Saudi-aligned officials flee Taiz as Sanaa forces advance toward Al-Turbah

TAIZ, Sept. 21 (YPA) – Saudi-aligned military and local leaders were fleeing Taiz City as Sanaa forces moved closer to taking full control of Al-Turbah, the administrative center of Al-Shamayateen district in southern Taiz province.

Sources familiar with the matter said on Monday that the Saudi-appointed Taiz governor Nabil Shamsan abruptly left the city for Aden via the Al-Turbah–Tor Al-Baha–Aden route, before Sanaa forces were expected to take control of the main road linking Taiz and Aden through Al-Turbah in Al-Shamayateen.

They said most Saudi-aligned leaders fled toward Aden with their families amid mounting military pressure and rapid advances by Sanaa forces, which had taken control of strategic positions in areas of Al-Shamayateen toward Al-Turbah.

According to the sources, the rapid advances came amid a broad collapse of positions held by the so-called Fourth Mountain Infantry Brigade, affiliated with the Islah Party, which had fallen under Sanaa forces’ attacks.

The sources said residents of Al-Shamayateen welcomed the reported advances by Sanaa forces toward Al-Turbah, describing the area as one of the main strongholds of Saudi-aligned groups accused of carrying out abuses against civilians, including repression, assassinations, abductions and unauthorized home raids.

The developments followed the Sanaa forces’ full control of Yemen’s western coastal districts and the seizure of large quantities of military equipment and vehicles abandoned by affiliated factions, beginning with Khokha and Hays districts south of Hodeida and extending through Mocha, Mawza, Al-Wazi’iyah and Dhu Bab to the strategic Bab Al-Mandab Strait since the beginning of this month.

AA