Malaysian forces join Saudi-led coalition in Yemen

Vanguards of the Malaysian forces have arrived Sunday at Saudi air bases to join Riyadh's military coalition battling Houthi militias in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

With the move, the Asian country became the 12th state in the Saudi-led coalition after Senegal announced it would send 2,100 soldiers to Saudi Arabia to join the alliance.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said the coalition operations center is preparing to merge the Malaysian and Senegalese forces.

The Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against Iran-backed Shiite Houthi miitias and their allies on March 26 after they seized control of large parts of the country and advanced on the main southern city of Aden, where President Abedrabbu Mansour Hadi had taken refuge, before fleeing to Riyadh.