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Pro-Government Forces Recapture Yemeni Base

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Fighters loyal to Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi gather on a road leading to the al-Anad military and air base in the country's southern province of Lahej Aug. 3, 2015.
Fighters loyal to Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi gather on a road leading to the al-Anad military and air base in the country's southern province of Lahej Aug. 3, 2015.

Forces backing Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi recaptured an important military base from Houthi rebels on Tuesday, as they continue a push to reverse the Houthi campaign that forced Hadi to flee the country in March.

After several days of fighting, the pro-government forces, backed by airstrikes from a Saudi-led coalition, seized the Al-Anad air base located about 60 kilometers from the port city of Aden.

Pro-government sources said the fighting left 70 Houthi rebels dead and dozens captured, with at least 24 loyalist troops killed.

The Al-Anad base was once an important intelligence site used by U.S. forces in their campaign of drone strikes against the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

With the help of the Saudi-led airstrikes and shipments of weapons and vehicles from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the pro-government forces have made recent progress, chiefly regaining control of Aden last month.

The Houthis still control large areas of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, which they seized nearly a year ago.

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