Yemen Defense Ministry Warns of Houthi Collusion with ISIS, Qaeda

Yemen's Defense Minister during his meeting with a delegation from the UN Special Envoy’s office for Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Saba News Agency)
Yemen's Defense Minister during his meeting with a delegation from the UN Special Envoy’s office for Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen Defense Ministry Warns of Houthi Collusion with ISIS, Qaeda

Yemen's Defense Minister during his meeting with a delegation from the UN Special Envoy’s office for Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Saba News Agency)
Yemen's Defense Minister during his meeting with a delegation from the UN Special Envoy’s office for Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Saba News Agency)

Yemen’s Defense Ministry has issued a stern warning about the peril of the ongoing aggressive actions by the Iran-backed Houthi militias against the army. The ministry called upon the international community to exhibit greater firmness in addressing the unyielding Houthi obstinacy towards peace.

Yemeni Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Mohsen Mohammed al-Daeri raised the alarm about the dangerous collusion between the terrorist Houthi militias and the Al-Qaeda and ISIS organizations with the aim to destabilized liberated regions.

He emphasized that the threat of these militias extends not only within Yemen but also to the wider region and the world.

He made his remarks during a meeting in the interim capital of Aden on Tuesday with the political division team of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen.

According to Saba news agency, Al-Daeri highlighted that the Houthi militias have disregarded all commitments or pacts aimed at establishing peace in Yemen.

He strongly underscored the imperative for the international community and the UN to assume a more resolute role in countering the arrogance and intransigence of the Houthis, who constantly reject peace efforts.

In turn, Yemeni Army Spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdo Majali affirmed the readiness of the military to battle the Houthis

He pointed out that all Houthi violations and attacks on the fronts have proven unsuccessful.

In statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, Majali stated that the army has become more prepared, capable, and well-trained.

“The militias are weak in the face of our well-prepared forces and are being shunned in areas under their control,” he noted.

“Soon, the people will rise against them, and a decisive military solution is the secure path to spare the Yemeni people from these acts of sabotage and terrorism,” added Majali.

Yemeni soldiers, according to Mijalli, have undergone numerous qualifying and specialized courses that have boosted morale and readiness to confront the militias.



Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij

Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
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Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij

Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)

Fighting intensified on Saturday between the Türkiye-backed Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Tishrin Dam region southeast of Manbij city in the Aleppo countryside.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkish jets struck SDF positions in the area, as well as in the city of Deir Hafir southeast of Manbij.

In a statement, the SDF said the pro-Türkiye factions launched a broad attack on several villages south and east of Manbij, but its forces managed to repel them.

The factions have for days been seeking to seize areas surrounding the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River.

The SDF added that the factions, with support from Turkish drones and modern tanks, launched violent attacks on the villages of al-Atshana, Khirbet Tueni, Khirbet Zamala, al-Mastaha, Alloush and others near Manbij.

The SDF managed to repel “all attacks”, kill several members of the factions and destroy Turkish vehicles, stressed the statement.

SDF members were killed and eight others were wounded in the fighting. Fifty members of the factions were also killed, said the Observatory, which confirmed the attacks on the Manbij countryside.

The SDF has since detonated mines in the area to slow down the factions’ advance. It has also bolstered the deployment of its forces in anticipation of air strikes, added the Observatory.

The fighting has been ongoing since December when the factions seized Manbij and Tal Rifaat. Since then, neither side has managed to claim any major victory against the other or capture any territory.

Meanwhile, Turkish drones struck and damaged a power plant in the Tabaqa countryside in the western Raqqa province.

Two members of the SDF security forces were also wounded in a drone strike on the municipality building in the countryside.

Türkiye has been targeting infrastructure in the regions held by the People’s Protection Forces (YPG) - the military backbone of the SDF - in northern and eastern Syria.

Turkish artillery also targeted areas in Hasakeh. There have been no reports so far of casualties.

Elsewhere, American forces and the US-led international coalition to fight ISIS continued to send military reinforcements to areas held by the SDF.

A 20-truck American military convoy entered Syria through the Iraqi Kurdistan region and headed towards the Tal Baydar and Qasrak bases in the Hasakeh countryside on Saturday.

The Observatory said the US forces sent 13 armored vehicles, as well as fuel tankers, from these bases to Ain al-Arab, or Kobane, in the eastern Aleppo countryside to complete the construction of a military base there.