Saudi warplanes hit N Yemen districts again

Press TV
Friday, January 8th, 2010

Saudi fighter jets have launched another round of
aerial bombardment of Houthi positions in northern parts of Yemen along
the border with the oil-rich kingdom.

According to a statement released by the fighters on Thursday, Saudi
forces carried out 13 aerial raids on Jebel al-Madood as well as
villages in close proximity to the border region in northern Yemen.

The statement added that Saudi forces fired some 1400 rockets against the rugged area.

The conflict in northern Yemen began in 2004 between Sana’a
and Houthi fighters. It intensified in August 2009 when the Yemeni army
launched Operation Scorched Earth in an attempt to crush the fighters
in the northern province of Sa’ada.

Yemen claims the fighters are seeking to revive an imamate that was toppled in 1962.

The Houthis accuse the Yemeni government of violation of their civil
rights, political, economic and religious marginalization as well as
large-scale corruption.

Houthi fighters say that Riyadh has also been pounding their
positions, and that Saudi forces strike Yemeni villages and
indiscriminately target civilians. According to the fighters, Saudis
use toxic materials, including white phosphorus bombs, against
civilians in northern Yemen.

Saudi forces began fighting with Yemeni Shia resistance fighters,
known as Huthis, and bombing their positions on November 4 after
accusing the fighters of killing Saudi border guards.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that since 2004, up
to 175,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Sa’ada
and take refuge at overcrowded camps set up by the United Nations.