Yemen Clashes: At Least 20 Killed In Fighting Between Houthi Rebels, Government Troops

At least 20 people were killed Wednesday during clashes in Yemen between Shiite rebels and the military that resulted in the rebels gaining control of a suburb outside of the capital of Sanaa. The clash was the latest battle between Houthi rebels, who accuse Yemen’s government of being corrupt, and Yemeni forces.

The Houthi rebels, loyal to leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi, are attempting to overthrow Yemen’s Sunni-majority government. Yemen accuses the rebels of attempting a power grab so they can have their own autonomous region in the country.

At least 12 rebels were killed in the fighting, tribal sources told Reuters. Medical sources said eight government troops died. A Houthi leader said the group destroyed two army armored vehicles. There were also reports of four explosions, but it wasn’t immediately clear what the source of the noise was, Reuters reported.

The most recent clashes followed other violence Tuesday, when 22 people were killed in northern Yemen.

The Houthis have staged protests and sit-ins in and around Sanaa and are trying to gain support after the government cut fuel subsidies, which caused fuel prices to rise. The rebels want to restore the subsidies.

At least four rebels were killed last week when they tried to storm parliament.