Fierce fighting in northern Yemen kills at least 75

Fighting was said to have erupted near the town of Harad which was captured by government forces two days ago.

A military alliance of mostly Gulf Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia began bombing Yemen’s Houthi movement, an ally of Iran, in March to try to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The loyalists extended their gains in Al Jawf on Saturday, capturing Al Maton district and advancing on Al Ghayl district, according to sources in the pro-government Popular Resistance militia.

Local residents in Maarib, however, who reported hearing loud explosions, said the missiles had been intercepted by a missile defense system set up by the Saudi-led coalition.

Two Indian expatriates along with a Saudi citizen were killed on Saturday by a missile fired across the borders with Yemen.

But contrary to the coalition claim of shooting one down over Marib, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman said a Tochka missile hit a base for “mercenaries” there.

Yemeni security sources and witnesses say fierce fighting in northern Yemen’s Hajjah province near the Saudi border has killed more than 75 troops over the past three days.

In mid-November of this year, Hadi returned to Yemen’s second city Aden, which he declared the provisional capital.

The UN announced a first breakthrough in the talks on Thursday, saying the sides had agreed to “allow for a full and immediate resumption of humanitarian assistance” in the flashpoint Yemeni city of Taez.

Speaking at a news conference in Bern, U.N. special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said the talks between the internationally recognized government and Shiite rebels were hindered by violations of the truce that went into effect last Tuesday.

Hospital sources said on Saturday that limited medical aid had reached a few Houthi-controlled districts in the central city of Taiz, one of the worst-affected cities.

But officials at the talks from the Houthi delegation as well as from the government side said the Houthis would not release the prisoners unless the United Nations consolidates the cease-fire.

In another move that had been seen as promising, the pro-government forces and rebels completed an exchange of hundreds of prisoners in the southern province of Lahj on Thursday.

At least 5,800 people have been killed and over 27,000 wounded in Yemen since March, according to the UN.

The fighting escalated on 19 December, after the Saudi-led coalition, which supports the Yemen government, advanced towards the Red Sea port of Midi.