Yemeni forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees have captured a key military base occupied by Saudi militants loyal to former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in the country’s strategic oil-rich province of Ma’rib, and moved closer to the heart of energy reserves in the area.
Local military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said army troops and their allies launched intense attacks in the al-Jubah district of Ma’rib, and managed to seize Umm Reesh base following hours of fighting with Saudi mercenaries on Friday.
The sources added that the Yemeni forces raided the military base from various directions, and forced the Saudi-backed militants to withdraw from the area.
They noted that the base includes training centers, and it is the last bastion for Saudi-sponsored forces in the southern part of Ma’rib.
The sources went on to say that the withdrawal of Saudi mercenaries from Um Reesh base came after the Yemeni army soldiers and Popular Committees fighters targeted the military site with ballistic missiles and heavy artillery rounds.
The fall of Umm Reesh quickened the advance of Yemeni army forces and their allies towards Safar region, where oil and gas fields of Ma’rib province are located.
The Yemeni military sources highlighted that fierce clashes between the two sides continue in several highlands overlooking al-Khashina base. Neither side has managed to score any field progress yet.
