Some 76 rebels killed 150 injured

By Nasser Arrabyee/22/09/2009

A total 76 Al Houthi rebels were killed and 150 others injured in seemingly decisive battles in Sa'ada, north of Yemen, said the Defense Ministry late Tuesday.

The Ministry said, in a statement, that 26 rebels of those killed were field leaders.

A group of 50 rebels were killed and 100 others injured in the frontline of Al Malahaid, west of Sa'ada, where rebels tried to block the highway between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the statement said.

A group of 26 rebels were killed and 50 others injured in the second frontline of Harf Sufyan where rebels block the road between the capital Sana’a and the city of Sa'ada.

The rebels still position in mountains overlooking about 50km of this road. The army is advancing very slowly because the road mines were planted along the road.

The military statement said that those human damages came after the rebels implemented “suicide and desperate” attacks on the troops who directed painful blows on the rebels over the last two days.

Meanwhile, five Al Houthi rebels were arrested and three surrendered in the city of Sa'ada where they formed a terrorist cell carrying out terrorist acts, security sources said.

The places surrounding the Sa'ada city, the third main frontline in the 42-day old war, witnessed also fierce battles today Tuesday where more than 16 rebels were killed in attacks on Al Okab and Al Ain, and Al Sama'a.

Al Houthi side denied any attacks carried out by his fighters saying they are defending themselves and repelling the attacks.

"The army tried to launch assaults on these areas but we, with the help of Allah, fought them back," said Al Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam, in statements sent to media through emails.