdullah Mohammed Salem Al Sheikh and unspecified numbers of them were surrendered in different places in Sa'ada after this call from the army was released two days ago, the statement said.

The army now focus on air strikes and artillery bombardments on the assemblies of the rebels and movements of their supply.

About 40 Al Houthi rebels were killed over the last two days including three field leaders who were identified by the army as Abbas Aidha, Abu Haidara and Yousef Al Madani. The latter was only injured and miraculously survived, the statement said.

Local sources in Sa'ada said that Aref Jassar was killed Monday in Mahdha near Sa'ada city when the Al Houthi rebels pounded his house with artillery for refusing to fight with them.

About 12 other tribesmen loyal to the government were also injured Monday by Al Houthi fires in different places in Sa'ada, the sources said.

From their side, Al Houthi rebels said the Saudi air strikes and artillery bombardments continued Wednesday on their positions in Al Malahaid, Shada, and Razeh.

In a statement sent to media, the rebels said that 39 Saudi missiles hit their positions in those areas.