Both sides silent as military escalation continues east of Sanaa
Both Yemen's government forces and the Houthi rebels have remained silent regarding the ongoing battles in Nahm district, east of the capital, Sanaa, but have accused each other of instigating attacks.
SANAA, Yemen — When Yemen’s internationally recognized government led by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi blamed the Houthis for ballistic missile and drone strikes on its military training camp in Marib governorate on Jan. 18, the Houthis remained silent.
Two hours following the strike, which took place during evening prayers, the Saudi and government media blamed the Houthis for the attack. The Yemeni rebels have yet to take credit for the attack, which killed at least 116 soldiers. Iranian PressTV attributed the attack to “Ansarullah,” in reference to the Iran-backed group.
On Jan. 19, Hadi — who has been residing in Riyadh since March 2015 — condemned the attack and accused the Houthis of “blatant aggression.” Meanwhile, the Yemeni Defense Ministry put its forces at nearby bases on high alert.
The accusations came after the group’s spokesman Yahya Sarea tweeted Jan. 17 that its forces had repelled “a very large-scale offensive by the forces of aggression [Saudi-led coalition and government] on the Nahm district,” and that “all appropriate actions will be taken against this escalation.”
