SANAA (Sputnik) — Yemen's Houthi militants gained control over a number of military positions in Saudi Arabia, capturing several Saudi servicemen, a local source told Sputnik Thursday.
“Militants from the Houthi [group] and other tribes have seized several positions on the territory of Saudi Arabia and captured troops, the fate of whom will be clarified after the data from security cameras is analyzed,” the source said.
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God) religious tribal group, are the main opposition force in Yemen. In the past several months, Houthi rebels seized a large part of Yemen, including the country’s capital Sanaa and forced the elected authorities to resign.
On March 26, at request of Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, the coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia started hitting the positions of Houthis in Yemen with airstrikes.
Late in April, the coalition announced the halting of bombings and pledged to focus on the revival of dialogue between the conflicting sides in Yemen. Despite that, the airstrikes have continued.
