Sana’a, Aug 27 (EFE).- At least eight Yemeni soldiers from a southern separatist group were killed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday, military sources said.
Ten fighters were wounded in the clash when separatist forces backed by the United Arab Emirates attempted to repel a Houthi attack in the Al Hid Yafaa district of southern Lahj province.
Sources from the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) provided this information to EFE on the condition of anonymity.
The sources indicated that the Houthis used mortars and drones to shell separatist positions in a mountainous area along the border with the Houthi-controlled Al Badiya province.
The Iran-backed Houthis, who are rebelling against Yemen’s internationally recognized Saudi-backed government, have not commented on the attack, which is consistent with their usual practice.
Lahj remains one of the primary battlefronts between the two sides competing for control of the region.
Violence in the war-torn country, ravaged by conflict since 2014, has decreased for over a year following a six-month truce declared by the government and the Houthis.
Relative stability persists in Yemen, even though the warring factions never renewed the ceasefire after its expiration.
The easing of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, mediated by China, has also helped reduce the Yemen hostilities.
Since then, Saudi Arabia has made several attempts to mediate the conflict.
The Saudi kingdom has actively participated in the conflict since 2015, leading a military coalition accused by numerous NGOs of causing civilian casualties and disregarding humanitarian laws.
However, the Houthis view the Saudi peace initiatives with skepticism, asserting that it is not without a bias for one of the warring parties to act as a mediator in the conflict. EFE
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