500 Yemen Houthi rebels dead on border since air war began
Apr 11, – Saudi Arabia said Saturday at least 500 Shiite insurgents have been killed in border clashes since the coalition it heads launched air strikes against the Huthi rebels in war-battered Yemen.
A defence ministry statement in Riyadh also said three soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on the kingdom’s border with Yemen on Friday.
The statement gave the first reported death toll for border clashes since the coalition launched air strikes against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen last month.
Earlier, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri told journalists at his daily briefing in Riyadh there had been 1,200 coalition air strikes between March 26 and midday Saturday.
He said the raids had neutralised the air and ballistic capabilities of the rebels and their allies, and “will continue”.
Assiri also told reporters: “At the appropriate time, we will take action on the ground.”
Saudi state news agency SPA cited the defence ministry as saying the three Saudi soldiers died on Friday and two were wounded when mortar rounds hit their border observation post in Najran province.
Last week, three Saudi border guards were killed in an attack by the Huthis, who control parts of northern Yemen along the frontier.
With the air campaign and fighting on the ground in Yemen showing no sign of easing, the Red Cross on Saturday delivered a second planeload of aid to Sanaa in as many days.
The aid is urgently needed for hundreds wounded in fighting between pro-government forces and the Huthi rebels, who are allies of troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Press journalist for HROmedia – Khizer hayat reports.
Category: Arab uprising
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