Yemeni government forces shot down a drone belonging to the Houthi rebels over the Al Duraihimi area in the Hodeidah province.
“The drone was made in Iran and was being used to spy on the forces,” a source told the military-run 26 September news site on Saturday.
This marks the second time the army had shot down a drone this week. On Thursday, an aircraft was intercepted near the Hodeidah airport, and another one was shot down on Friday over the Al Hays area.
Yemen government forces – backed by an Arab coalition that includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE – launched an offensive on Hodeidah on June 13 to box the rebels into Sanaa, cutting off their supply lines and forcing them to work on a political process. The coalition intervened in the war in March 2015 at the request of the internationally-recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.
The Hadi government said on Saturday that the Houthi rebels must withdraw from Hodeidah unconditionally to make way for any political solution.
“The Yemeni forces are advancing to liberate Hodeidah and to spare the city and its habitants from anything unwanted and to maintain the basic infrastructure of the city and its port,” the government said in a statement carried by the state-run Saba news agency.
It also reiterated its support for UN envoy Martin Griffiths’s efforts to convince the Houthis to withdraw from the area.
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Read more
Coalition to begin next phase of campaign in Yemen to press Houthis to negotiating table
UAE's Gargash: Liberation of Yemen's Hodeidah key to political solution
UAE reiterates long-term support for Yemen people
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Meanwhile, on Saturday, forces loyal to the president liberated the first villages of the directorate of Al Sawadiya, north of the central province of Al Bayda.
“The army liberated Al Jeidna village after fierce clashes with the Houthi rebels,” a source told the 26 September news site.
“They also managed on Sunday morning to seize back the left part of a strategic mountain, where a communications tower is located. Fighting is ongoing.”
The source said that a number of Houthi rebels were killed in the fighting, adding that two have been detained.
Mr Griffiths said on Thursday after talks with Mr Hadi in the de facto capital of Aden that both the rebels and the government have confirmed their willingness to talk.
The Yemeni government and the coalition said that the Houthis must completely withdraw from the city and hand over control to the UN. However, the rebels – who have been using Hodeidah to smuggle weapons provided by Iran – have so far only agreed to share control with the UN.
The port is also an entry point for aid deliveries and commercial goods, and the Yemeni government fears the rebels’ grip on the city will cut the only lifeline for millions facing starvation.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Revival
Eminem
Interscope
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
Coming 2 America
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones
3/5 stars
65
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
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What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (87')
Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
THE SPECS
GMC Sierra Denali 1500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Price: Dh232,500
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%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020