Battle of Taiz (2015) | ||||||||
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Part of the Yemeni civil war (2015–present) and Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen | ||||||||
Aerial view of the city of Taiz |
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Belligerents | ||||||||
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Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
Abdu Al Janadi (Houthi Governor of Taiz) Ameen Haydan † (Houthi Deputy Governor of Taiz) Abu Ali Hakim Abdullah al-Houthi (Houthi field commander) Abu Bassam † (Field commander) |
Major General Ahmed Saif Al Yafei †(Yemeni Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff) Ali al-Maamari (Taiz governor-in-exile) Rashad al-Akahali(Taiz deputy governor-on-exile) Major General Khalid Fadhel (Commander of Taiz military region) Sheikh Hamoud al-Mikhlafi (Popular Resistance commander) Dhia Al Haq (Popular resistance leader in Taiz) Major-General Mohamed al-Awni † (local pro-Hadi commander) Abu al-Abbas (Leader of the Salafist militias) Col. Abdullah al-Sahyan † (Saudi Special Forces commander) Mohammed Ali al-Kitbi † (Special forces officer) Brig Gen Saleh Salem Saleh †(1st Brigade commander) |
Qasim al-Raymi Abu al-Zubair al-Adani † Karim Sarhan † |
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Strength | ||||||||
More than 30,000 | Pro-government forces: 10,000 to 15,000 Salafist militias: 500 members |
Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | ||||||||
2,000 killed (1,350 civilians) 1,600+ civilians killed (Taiz residents claimed) 29,858 people displaced (in Taiz city only) |
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Ongoing
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
The Battle of Taiz is a military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the 35th Armored Brigade base. The battle began one month after the start of the civil war.
Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's influential former president and General People's Congress party head, swept into Taiz on 22 March, capturing the military airport and other key parts of the city. They encountered little resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into the air to disperse protests. One demonstrator was killed and five more were injured.