Clashes have intensified in the Yemeni city of Taiz, with Houthi forces advancing on the city. The fighting has led to a significant escalation in the country's civil war. Taiz, the country's cultural capital, is strategically located at the intersection of areas controlled by the Houthis in northern Yemen and those controlled by the government in the south. The city has been under siege from several directions, with government forces controlling the city center and Houthi forces positioned to the north and east.
The recent fighting has centered around the western entrances to the city, where both sides are vying for control of high ground overlooking the road leading south. If the Houthis succeed in securing these areas, government forces may struggle to retake the city of Mocha, which was captured by the Houthis on September 10. The Houthi advance has raised concerns about the impact on global energy supplies, with oil prices rising due to fears of further disruptions in the region.
The BBC accompanied government forces on a journey from Aden to Taiz, passing through numerous checkpoints that highlighted the divisions within the forces fighting on behalf of the government. As they approached the city, they encountered ambulances heading to the main hospital, with at least five vehicles passing by within half an hour. The city was still bustling with life, but the sounds of shelling and gunfire from the surrounding mountains were a stark reminder of the conflict.
The Houthis have been using drones extensively in their attacks, alongside other weapons. Iran has been accused of providing the Houthis with arms, financing, and military expertise, although it has denied supplying them with weapons. The conflict has also seen reports of child soldiers being used by both sides. A government soldier told the BBC that it was difficult to face a child soldier, but they had to defend themselves.
The city of Taiz has been a major battleground in Yemen's devastating civil war. After the government was ousted from Sanaa in 2015, the Houthis attempted to take control of Taiz but were largely repelled by local fighters. The current fighting has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians displaced and many more facing food and water shortages.
At a hospital in Taiz, medical staff were treating patients injured in the fighting, including children. A 12-year-old girl, Ghana Nabiel, was being treated for a head injury sustained when a mortar shell landed near her while she was tending to her goats. Doctors said her injuries would have a lasting impact on her life. The hospital was under pressure, with all available beds in the intensive care unit occupied.
The United Nations has reported that 130,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in Yemen so far this month. At a refugee camp near Taiz, families who had fled the city of Mocha and surrounding villages were seeking shelter. One woman, Mariam Saleh, had arrived at the camp with her husband and five children, having walked for hours without shoes. She was struggling to make ends meet, trying to earn money by selling handicrafts to feed her family.
Key points
- The Houthi forces are advancing on the city of Taiz, leading to intensified clashes with government forces.
- The conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians displaced and many more facing food and water shortages.
- The Houthis have been using drones extensively in their attacks, alongside other weapons, in the conflict.
