Sanaa: news on killing al-Houthi and scores of soldiers

Clashes erupted in the Yemeni Marran mountains while unconfirmed news said that Sheikh Bader Eddine al-Houthi was killed, but the attack of the government forces continued despite killing of scores of Yemeni soldiers in an ambush by al-Houthi followers.

As reports indicated that one of the brothers of the Yemeni scholar was killed and another was jailed, news reports quoted military sources as saying that there are news that the attack of the Yemeni forces resulted in killing Sheikh al-Houthi himself. The sources indicated that al-Houthi might be killed during a breaking in operation of the army forces to Shaab Salman area in Marran mountain near the Saudi borders, where the brother of the scholar was killed and another brother was arrested.

Meantime, military sources said that military men in Marran mountains " expect the army forces to reach al-Houthi withing less than 24 hours and getting rid off him or killing him in less than 24 hours in order to put a final end to the rebellion." A military source asked not to be identified admitted that scores of the army members were killed on Monday in an ambush implanted by rebels who belong to Hussein al-Houthi on the road in Marran mountains for a contingent heading to the villages" where the scholar was chased, but other news reports said that 11 soldiers were killed in the ambush.

One official source said that " commander of the contingent Lt. gen. Abdul Hamid al-Hattar was killed in the ambush which was implanted by the rebels. The official indicated that al-Mihtar is the brother of judge Hammoud al-Hattar, the chairman of the mediation committee with Sheikh al-Houthi.

The sources added that Abdul Malik Bader Eddine al-Houthi who was " the actual leader of snipers among the followers of his brother," was killed at the hand of the army forces during violent confrontations on Monday evening. He added "the army forces were able to arrest Abdul Karim Bader Eddine al-Houthi," another brother for the Yemeni scholar.

Witnesses said that the fighting continued yesterday in the north of Saada governorate between the army and the rebels led by Abdullah al-Zinani, one of al-Houthi main aides.