Joint forces besiege Yemen's al-Durayhimi district

The pro-government Giant Brigades on Sunday (August 12th) tightened their siege on the centre of the al-Hodeidah province district of al-Durayhimi as part of a new operation to liberate the district from the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansarallah).

The Giant Brigades, operating as part of Yemen’s joint forces and supported by the Arab coalition, closed in on the district from four sides after inflicting heavy losses on the Houthis and cutting their supply routes, local media reported.

The Houthis are now confined to a pocket in the city centre, where they have barricaded themselves in the homes of civilians, using them as human shields.

Dozens of Houthi gunmen have been killed and many others arrested during the operation to regain control of the west Yemen district.

Joint Yemeni forces on Sunday kicked off a new operation to liberate al-Durayhimi, employing a military tactic intended to spare civilian lives and infrastructure, to ensure the district is cleared of Houthi fighters without civilian casualties.

Engineering units have meanwhile begun to clear landmines planted by the Houthis in agricultural areas and along main roads leading to al-Durayhimi.

"The centre of al-Durayhimi is now under the control of joint forces which are besieging it from four sides after cutting Houthis' supply routes from adjacent districts," said General People’s Congress general committee member Adel al-Shogaa.

"Cutting the Houthis' supply routes and besieging them will encourage residents to revolt and topple them from within," he told Al-Mashareq.

"The army has to proceed with the liberation of the remaining adjacent districts and should not stop," he said. "The Houthis must not be given a chance to catch their breath."

Beit Faqih and al-Mansura districts must be liberated quickly, he added.