SAADA, Yemen, 8 August 2004 — Yemeni troops completed major operations in an offensive to end the rebellion of a rebel preacher in northern mountains, but were still trying to catch him as sporadic resistance continued.

Army soldiers were facing “small pockets of resistance” in a number of villages in the rugged Marran mountains which were overrun by regular military forces since the onslaught started four days ago, military sources said.

The offensive has left a total of at least 83 dead, including 41 soldiers and 42 militants, and about 95 wounded as the military battled through Hussein Badruddin Al-Houthi’s stronghold, military and medics said.

On Friday, army units combed the mountainous region in search of the rebel preacher and his followers in house-to-house search operations, they said.

Skirmishes could also be heard in the northeastern suburbs of the main northern town of Saada, where government forces accused Houthi rebels of ambushing police and army troops. In one incident, four Houthi followers were killed and four others detained as they attacked police patrols, security sources said.

On Friday, Army Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Mohammad Al-Qassimi vowed that the army forces would end the rebellion within 12 hours and catch the outlawed preacher.

Qassimi also said government forces were distributing food and medical supplies to residents of the villages which had been under virtual siege since the preacher launched his rebellion on June 18.

Journalists have not been allowed to enter areas targeted by the army offensive.

A military source, asking not to be identified, said about 30 Houthi militants surrendered on Thursday, a day after 20 others gave themselves up to the advancing army.

The onslaught came after the failure of efforts to broker Houthi’s surrender.

“Houthi followers bear the entire responsibility for the failure of the mediation efforts, with the ambushes and attacks they have carried out against army and police positions during the truce,” Qassimi charged on Friday.

The latest mediation effort was carried out by a group of opposition leaders, clerics and tribal chiefs with government blessing.

A previous mediation effort in June led by members of Parliament, including one of Houthi’s brothers, also proved abortive.

One of the MPs involved accused elements of the army of undermining efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully. The Yemeni president has accused Houthi and his supporters of being “foreign agents” seeking to foment sectarian strife, and has promised the preacher a fair trial if he surrenders.

But Houthi told AFP last month that the conflict was a result of his anti-US stand and accused Saleh of seeking “to please the United States at the expense of his own people”.

During the main weekly prayers each Friday, Houthi followers often chant slogans against Israel and the United States and call for a boycott of American goods.

The clashes between the army and Houthi’s supporters, estimated to be 3,000 armed men, have left nearly 400 people dead since June 18. The full toll could be higher as the army has given few details of its own casualties.