World

Exiled Yemeni prime minister returns to war-torn Aden

By AHMED AL-HAJ

Associated Press
A boy injured in a recent a car bomb attack, bottom, lies on a hospital bed to receive treatment in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015. The latest attempt at a humanitarian pause in Yemen “has not been respected by any party to the conflict,” the U.N. humanitarian chief said earlier in the week, adding that a plan to reach 3 million Yemenis with aid is ready to go if only the fighting would stop.
A boy injured in a recent a car bomb attack, bottom, lies on a hospital bed to receive treatment in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015. The latest attempt at a humanitarian pause in Yemen “has not been respected by any party to the conflict,” the U.N. humanitarian chief said earlier in the week, adding that a plan to reach 3 million Yemenis with aid is ready to go if only the fighting would stop. Hani Mohammed AP
SANAA, Yemen

Yemen’s exiled prime minister has returned to the country’s war-torn city of Aden, months after a Saudi-led airstrike campaign began against Shiite Houthi rebels there, authorities said.

Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah landed in Aden with six government ministers on Saturday, according to Aden’s airport chief, Tarek Abdu Ali.

Bahah will chair a Cabinet meeting later Saturday that will be attended by another seven government ministers already in Aden, a Yemeni official told The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, military and government-aligned militias have gained control of the strategic southern city of Zanjibar, security officials and eyewitnesses said.

Ali Hawash, a pro-government field commander speaking by phone from Zanjibar, said his fighters have entered the city and are searching for Houthi fighters. He added that pro-government fighters are advancing with air cover from coalition planes amid fierce clashes with opposing fighters.

The pro-government fighters aim to take control of Zanjibar in order to secure Aden from the west and cut off a key supply line for the Houthis.

Houthi officials said their fighters remain in control of the south and west of the city.

Fighting also raged on in Yemen’s third largest city of Taiz, killing at least 65 from both sides over the last two days, security and medical officials said. Nine civilians were also killed in Taiz as a result of the fighting, the officials said.

 

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists.

The fighting in Yemen pits the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is now in Saudi Arabia.

This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Exiled Yemeni prime minister returns to war-torn Aden."

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER