Yemeni military commander killed, another wounded in Houthi attacks

SMA NEWS – MARIB
A Yemeni government military commander was killed and another injured in separate clashes with Houthi forces over the weekend.
Col. Shadi Al-Mejzi, commander of Brigade 63’s First Battalion, was fatally wounded on Sunday morning during an assault by the Iran-backed militia in the Baqum district of Saada province, Saada Gov. Hadi Tarshan said.
Attacks in Saada’s disputed areas, including Rezah, Baqum, Ketaf, Al-Bouqa and Maran, had continued despite the UN-brokered truce as Houthi forces sought to drive government soldiers out of their heartland, he said.
“The Houthi militia breaches the truce on a near daily basis and sporadic clashes persist,” Tarshan said, adding that the Yemeni government and Arab coalition were committed to adhering to the ceasefire.
A second military commander was injured on Saturday night during a Houthi assault on government forces in the central province of Marib.
Brig. Gen. Akram Al-Ademi, commander of the 13th Infantry Brigade, was hurt during heavy fighting on Al-Belaq Al-Sharqi mountain, south of Marib city, a local military officer told Arab News.
Al-Ademi was taken to hospital in Marib after his soldiers had successfully pushed back the Houthis, the person said.
Al-Belaq Al-Sharqi is the closest active battlefield to the city of Marib, which was the target of a massive Houthi military attack that began in early 2021. Despite suspending their onslaught under the April 2 UN-brokered truce, the Houthis have continued to stage occasional advances into the city.