Saudi commander, Yemeni soldiers killed in Yemen’s east

A group of Saudi and Yemeni soldiers, including a Saudi commander were killed yesterday by an explosive device in Yemen’s Hadramout province.

According to the Houthi run Al Masirah TV, Commander Bandar Al-Otaibi – known as Abu Nawaf – was stationed in the Valley of Hadramout.

It is understood that a total of three Saudi and two Yemeni soldiers were among the dead. Their bodies have since been repatriated to Saudi Arabia.

READ: Saudi-led coalition launches military operation north of Hudaydah in Yemen

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were said to have been discovered by the forces in the city of Shibam and during the dismantling of the devices, one of them exploded, killing the soldiers.

According to Hadramout Net, local sources suggest that the Islah Party, believed to have links to Al Qaeda, was behind the incident.

Commander of Saudi- led coalition forces in Wadi Hadramout and four soldiers( 2 #Saudis &2 Yemenis) were killed in explosion near #Shibam #Yemen https://t.co/LIqH1LdMcH

— Saeed Al-Batati (@saeedalBatati) September 19, 2019

Dating back to the 16th century, the city of Shibam is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as “one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. Its impressive tower-like structures rise out of the cliff and have given the city the nickname of ‘the Manhattan of the desert’.”

Saudi quagmire in Yemen – Cartoon [Carlos Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]