80 combatants killed in Yemen's Taiz battle, sources say

Fighting between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces in the Taiz area killed 80 combatants over the past day, sources on both sides told AFP on Friday.

Houthi military sources said at least 55 anti-government fighters had been killed in fighting against government troops. Government sources said 26 troops on their side had been killed.

The fighting around Taiz is taking place on several fronts, including highlands overlooking coastal areas seized in recent weeks by the Houthis. The Houthis have taken swathes of territory and control of the Red Sea coast, including the area around the Bab al-Mandab strait, a key route for Saudi energy exports and global shipping.

The Houthis have not taken Taiz city, Yemen’s third-largest after Sanaa and Aden. Government sources told AFP that the Houthis destroyed a bridge Thursday linking government-held areas to Aden, where the government is based.

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grunberg said Thursday he was alarmed by developments in Taiz governorate and warned that Houthi operations posed “grave risks to the civilian population.” He said civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected and aid access must remain safe and unhindered.