11 civilians killed in Taez 'rebel bombing'

ADEN — At least 11 civilians have been killed in "indiscriminate bombing" by rebels of Yemen's third city Taez, as clashes with pro-government forces intensified, a military official said Thursday. The city in central Yemen has seen heavy fighting as forces loyal to exiled President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi clash with Shiite Houthi rebels. The Houthis, and their allies among renegade troops loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, control the outskirts of the city, which remains in loyalist hands. "Indiscriminate bombing by Houthis and Saleh forces targeted residential areas" in the centre of Taez late on Wednesday, a military official said. As well as the 11 dead, at least 22 people were also wounded, the official said. Medics confirmed the death toll, saying that the dead included at least one woman. Clashes raged overnight Wednesday on the outskirts of Taez, military sources said. Rebels control the main roads leading into the city. Backed by a Saudi-led coalition that launched airstrikes against the rebels in March, loyalist forces have been pressing to retake parts of the country seized by the Houthis. The Houthis, a minority from Yemen's north backed by Iran, seized control of Yemen's capital Sanaa in September last year and then advanced south, forcing Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia as they moved on the main southern city of Aden. Backed by coalition strikes, supplies and troops, loyalist forces launched a major counter-offensive in July, pushing the rebels out of Aden and four other southern provinces. — AFP