The Yemeni national army regained control over new strategic locations in Shabwa, southern Yemen, during the last 24 hours of fighting against the Houthi and Saleh militias as intense air raids by the Saudi-led coalition to support the legitimacy continued.
Army spokesman Major General Mutlaq al-Maaroufi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the army had regained control of al-Akda, Al-Abara and Abdul Rahman strongholds in Osailan after bloody clashes with the militias, hours after the gunmen took control of these areas.
The militia withdrew from these areas before the army intensified its targeting and siege, Maaroufi said.
The Saudi-led coalition warplanes mounted an attack on gatherings of militias in Osailan, resulting in many casualties.
Maaroufi said the army had a new plan to impose its control over the militia-controlled Beihan district, following the new military changes to the command of the 19th Brigade.
Local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Houthis are sending reinforcements for their troops in the border areas between Beihan and Osailan.
For his part, activist Ahmed al-Mus’abi told Asharq Al-Awsat that Houthi militias are carrying out mass abductions and arrests and are storming many houses in Beihan.
He said that during the past two days, the militia had kidnapped dozens of people, including children amid the continued suffocating siege on the district.
In other field developments, field sources in the northwestern Hajjah governorate said that the artillery of the joint forces continued its heavy shelling of militia positions in Hayran and Hard districts.
In the past 24 hours, the sources estimated that the forces had launched more than 90 artillery shells.
Arab coalition fighters continued their air raids on militia positions, about two kilometers from the entrance of the Midi district, amid continuing heavy overflights along the border areas.
