SANAA – Yemeni Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Taher Ali Auqaili hasbeen injured when a car he was traveling in was hit by a mine near theborder with Saudi Arabia, a Yemeni military source told Sputnik.
“Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Taher Ali Auqaili has been injuredin a mine explosion in the Al Khab and Al Shaaf districts of the Al Jawfprovince,” the source said.
According to the source, Auqaili had a hand injury and was hospitalized. AlJawf Governor Amin Ukaymi was travelling in the same car and also survivedthe explosion, the source added.
The incident follows two large-scale attacks in the districts of Al Khab,Al Shaaf and Al Matoon, launched by the Shiite Houthi movement, also knownas Ansar Allah. According to the source, fighting between militants and thegovernment forces continues in the area.
The conflict in Yemen has continued to escalate since November 2017, whentwo previously allied groups: the Houthi movementlink>andarmy units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh split up over theirstances on the future of the country. While the Houthis were eagerto continue opposing the government, headed by Hadi, Saleh stated he wasready for negotiations provided all his demandslink>aremet.
On December 4, shortly after reaffirming the end of his alliance with theHouthis, Saleh was killed by the Yemeni rebelslink>.
The Saudi-led coalition, consisting mostly of Persian Gulf countries, hasbeen carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi’s requestsince March 2015.