October 26, 2014

Al Qaeda militants push back Shi'ite rebels' advance on central Yemen stronghold

Photo - Khaled Abdullah

Sunni al Qaeda militants killed dozens of Yemeni Shi'ite rebels on Saturday in the city of Radda in central Yemen as they pushed back the rebels' advance on the al Qaeda stronghold, tribal sources said.Shi'ite Houthi rebel forces have advanced into central and western Yemen since they seized control of the country's capital Sanaa on Sept. 21, taking on Sunni tribesmen and al Qaeda militants, who regard the Houthis as heretics.Fighting has flared in several provinces, alarming neighbor Saudi Arabia, the world's No. 1 oil exporter.In Radda, in central al-Bayda province, clashes intensified on Tuesday with 30 Houthis and 18 Sunni militants killed in bloody clashes.On Saturday, al Qaeda fighters surrounded the Houthis on a mountain in Radda at dawn and killed dozens of them and took 12 prisoners forcing them to retreat to Damar province although clashes continued in other parts of the city, tribal sources said.

The Sunni militants seized at least six armored vehicles and some weapons from the Shi'ite rebels as they retreated, the sources said.

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