Yemeni army says it recaptured areas in Taiz as missile attack kills civilians

Yemen’s army said Friday that its forces had recaptured several areas in the southwestern province of Taiz during clashes with the Houthis. Separately, the Defense Ministry accused the group of firing a ballistic missile at a popular market, killing and wounding dozens of civilians, Anadolu Agency reported.

Forces backed by the Popular Resistance retook Al-Nidani village, Shaab Al-Sarari and large parts of the Sanamat area, as well as the Ribat Al-Qarn area in Dhi al-Barh, the army said.

Fighting continued on the Saber front, while government forces had imposed a siege on entrances to Al-Sarari, according to the military.

The army said the Houthis suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment. Government forces were consolidating their positions in the recaptured areas and clearing mines, it added.

In a separate statement, Yemen’s Defense Ministry said the Houthis fired a ballistic missile on Friday at Al-Hadara popular market in the Al-Wazi'iyah district of Taiz province.

The attack killed and wounded dozens of civilians, the ministry said, without giving an exact casualty figure.

Yemen has been in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, leading to years of fighting and a severe humanitarian crisis.