Fresh Yemen clashes kill more than 60, including 26 soldiers

Fighting between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi rebels resulted in over 60 casualties on Saturday, comprising civilians, according to medical and military sources speaking to AFP. The renewed clashes occurred in the southwest of the country, over the control of a critical link to the Red Sea.

Following a ceasefire collapse in July, the current round of intense fighting emerged as the deadliest in years. According to three Yemeni military sources, 26 government troops were killed during the skirmishes, while the Iran-backed Houthis reported the loss of 31 of their fighters. A medical source in the government-controlled city of Taiz revealed that a missile strike on a bus traveling between Taiz and the internationally recognized government's seat in Aden killed six civilians and injured another seven.

A government official blamed the bus strike on the Houthis. In Taiz, a military officer stated that the coming hours would be crucial, as the Houthis had seized positions near the city the previous day. They noted that reinforcements were arriving from Aden in response to the Houthi offensive, which targeted the government-held port city of Mokha and aimed to advance towards areas bordering the Bab al-Mandab strait.

In Hays district, located 68 kilometers northwest of Taiz towards the Red Sea coast, AFP journalists witnessed government forces being transported to the front lines via pickup trucks. Some of the vehicles carried assault rifles, while others were loaded with rocket-propelled grenades. Rashed Maghari, a resident of Hays, reported heavy Houthi shelling on the district, but emphasized its resilience, stating that the district is tough and will be challenging to capture.

On Friday, the fighting in Yemen had claimed 129 lives, according to an AFP tally compiled from various sources.