Yemen's Houthis advance to within 60 kilometres of Aden, military sources say
Houthi forces in Yemen have advanced to about 60 kilometres (40 miles) from Aden, the interim seat of the internationally recognised government, four military sources in government forces and two government sources told AFP on Sunday. They said the Houthis had seized the Al-Maqatirah and Al-Madaribah districts and were moving on the city, holding the Al-Kharaz camp in Al-Madaribah at that distance from Aden. Officials also said the group had taken strategic positions in the Maqatera district and large parts of Al-Madhariba and Al-Arah, the largest districts in Lahj province in southwestern Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition-backed government earlier on Sunday announced it was completing a withdrawal of its last troops from areas near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, redeploying them to reinforce forces “where current circumstances require,” with securing Aden and nearby provinces the priority. Military officials told AFP on Friday that government forces had begun erecting sandbag defences and digging tunnels around Aden as the Houthis pressed southwards.
The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Aden in recent weeks, including an assault on October 15 that targeted the presidential palace and left four people dead, according to government military sources. They previously failed to take the city in 2015. Along the road between Aden and Lahj, dozens of buildings lie destroyed after fierce fighting between the Houthis and local resistance groups, with air support from the Saudi-led coalition.
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