Houthis advance to within 60 km of Aden, Yemen’s temporary capital
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on France 24 and Al Jazeera
Houthi forces have advanced to within 60 kilometres of Aden, seat of the government recognised by the international community, according to France 24. Yemen’s government has announced the withdrawal of its last forces from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in order to defend its temporary capital on the southern coast.
The spokesman for the Southern Armed Forces, a group allied with the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia, announced the repositioning of its units from Dhubab airport and the areas around Bab el-Mandeb in the south-west of the country. He justified the decision by the priority given to securing Aden and neighbouring governorates, as well as by the reinforcement of front lines. The spokesman for the government forces, Majid Al-Nazili, called on the international community to help restore government control over the strait and the west coast, stressing its vital importance for freedom of maritime navigation and international trade.
The announcement could pave the way for further Houthi advances towards Aden, on the southern coast, where the government has been based since the Houthis drove its leaders out of Sanaa more than ten years ago. The Houthis have already taken control of highlands north of Aden and say they are preparing to march on the city itself. They had seized large areas of the west coast as early as September.
Reinforcements are also due to be sent to try to lift the siege of Taiz, where fighting is raging west of the city. The country’s third city, Taiz faces a worsening humanitarian crisis: aid can no longer get in and civilians can no longer leave. It hosts about half of the 300,000 displaced people recorded in Yemen since the 2022 ceasefire collapsed this summer, when fighting intensified.
The counter-offensive launched in September by government forces to retake these areas has recovered key positions around the strait, including Dhubab, without managing to drive the Houthis out of the city of Mocha. In retaliation, the Houthis have stepped up drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, leading to flight suspensions and targeting energy facilities. The same day, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had shot down two drones launched over the Mecca region. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has also announced that the Houthis, with its support, unilaterally released 600 prisoners as part of the armed conflict.
