A fighter loyal to Yemen’s government takes up position at the front line against Houthi fighters in the southern province of Lahj on October 30, 2015. Reuters
A fighter loyal to Yemen’s government takes up position at the front line against Houthi fighters in the southern province of Lahj on October 30, 2015. Reuters

Southern Resistance joins the battle for Taez



Al DHABAB, TAEZ PROVINCE // Southern resistance fighters in Yemen have joined the battle to liberate the south-western province of Taez from the Houthis and their allies, a senior military official has said.

The deputy of the pro-government military council in Taez, Yousef Al Shiragi, said the Southern Resistance – which helped to liberate Aden and the other southern provinces of Abyan, Lahj and Al Dhale earlier this year, along with the Saudi Arabia-led coalition – was coordinating with local resistance forces. He said the Southern Resistance had supplied them with ammunition, as well as fighters.

"Two hundred fighters from Al Sabaiha in [the southern province of Lahj] are fighting with us on the Al Dhabab front" in Taez, Brigadier Shiragi told Saudi Arabia's Okadh newspaper.

Al Dhabab, located south-west of the provincial capital, also called Taez, is under the control of the resistance. However, the areas in between Al Dhabab and Taez city remain in the hands of the Houthis and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The rebels have surrounded Taez city, preventing water, food and medicine from getting in. They also control some areas inside.

Gun battles flared up on Saturday between southern fighters and the Houthis in the area of Al Madaribah on the border between Lahj and Taez provinces, leaving an unknown number of fighters killed and wounded, military sources said.

The southern fighters said they were defending the area against rebels trying to reach the shores of the strategic Bab Al Mandeb strait, some 50 kilometres away, which was seized by forces loyal to president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi last month.

Witnesses said that many residents fled the area due to heavy fighting.

Brig Shiragi said southern fighters were also manning checkpoints along the road connecting Aden province to Al Dhabab to ensure safe travel for humanitarian aid and military reinforcements.

Gawad Al Sobaihi, a Southern Resistance fighter from Al Sabaiha, has been manning a checkpoint in the Al Turbah area of Taez’s Al Shimayateen district since October 20. He previously took part in the battle to recapture Lahj province from the Houthis.

"I am standing here to help in breaking the siege on the war-torn city of Taez," the 28-year-old told The National. "I am willing to fight with the resistance of Taez until the liberation of the province, as we want to liberate the whole country from the Houthis and not only Taez or the southern provinces."

Mr Al Sobaihi said that while medicine has reached Al Dhabab by road from Aden, no military reinforcements from the coalition have yet passed through.

“We hope that the resistance of the south or the coalition forces in the south will send military reinforcements to Taez along this road and we will guarantee delivering it to the Al Dhabab front,” he added.

Dhia Al Haq, a leading figure in Taez’s Popular Resistance, said that of province’s 23 districts, 18 are now under the control of resistance forces. However, while these 18 districts are largely rural and the Houthis still have control of some important areas, Mr Al Haq believes that with reinforcements, the province could be liberated soon.

“The Houthis only control the entries of [Taez] city and some areas inside the city, in addition to Mokha and some other areas,” he said. “A ground force should come from Aden or another province to break the siege and then liberation will be an easy task.”

In Bayda province, which borders the capital Sanaa to the south, overnight clashes in the areas of Al Zaher and Al Naem left 19 rebels and 14 resistance fighters dead, tribal and medical sources said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, dozens of Houthi rebels were reported killed or injured as southern fighters repelled an attempt to capture Dimt district in Al Dhale province. The rebels had crossed into the loyalist-held province from the neighbouring central province of Ibb, which is still under the control of the Houthis.

Coalition warplanes raided Houthi positions in several provinces, including in Ibb where air strikes destroyed rebel vehicles.

Also on Saturday, the United Nations said that two of its contractors had been detained in Yemen, but gave no further details on the incident.

A US state department official said the department was aware of reports that two American citizens had been detained at Sanaa airport, which is held by the Houthis, but did not elaborate.

foreign.desk@thenational.ae

* With additional reporting by Reuters and Agence France-Presse

Schedule:

Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)

Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)

Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four

Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai) 

Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)

Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)

Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 28: Final (Dubai)

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By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

Teaching your child to save

Pre-school (three - five years)

You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.

Early childhood (six - eight years)

Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.

Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)

Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.

Young teens (12 - 14 years)

Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.

Teenage (15 - 18 years)

Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.

Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)

Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.

* JP Morgan Private Bank 

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TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

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Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

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Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

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Rating: 4/5