Yemeni Army Closes in On Houthis in Saada

An armed Houthi man walks past cooking gas cylinders in the yard of a gas station in Saada, Yemen August 27, 2016. (File Photo: Reuters)
An armed Houthi man walks past cooking gas cylinders in the yard of a gas station in Saada, Yemen August 27, 2016. (File Photo: Reuters)
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Yemeni Army Closes in On Houthis in Saada

An armed Houthi man walks past cooking gas cylinders in the yard of a gas station in Saada, Yemen August 27, 2016. (File Photo: Reuters)
An armed Houthi man walks past cooking gas cylinders in the yard of a gas station in Saada, Yemen August 27, 2016. (File Photo: Reuters)

The National Army launched a large-scale military operation to liberate Kataf al-Boqee district in Saada, days after achieving, with the support of the coalition forces, a considerable progress in Saada and controling the most important sites and strategic mountains.

After fierce battles in insurgents' stronghold, the National Army forces managed to liberate the mountain range of Ruwaikbah and al-Maarouf, east of Saada.

National army inflicted several injuries among the insurgents and many other escaped the region, in addition to recovering large quantities of munitions and weapons, a military source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

National Army's website "September Net"reported Brigadier Obeid al-Aqla as saying that Army forces, backed by the coalition, are engaged in fierce battles with Houthis militias as part of the liberation operations of Saada.

He added that the national army forces are highly motivated and fully prepared to proceed with the battles, as opposed to the Houthi militants who fled the area seeking a refuge.

On the West Coast, the army completed liberating a number of areas under the control of Houthi's militias in the district of Hays south of Hodeidah (west of Yemen). The army liberated villages and areas of Qurniyah, Hussei Ahmad, Mahwa al-Subeai, al-Kharaba, and many others. The forces are now only 4 kilometers away from the city center of Hays, according to a field military source.

In Taiz, the Yemeni National Army forces, announced on Saturday the downing of a Houthi reconnaissance aircraft in the province, 175 kilometers south of Sanaa.

September Net site quoted a military source as saying: "The National Army forces shot down a Houthi reconnaissance aircraft in the vicinity of Jabal Jara north of Taiz."

The source added that the plane was dropped while the militias were trying to explore National Army forces' sites in the northern front of Taiz which are achieving significant progress during the battles.

The source pointed out that "there are experts from Iran and Lebanese 'Hezbollah' supervising the Houthis' battles in Taiz," adding that they are developing those aircraft that are trying to monitor the sites of the National Army.

The source stressed that the forces of the National Army were able to inflict heavy losses among Houthi militias on the northern front, pointing out that the army continues to advance in the north towards the 60th Street and al-Zakera intersection to lift Taiz's seige.

Until the publication of this report, Houthis did not comment on the issue.

German DPA news agency quoted military sources as saying that the National Army forces took control of several sites and areas east and west of Taiz, following fierce clashes with Houthis. The sources confirmed that the fighting resulted in the death and injury of dozens of militants, along with the detention of eight others.

Maj. Gen. Khaled Fadel, commander of Taiz axis, toured the area and saluted the army soldiers for their sacrificies and heroism. He explained that Houthis planted many land mines in the area, but the forces are advancing and excited to liberate the area as soon as possible.

Over the past two days, the National Army has managed to liberate several positions from the Houthis' grip on more than one front.

Backed by the coalition forces to support the legitimacy in Yemen, National Army forces launched a large-scale military operation on several axes in Taiz, aimed at liberating the areas from Houthis control.



Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City of Latakia

People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
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Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City of Latakia

People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA

Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the coastal city of Latakia on Tuesday.

Authorities announced a "curfew in Latakia city, effective from 5:00pm (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, until 6:00am (0300 GMT) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025".


Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds

(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
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Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds

(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said Tuesday that it was "crucial" for Türkiye’s government to broker a peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government.

Clashes between Syrian forces and the SDF have cast doubt over a deal to integrate the group's fighters into the army, which was due to take effect by the end of the year, reported AFP.

Ocalan, founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group, called on Türkiye to help ensure implementation of the deal announced in March between the SDF and the Syrian government.

"It is essential for Türkiye to play a role of facilitator, constructively and aimed at dialogue," he said in a message released by Türkiye's pro-Kurdish DEM party.

"This is crucial for both regional peace and to strengthen its own internal peace," Ocalan, who has been jailed for 26 years, added.

"The fundamental demand made in the agreement signed on March 10 between the SDF and the government in Damascus is for a democratic political model permitting (Syria's) peoples to govern together," he added.

"This approach also includes the principle of democratic integration, negotiable with the central authorities. The implementation of the March 10 agreement will facilitate and accelerate that process."

The backbone of the US-backed SDF is the YPG, a Kurdish group seen by Türkiye as an extension of the PKK.

Türkiye and Syria both face long-running unrest in their Kurdish-majority regions, which span their shared border.

In Türkiye, the PKK agreed this year at Ocalan's urging to end its four-decade armed struggle.

In Syria, Sharaa has agreed to merge the Kurds' semi-autonomous administration into the central government, but deadly clashes and a series of differences have held up implementation of the deal.

The SDF is calling for a decentralized government, which Sharaa rejects.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country sees Kurdish fighters across the border as a threat, urged the SDF last week not to be an "obstacle" to stability.

Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said Thursday that "all efforts" were being made to prevent the collapse of talks.


Yemen's PLC Imposes No Fly-Zone, Sea and Ground Blockade on All Ports and Crossings

Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi. (Saba)
Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi. (Saba)
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Yemen's PLC Imposes No Fly-Zone, Sea and Ground Blockade on All Ports and Crossings

Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi. (Saba)
Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi. (Saba)

Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi declared on Tuesday a state of emergency throughout the country in wake of the "internal strife caused by the military rebellion in eastern provinces aimed at dividing the republic."

He called for all military formations and forces in the Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra governorates to coordinate completely with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, represented by Saudi Arabia, and to immediately return to their original positions without a fight. They should cede their positions in the two governorates to the National Shield forces.

Al-Alimi said the state of emergency will last 90 days, which can be extended. He also imposed a no fly-zone, sea and ground blockade on all ports and crossings for 72 hours.

The move also stems from "the commitment to the unity of Yemen, its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and the need to confront the Houthi coup that has been ongoing since 2014," he stressed.

Moreover, al-Alimi called on "all United Arab Emirates forces to leave the country within 24 hours."

"We will firmly deal with any rebellion against state institutions," he warned.

He called on the Southern Transitional Council to "return to reason and quickly and unconditionally withdraw its forces from Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra."

Al-Alimi announced the state of emergency shortly after the Saudi-led Arab coalition carried out a "limited" airstrike targeting a military shipment that had arrived in Yemen's Al-Mukalla port.

In a statement, coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said the forces detected on Saturday and Sunday the arrival of two vessels from the Port of Fujairah to Mukalla without obtaining any permits from the Joint Forces Command.

Saudi Arabia expressed on Tuesday its disappointment in the United Arab Emirates for pressuring the STC to carry out military operations on the Kingdom's southern borders in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said: "The steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous, inconsistent with the principles upon which the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen was established, and do not serve the coalition's purpose of achieving security and stability for Yemen."

"The Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralize any such threat," it declared.