Asia

Home page

Asia

Yemeni Shi'ites capture city after fighting kills 200

08 July 2014 21:15 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Shi'ite Muslim fighters captured one of the main cities in northern Yemen on Tuesday, a local official and residents said, after fighting that has killed at least 200 people and puts the Shi'ites on the outskirts of the capital, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The fall of Omran represents a major blow to the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has been trying to stabilise the U.S.-allied country following nearly three years of turmoil that forced his predecessor to step down.

The Shi'ite Houthis, named after the tribe of their leader, said their fight was against rivals loyal to the Islamist Islah party, and they had no intention of attacking the capital Sanaa, just south of Omran.

Local officials and witnesses said the Houthis seized Omran after battles in which about 100 were killed and 150 wounded on Tuesday alone, following more than 100 deaths in previous days. Fighting continued around an army camp in the city, they said.

"Justice and right have prevailed, the underprivileged sons of Omran have prevailed," said Mohammed Abdul-Salam, official spokesman for the Houthis.

Medics said dozens of bodies lay in streets strewn with the rubble of destroyed homes.

The conflict pitted the Shi'ite tribal militias against Sunni Muslim tribesmen allied with government troops.