Houthi militia facing major losses in Yemen battles

Ali Rajab

The Iran-backed Houthi militia is sustaining huge losses, especially in al-Hudaydah and Ad Dali’.

The militia has launched a major recruitment campaign to make up for the human losses it sustained in the two cities.

Untold losses

The Houthis have forced chieftains in some parts of Yemen to supply them with 1,000 fighters. The militia will use the new fighters in battlefields, especially in Ad Dali’ where the losses of the Iran-aligned militia are untold.

Joint Yemeni forces have liberated large swaths of the city, after months of fighting against the Houthis.

Spokesperson of the southern joint forces Maged al-Shuaibi said the forces have tightened their control on a large number of areas in the city.

He said the forces would then move into other areas on the road to liberating the rest of the city from the occupation of the Houthis.

The Houthi militia lost hundreds of their fighters in battles in Ad Dali’. This precipitated an urgent meeting of the tribes backing the militia. The tribes have promised to supply the militia with 1,000 new fighters.

Making up for the losses

Yemeni political analyst Abdel Karim al-Mada said the militia works to compensate the losses it sustained.

He added that apart from the hundreds of Houthi militiamen who were killed in battles in Ad Dali’, hundreds of other militiamen were taken hostage.

The Houthis have already lost the public support they used to enjoy, al-Mada said. This is why they are incapable of receiving a new supply of fighters to join in their ranks.