SAADA, Yemen, 7 August 2004 — Yemeni forces ended yesterday a major military offensive against strongholds of the radical cleric Hussein Badruddin Al-Houthi after more than six weeks of fierce fighting with his armed followers. But hunt for the fugitive cleric still goes on, a military commander said.
The army’s chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Muhammad Al-Qassimi, told reporters in the northern province of Saada that “military operations were brought to an end today (Friday) after our forces seized the rebels’ strongholds”.
But Al-Qassimi said forces were still hunting the rebel cleric, who managed on Wednesday to flee his hide-out in the Hakami mountain in the area of Marran in Saada, some 250 km north of capital Sanaa. Al-Houthi is accused by authorities of leading an armed rebellion and stirring up violence through organizing protests against the United States and Israel.
Military and security troops backed by tanks, artillery and helicopters surrounded Al-Houthi’s hide-outs on June 21 and launched massive assaults on his armed followers, estimated to number over 1,000.
