Houthis Seize Control of Another Yemeni City

Local Editor

Houthi fighters on Thursday seized control of Yemen's western city of Khokha on the Red Sea coast, a local official has said.

"Houthi fighters are now in total control of Khokha," the official, requesting anonymity, told Anadolu Agency.
Local residents said fighters carrying machine guns had arrived in Khokha the night before, reinforcing the Houthi presence in the city, which is located near the Makha'a seaport.

Meanwhile, in the central province of al-Bayda', at least 10 Houthi fighters were killed in an attack by al-Qaeda militants and allied tribesmen on their checkpoint, a tribal source said Thursday.
"Al-Qaeda militants and allied armed tribesmen attacked a checkpoint installed by the Houthis in Qifah region in Rada'a directorate with light and medium arms and mortar shells," the source, who asked to remain anonymous, told Anadolu.

The rebels seized the capital Sanaa in September and has since spread their control into central and west Yemen.
They captured several areas around Rada late last month after a suspected US drone strike and raids by the Yemeni air force killed dozens of al-Qaeda militants and their tribal allies.
The Houthis also took the Red Sea port of Hudeida last month.
The steady expansion of Houthis has angered al-Qaeda.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team