Yemen's Houthis Overrun Bab El-Mandeb Security Brigade

Yemen's Shiite Houthi militants on Tuesday overran the 17th Brigade, which is tasked with securing the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, a security source has said.



"The 17th Brigade, which oversees security at the strait of Bab el-Mandeb, gave up its position for the Houthis, who deployed their forces all over the region," the source, requesting anonymity, told The Anadolu Agency.



The source noted that 17th Brigade Commander Mohamed al-Sabari is an officer in the Republican Guard Forces, which is led by the son of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.



Fractious Yemen has remained in turmoil since last September, when the Shiite Houthi militant group overran capital Sanaa, from which it has sought to extend its influence to other parts of the country.



Since last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have been pounding Houthi positions across Yemen.



Riyadh says its anti-Houthi campaign comes in response to appeals by embattled President ABD Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to "save the people [of Yemen] from the Houthi militias."



Some Gulf countries accuse Shiite Iran of supporting Yemen's Houthi insurgency.



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