The Yemen army and Popular Committees on Friday were able to take control of the desert areas separating Jawf province and the Saudi border, after fierce battles with Saudi-led coalition forces, tribal sources said.
During the battles, which continued since Friday morning, the army forces took control of the entire Khub Washa’af district, the last strongholds of the coalition forces in Jawf, according to the sources.
The sources explained that the Yemeni army forces launched a large-scale military attack from their positions east of Habash Mountain and Al-Hasha’a area towards the last positions of the coalition forces and their affiliated armed groups in Al-Yatama desert.
Despite the intensity of coalition airstrikes, the army forces were able to impose their control on Al-Yatama market, Dab mountain, Al-Arfa, Al-Tha’baliyah, Al-Multaqa, Al-Jubub and Al-Suwaiqah areas, and advanced towards the Al-Khadra border crossing, which links Saada province in Yemen with Najran in the south of the Saudi kingdom.
The sources added that the Yemeni army and Popular Committees also took control of Al-Yatama camp, which includes the headquarters of the northern axis of the coalition forces, and on the international line linking Al-Hazm city to the border with Saudi Arabia through the Khub Washa’af district.
The same sources had confirmed that Brigadier General Khaled Khorsan, commander of the Saudi-led Seventh Brigade, Border Guards, fled on Thursday evening in disguise from the areas of Thu Hussain towards Saudi Arabia.
During the past two days, Yemeni army forces took control of the strategic Habash Mount, which overlooks the al-Yatama market, the center of the Khab Washa’af district, Salaba valley, and Qasha’an Mount in the district of Bart Al-Anan.
