Houthi fighters loses Yemen's largest army base to forces

Dozen have been left dead as forces battling Houthi fighters in Yemen captured the country's largest military base following intense clashes.

The government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in a statement on Monday, claimed complete control of al-Anad base in Lahej province in the country's south.

"With the help and back-up of the Arab-led coalition, this achievement was possible," the statement said.

One Minute Yemen

Troops were also supported by Popular Resistance Committees who have sided with the government in the fight against the Houthis.

The Houthis' loss of the base deals a significant blow to the Iran-allied Shia group, which has seized large parts of the country but recently lost control of the southern port city of Aden.

An officer in the Popular Resistance Committees, Nasser Hadour, said that forces were also able to enter another military base between al-Sader and al-Madina al-Khadra in Lahej province.

Houthi fighters and their allies had been in control of al-Anad since March.

Intelligence hub

Spread over 40sq km, al-Anad houses a military airport, a war college and an arms depot.

It was previously used by US forces as an intelligence-gathering hub and base for drone attacks on al-Qaeda's Yemen branch.

The assault by anti-Houthi forces began after new supplies, including armoured vehicles, were delivered Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen truce 'urgent' as doctors run out of medicines

At least 50 Houthi fighters and troops loyal to Hadi were killed in the battle for al-Anad base, military sources said.

At least 23 Popular Resistance Committees fighters also died, the sources said.

There was no word from the Houthis on the outcome of the battle, but the Houthi-run Saba news agency said earlier that Saudi-led air raids had repeatedly struck the military base.

Al-Anad lies on road to Taiz, the next target for the coalition after their recapture of the port city of Aden.

Divided army

The Yemeni army has been split since the Houthis' advance last year. Some units backing Ali Abdullah Saleh, the deposed president, are fighting alongside the Houthis, while others remain loyal to Hadi.

"The Saudi-led coalition is training anti-Houthi forces, providing them with new weapons to build a new army from scratch," our correspondent said.

"Their aim is to maintain Yemen united under one leader and a professional army.

"But that aim will depend on how the different factions get along. Yemen remains divided along regional and sectarian ties."

The exiled government's military says controlling al-Anad will help the push to recapture Taiz and the southern provinces.