Yemeni fighters, not Saudi, struck the rebels in Razeh, army spokesman says

By Nasser Arrabyee/14/12/2009

The spokesman of the Yemeni army Askar Zuel denied that Saudi warplanes struck rebels' positions in Razeh west of Sa'ada on Sunday, saying the warplanes were Yemenis.

Al Houthi rebels had alleged that the Saudi fighter jets struck the area of Bani Muen in Razeh more than 50 times killing more 70 and injuring more than 100 people of them.

"Bani Meen is the stronghold of the rebels in Razeh, and the air raids were carried out by Yemeni warplanes against Al Houthi fighters in that area," Zuel told reporters Monday. The military official did not give any more details about the air strikes, which were described as the bloodiest in the area of Razeh near the Saudi borders.

Eyewitnesses and local sources, the raids targeted groups of Al Houthi fighters and about 100 of them were killed and injured.



An in air raids on Mutrah, the main stronghold of the rebel leadership, Mohammed Badr Al Deen Al Houthi, brother the top leader Abdul Malik, miraculously survived an raid which targeted his hideout on Sunday in Mutrah. The air strikes continued Monday as the sounds of the war planes could be heard over the capital Sana'a since very early morning.


Meanwhile, at least five field leaders of Al Houthi rebels were killed in special operations in the areas around Sa'ada city and Al Malahaid, according to military sources.

Four of them were killed in the areas around Sa'ada city, where rebels try continuously to implement suicide attacks on the troops to reduce the pressure on their comrades blockaded in the old city of Sa'ada.

These four were identified as Hussein Besher, Hussein Najm, Abdullah Kaed Al Bude'e and Abu Hadi. The fifth rebel field leader was identified as Faraj Ahmed Salem Faraj. He was killed with a number of rebels when their two cars were destroyed in Al Malahaid.

Sources from the neighboring eastern province of Al Jawf said Monday that four rebels surrendered themselves to the deputy governor of Al Jawf. The field leader Naji Rukan was one of those surrendered the sources said.