4 rebels killed 12 arrested

By Nasser Arrabyee/06/10/2009

At least 4 Al Houthi rebels were killed and 12 others arrested inside the city of Sa'ada and the areas around it, officials said Tuesday.

"The terrorists Abu Kawthar, Abu Akeel, Abu Bakeel, and Abu Thar were killed in a swift operation implemented on the hideout of the terrorist Ali Abdullah Bukhtan," said a military statement.

A car and a 12.7 machine gun were also destroyed in the attack, which was implemented in the areas around the Sa'ada city where rebels tried repeatedly to take control despite defeats and losses.

A group of six rebels were arrested Monday inside the old city of Sa'ada and the other six were arrested in the areas around the city, said Mohammed Abdullah Al Kawsi, deputy minister of interior.

Al Kawsi, who is based in Sa'ada city from the beginning of the war, is the official in charge of supervising special operations implemented against hidden fighters of Al Houthi in some zones of the old city.

Al Kawsi made it clear that the number of those arrested in the old city from the beginning of the war on August 10^th, is now about 200 rebels. But, he said 40 of them were released after being proved not involved in the armed rebellion.

Two workshops used by the rebels for making mines and explosives were destroyed by air strikes at Oraig area which is between Sakeen and Haidan districts, said the military statement.

"The workshops remained afire for hours after the bombing," the statement said.

The car of the rebel field leader Roh Allah Al Katabiri was destroyed with the fighters on board in Al Salem area, the statement said.

On their side, the rebels said they shot down a Mig 29 fighter over the areas around Sa'ada city, specifically in Al Makash area late Monday. The army confessed, but said that a Russian-made Sokhoi fighter crashed over the area due to a technical fault.

This is the second fighter to be crashed within one week, from the beginning of the war.

The army has been focusing on air strikes over the last few days with the troops making no progress in the ground in almost all the frontlines.

Military experts say air bombings will pave the way for a massive ground attack on the remaining strongholds of the rebels.

The President Ali Abdullah Saleh met earlier this week in the capital Sana'a with new brigades who were in their way to Sa'ada for enhancing the big forces already there.