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Siege of Taiz

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Battle of Taiz (2015)
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015)

Aerial view of the city of Taiz
Date15 April 2015 – present
(9 years, 5 months and 1 day)
Location
Taiz Governorate, Yemen
Result
  • 35th Armored Brigade defects to Hadi
  • Houthis & allies capture the 35th Armored Brigade's base
  • Pro-Hadi forces recapture most of the city on 16 August[6]
Belligerents

Yemen Houthi government[1]

Yemen Hadi government

Casualties and losses
200-250 killed[7][8][9] 102-112 killed[7][8][9][10]
29 civilians killed[11][12]
Part of a series on the
Yemeni crisis
Main topics
Background

The Battle of Taiz is an ongoing military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the 35th Armored Brigade base took place one month after the start of the civil war, culminating with the takeover of the barracks by pro-Houthi fighters.

Background

Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's influential former president and General People's Congress party head, swept into Taiz on 22 March, capturing the military airport and other key parts of the city. They encountered little resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into the air to disperse protests.[13] One demonstrator was killed and five more were injured.[14]

Two days later, five demonstrators were killed by the Houthis and 80 were injured during a protest on 24 March against their presence in the city, while in the city of Al Turba, 80 km to the southwest, three protesters were killed and 12 injured while attacking a Houthi position.[15]

On 11 April, pro-Houthi soldiers and fighters loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi both reportedly mobilised around Taiz, with the 35th Armoured Brigade deploying on the city streets and anti-Houthi militiamen taking up positions north of the city, amid Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in the area. The 22nd Republican Guards Brigade was hit by an airstrike, as was the village of Al-Dhahirah in the Mawiyah District, the next day.[16]

The battle

By 15 April 2015, Yemeni military sources reported that five pro-Saleh military brigades defected throughout the country, with one of them battling Houthis in the Taiz Governorate.[17]

Airstrikes pounded Republican Guard and Houthi military positions in and around Taiz on 17 April. A government official in Taiz told Xinhua that the airstrikes had caused dozens of injuries and virtually destroyed Taiz's infrastructure, as well as the military bases they struck.[18]

Between 17 and 18 April, at least 30 people were killed when Houthi gunmen, supported by the elite Republican Guard, assaulted the headquarters of the 35th Armoured Army Brigade, which had announced its loyalty to Hadi.[18] The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters,[7][8] as well as three civilians.[11] Another report put the number of dead at 85.[19] On the morning of 19 April, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed.[9]

On 22 April, Houthi forces captured the pro-Hadi brigade's military base in Taiz. An air-strike was conducted against the base shortly after its capture.[20] 10 pro-Hadi soldiers were killed in the battle for the base.[10]

Four days later, residents reported pro-Hadi forces captured several city districts from the Houthis.[21] Fighting was heaviest around government and security buildings in the city center, with some 20 civilians being killed.[12] The WHO put the death toll at 19 civilians, after the local Al-Thawra hospital was hit.[22]

Fighting broke out in Taiz on 16 May, despite a five-day ceasefire agreed to by the Houthis, military factions, and Saudi-led coalition. At least a dozen civilians and a number of fighters on both the pro-Houthi and pro-Hadi sides were killed.[23]

By 5 August 2015, Pro-Hadi forces at Ta'izz had received reinforcements from the south, allowing them to capture 75% of Ta'izz.[24]

On 16 August 2015, only days after a large-scale Pro-Hadi offensive in southern Yemen, Pro-Hadi forces, backed by Saudi airstrikes, recaptured most of the city of Ta'izz. However, Houthis has managed to reversed loyalist gains capturing a number of strategic positions of Al-Salih Gardens, along with areas of the Al-Dabab Mountain region after weeks of losses, while loyalist attributed the retreat due to lack of military equipment, compared to Houthis forces in the area whom enjoyed an advantage in terms of supplies.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ Orkaby, Asher (25 March 2015). "Houthi Who?". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia Begins Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  3. ^ Felicia Schwartz, Hakim Almasmari and Asa Fitch (26 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations in Yemen". WSJ.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Pakistan ready for ground offensive in Yemen: report". the globe and mail. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  6. ^ U.S. boosts support role in Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen
  7. ^ a b c "Flash - At least 27 dead in fighting in Yemen's Taez - France 24". France 24. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "30 killed in fighting between Hadi's forces, Houthis in Yemen's Taiz". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  9. ^ a b c "Yemen rebel leader vows resistance against Saudi-led air war". Mail Online. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b Air raids kill 23 rebels in Yemen south: Govt official
  11. ^ a b "At least 76 dead in Yemen air raids, fighting". The Express Tribune. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  12. ^ a b Fighting rages in Yemen's 3rd-largest city, strikes continue
  13. ^ "Houthis Seize Strategic City In Yemen, Escalating Power Struggle". The Huffington Post. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Yémen : les rebelles chiites prennent Taëz" (in French). RTL. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Yémen: 5 manifestants tués, 80 blessés par balles à Taëz" (in French). L'Orient Le Jour. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  16. ^ "CIVILIANS KILLED BY A COALITION STRIKE ON A REPUBLICAN GUARDS BRIGADE IN TAIZ". Yemen Times. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  17. ^ "Egypt and Saudi mull 'large-scale' military drills as Yemen strikes continue". Agence France-Presse. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  18. ^ a b "30 killed in fighting between Hadi's forces, Houthis in Yemen's Taiz". Daily Times. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Yemen militia says it is besieging rebels at strategic base". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Houthis take control of army brigade in Yemen's Taiz-residents". Mail Online. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Hadi supporters make gains in Yemen's Taez". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  22. ^ Yemen violence kills 1,244, injures 5,044: WHO
  23. ^ "South Yemen clashes kill dozens as ceasefire nears end". France 24. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  24. ^ "Yemen loyalist forces eye Abyan after Taez". Al Arabiya. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  25. ^ http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/583921--after-losses-houthis-make-gains-in-yemen-s-taiz
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