07 April 2020; MEMO: The pro-Houthi Yemeni army yesterday recaptured the strategic Al-Khanjar camp in the northern Al-Jawf province, along the Saudi-Yemeni border.
Yemen Press Agency, who described the area as the “largest coalition camp” near the border, quoted a local source saying: “The army and the popular committees [Houthi fighters] fought fierce battles today, during which they were able to fully control the Al-Khanjar camp and Buraq Al-Sheraa, as well as several military sites in Al-Yatama front in Khab Washaaf district in Jawf province”.
The camp was seized by Saudi-backed forces last month, in an attempt to reverse Houthi gains in the province including its capital Al-Hazm the week before in a major operation dubbed “Allah overpowered them”. However the coalition’s counteroffensive were restricted to securing the Khab Washaaf district.
Last month pro-Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that most of the province was in the hands of the army with the exception of the aforementioned district and the desert outskirts in the province. Al-Khanjar was the last stronghold of pro-Saudi forces in the province.
Elsewhere, in spite of reports that the pro-Saudi forces had gained control of key areas in the central province of Al-Baydah, in particular the Qaniyah front, the Yemen Press Agency reported that the Houthi-allied military forces had in fact seized control of the important sites in Qaniya, including full control of the Bayyad mountains.
The offense by the Saudi-backed forces was described as an “abortive” attempt to infiltrate the area.
As of today the news agency also reported that 12 air strikes were carried out by Saudi-led coalition warplanes over the Natie and Qaniya districts in Al-Baydah province.
