Yemen army suffers 7 casualties in north

Yemen army suffers 7 casualties in north: "Yemen army suffers 7 casualties in north
Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:38:53 GMT
Seven Yemeni soldiers, including a colonel, have been killed during clashes with Shia fighters in the northern mountains, witnesses say.

Citing local residents, AFP reported on Monday that Zaidi Shia fighters, also known as Houthis, attacked the troops on the road linking Saada province with Jawf province late on Sunday and killed seven troops.

Four fighters were also killed after military airstrikes targeted their positions in the area.

Earlier on Sunday, the army said it killed 22 rebels and captured seven more in different operations over the weekend.

The government launched Operation Scorched Earth on August 11 to crush the Shia rebellion, which first erupted in 2004.

The government has accused the rebels of seeking to restore the Zaidi Shia imamate, which was overthrown in a 1962 coup that sparked eight years of civil war.

With the fighting having entered its second month, at least 35,000 people have been displaced from their homes and the humanitarian situation in Saada province is deteriorating, the United Nations warned."