More than 270 killed in Yemen clashes as government forces launch counter-offensive

Screen grab taken from video footage released by the pro-Yemeni government Southern Giants Brigades on Tuesday shows fighters celebrating while riding a vehicle. PIC/AFP

Fighting across Yemen has killed more than 270 government troops and Iran-backed Houthi fighters over the past day, sources on both sides told AFP on Tuesday.

Fighting has intensified in Yemen since the internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, launched a counter-offensive aimed at recovering territory seized by Houthi fighters last month.

Government sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that 115 troops had died over the past 24 hours, and that dozens of others were wounded in fighting, and by Houthi missile and drone attacks.

The focus of the violence is on southwest Yemen, around the Bab al-Mandab strait that is crucial to global energy flows.

Houthi military sources meanwhile told AFP that they had lost 160 fighters over the past day, mainly in Saudi strikes on areas under their control.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.