Yemen's Houthis acknowledge death of commander in Iran-trained brigade

The Houthis on Monday said a commander of one of its elite battalions in Al-Hussein Brigade, whose commanders and members were trained by Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ experts, was killed.

Houthi activists lamented Yahya Abdel Jabar al-Shami, the commander of Al-Abbas battalion in Al-Hussein Brigade, on social media networks and posted his photo saying he was killed in the west coast front and has “joined his brother Ismail” who had been killed while fighting with the Houthis.

According to information circulated by Houthis, Shami and the battalion he led successfully executed difficult tasks, such as participating in the invasion of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s house and killing Saleh in Sanaa.

The Houthis have dispatched Al-Abbas battalion to save their crumbling militias on the outskirts of Hodeida in West Yemen.

Legitimate Yemeni forces said on Sunday that Shami and his battalion members were killed in battles to purge Ad Durayhimi District that’s adjacent to Hodeida. The battalion consisted of 93 skilled fighters and they were all killed.

Local sources said the death of Shami had a negative impact on other field commanders who fled their posts and headed towards Bajil District to return to Sanaa.

Legitimate Yemeni forces, aided by the Arab coalition, continue to secure Ad Durayhimi District as they’ve liberated most of its areas to advance and move towards Hodeida and the city’s strategic port.