More than 500 Houthi rebels killed in airstrikes: Saudi Arabia

Middle East, News April 12, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

Saudi Arabia said that at least 500 insurgents have been killed in border clashes since the coalition it heads launched air strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

A defence ministry statement in Riyadh also said three soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on the kingdom’s observation post in Najran province, border with Yemen.

It was the first reported death toll for border clashes since Saudi Arabia, heading an Arab military coalition, launched air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen on March 26.

Saudi Arabia has not “ruled out” the possibility of an Iranian presence in Yemen, the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition striking Houthi militias in the country said on Saturday, the same day two Iranian military officers were reportedly captured in the southern city of Aden.

Also Read: Saudi Arabia shuns Iran’s calls for ceasefire in Yemen

Speaking at a daily press briefing in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said the coalition found evidence of Iranian support to the Houthis and did not dismiss the possibility of Iranian forces fighting in Yemen.

During his daily press briefing on Operation Decisive Storm, Asiri said airstrikes in Yemen weakened the movement of Houthis and militias loyal to deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The spokesman also said a total of 1,200 air sorties have been carried out since the operation begun 16 days ago.

While the Houthis deny getting help from Shi’ite Iran and say their armed campaign is designed to stamp out corruption and Sunni al Qaeda militants, Saudi Arabia and its allies describe them as an Iranian-backed threat to regional security.

The Yemeni Health Ministry on Saturday said 385 civilians have been killed and 342 others have been wounded. The United Nations has put higher figure on both tolls – 648 killed, 2,191 wounded and 100,000 others displaced – but includes militant casualties in the totals.