Yemen’s army edges closer to Taiz presidential palace

Yemen’s national army, loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, are metres away from the presidential palace, Al-Arabiya reported today.

Thirty-two Houthi soldiers and their allies have been killed in the fire fight with the advancing national army. Five Yemeni army soldiers have been killed and 20 injured in the battle for the presidential palace.

Major General Khalid Fadel, the commander of the Taiz battlefront, confirmed that the Yemeni army has recaptured the surrounding buildings, including the central building and medical school. In a message broadcast to his forces, the commander told them to remain “firm”.

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Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition intervened to reinstate Hadi and to push back the Houthi group’s military advances towards southern Yemen. The Houthi group are currently controlling the capital, Sana’a.