Battle of Taiz (2015–2016)

The Battle of Taiz is an ongoing military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the 35th Armored Brigade base took place one month after the start of the civil war, culminating with the takeover of the barracks by pro-Houthi fighters.

Background

Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's influential former president and General People's Congress party head, swept into Taiz on 22 March, capturing the military airport and other key parts of the city. They encountered little resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into the air to disperse protests. One demonstrator was killed and five more were injured.

Two days later, five demonstrators were killed by the Houthis and 80 were injured during a protest on 24 March against their presence in the city, while in the city of Al Turba, 80 km to the southwest, three protesters were killed and 12 injured while attacking a Houthi position.

On 11 April 2015, pro-Houthi soldiers and fighters loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi both reportedly mobilised around Taiz, with the 35th Armoured Brigade deploying on the city streets and anti-Houthi militiamen taking up positions north of the city, amid Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in the area. The 22nd Republican Guards Brigade was hit by an airstrike, as was the village of Al-Dhahirah in the Mawiyah District, the next day.

The battle

By 15 April 2015, Yemeni military sources reported that five pro-Saleh military brigades defected throughout the country, with one of them battling Houthis in the Taiz Governorate.

Airstrikes pounded Republican Guard and Houthi military positions in and around Taiz on 17 April 2015. A government official in Taiz told Xinhua that the airstrikes had caused dozens of injuries and virtually destroyed Taiz's infrastructure, as well as the military bases they struck.

Between 17 and 18 April 2015, at least 30 people were killed when Houthi gunmen, supported by the elite Republican Guard, assaulted the headquarters of the 35th Armoured Army Brigade, which had announced its loyalty to Hadi. The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters, as well as three civilians. Another report put the number of dead at 85. On the morning of 19 April, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed.

On 22 April 2015, Houthi forces captured the pro-Hadi brigade's military base in Taiz. An air-strike was conducted against the base shortly after its capture. 10 pro-Hadi soldiers were killed in the battle for the base.

Four days later, residents reported pro-Hadi forces captured several city districts from the Houthis. Fighting was heaviest around government and security buildings in the city center, with some 20 civilians being killed. The WHO put the death toll at 19 civilians, after the local Al-Thawra hospital was hit.

Fighting broke out in Taiz on 16 May, despite a five-day ceasefire agreed to by the Houthis, military factions, and Saudi-led coalition. At least a dozen civilians and a number of fighters on both the pro-Houthi and pro-Hadi sides were killed.

By 5 August 2015, Pro-Hadi forces at Ta'izz had received reinforcements from the south, allowing them to capture 75% of Ta'izz.

On 16 August 2015, only days after a large-scale Pro-Hadi offensive in southern Yemen, Pro-Hadi forces, backed by Saudi airstrikes, recaptured most of the city of Ta'izz. However, Houthis has managed to reversed loyalist gains capturing a number of strategic positions of Al-Salih Gardens, along with areas of the Al-Dabab Mountain region after weeks of losses, while loyalist attributed the retreat due to lack of military equipment, compared to Houthis forces in the area whom enjoyed an advantage in terms of supplies.

In February 22, 2016, AQAP joined the battle. According to humanitarian organizations, 58 civilians, and 269 others injured in February by the fighting in Taiz.

On 12 March 2016, Yemeni government, make a significant progress in Taiz, by capturing several districts, and government buildings, ousted many Houthi fighters from the area.

On 16 March 2016, its reported that ISIL forces are fighting alongside the Saudi coalition, against Houthis. As of 17 March 2016, the Hadi loyalists have liberated most of the Taiz, leading the analysts believing that the town will fully recaptured by the loyalists in the following days.

In the same day, humanitarian aid arrived in the recaptured part of Taiz.

On 19 March 2016, Houthi fighters attacked pro-Hadi trying recaptured part of the city. Yemeni security and medical officials say 35 fighters have been killed in clashes between Shiite rebels and pro-government forces in Taiz. The officials say that Houthis were trying to retake the western part of the city, while the Saudi-led coalition launched more than a dozen airstrikes to prevent Houthis from advancing.

On 24 March 2016, Houthis escalate their offensive by recapturing the lost part of Taiz and some strategical roads that lead to Aden. The Houthis build walls to prevent the Hadi loyalists reinforcements to arrive. Meanwhile, 13 trucks caring Humanitarian aid, arrived in the recapture part of Taiz, by Hadi government.

On 25 March 2016, according to reports, 14 civilians were killed by Saudi coalitions inside the Houthi held part of Taiz.

In 12 of April, is reported that despite a ceasefire agreement that begin in 10 April, Saudi airplanes, strikes locations in Taiz, without casualties reported.

In 17 of April, a truce have reached by the Houthis and the loyalists to and the fight in the city.

Aftermath of ceasefire

One day after the peace deal in 18 April, Houthi militias and forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh have continued bombing residential neighborhoods in the city of Taiz and the opening of the eastern and western ports of the city, despite the signing of a truce agreement on a day before. The official Yemeni news agency quoted a local Yemeni source as saying, "Violent explosions were heard last night on more than one front, while the two eastern exits leading to Sanaa and the western one leading to Al Hudaydah were shut down and sieged by the Houthis." The Media Bureau of the Popular Resistance in Taiz has recorded more than 16 violations committed by the coup militias, which include bombing of military bases, resistance sites, and residential neighbourhoods during the agreed truce timeline.

See also

• Yemeni Revolution
• Battle of Taiz (2011)