ADEN // Civilians in Taez have taken up arms to counter an attempt by Yemen’s Houthi rebels to stop the advance of pro-government forces in the province.
The Houthi rebels launched an offensive in the province’s Al Wazeya district at the start of the month to block reinforcements sent by the Popular Resistance from Aden. In response, the Resistance started to send more fighters to Al Wazeya from battlefronts near Taez city, the provincial capital.
However, residents of areas around Al Wazeya say they have now joined the fight against the rebels using their own weapons and without any expectation of payment.
On Monday morning, the new recruits managed to open a new front against the Iran-backed rebel forces in the Rasen area near Al Wazeya and were able to prevent them from blocking the road connecting Al Wazeya with Lahj and Aden.
Ameen Al Za'azi, 28, a new recruit from Al Za'aze who joined the battle on Sunday, told The National that he would support the resistance fighters in Al Wazeya, Mokha and the whole province.
“We should work as one team to free our province from the invaders that came to kill us under the pretext of fighting Al Qaeda,” Mr Al Za’azi said.
“In fact, we do not hear about Al Qaeda in Taez but they [the Houthis] want to make us slaves.”
He said dozens of fighters had joined the resistance to take part in the battle in Al Wazeya, and hundreds of others were preparing to do the same.
The fighters are coming from areas around Al Wazeya such as Rasen, Al Masaheen and Al Za’aze. Some fighters also joined from neighbouring Al Shimayateen district.
“We are fighting with our personal weapons and we do not want military reinforcement, as we can save the road by our personal weapons,” Mr Al Za’azi said, adding that they were under the command of the resistance and did not want money for taking part in the battle.
Meanwhile, the forces of the Saudi-led coalition and the Popular Resistance in Taez are preparing to free Mokha from the Houthis, where the rebels are being targeted by air strikes and shelling from coalition warships.
The spokesman of the Resistance in Taez, Rashad Al Sha'arabi, told The National that freeing the port city from the Houthis was only a question of time.
“It is difficult for the forces to free Mokha in one day, but they will definitely rid Mokha of the Houthis as it is the gateway to Taez,” he added.
The coalition forces freed Bab Al Mandeb from the Houthis rebels 10 days ago, and then advanced up the coast to Dhubab, which was heavily mined by the Houthis, and where they have remained.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
