Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi said on Wednesday that the army has blocked off Saada province, the major stronghold of the Houthi militia at the far north of the country, from various sides.

He underlined that “the forces of the National Army were able to recover several areas in the various districts of the Saada province, which became encircled in all directions, in order to block the militia in their main strongholds.”

This came during his meeting with the governor of Saada, Tarshan al-Waeli, who briefed him of the army’s victories in the province – the latest being the cutting off the route of Malahiz and Razih and the restoration of eight sites behind the area of Mandab and others, according to the official Yemeni News Agency.

Hadi applauded the consecutive victories  by members of the National Army and the popular resistance with the support of the Arab coalition in several positions and battlefronts in the province of Saada.

In the same context, a Yemeni military commander stressed on Wednesday that the army emancipated large areas on the north-west of Saada in the battles against Houthi militia.

Brigadier General Diab al-Qabli, commander of the 143rd Brigade, said that the national army is approaching the Houthi stronghold, in the mountains of Maran, and is only a few kilometers away.

He added that “the national army continues to tighten its grip on the Houthi fighters on several fronts, especially north-west of Saada province.”

He explained that the military operation was planned by the national army and the coalition forces have surrounded the province of Saada from five fronts.

The Yemeni army, with the help of the Arab coalition forces, continues advancing in the Saada province, the stronghold of the Houthis, on five fronts in an operation known as “cutting off the snake’s head,” aimed at reaching the stronghold of Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, who is believed to be hiding in the caves of Maran.

Source: english.alarabiya.net