Raging battles in Taiz force Houthis to retreat

Heavy fighting continued west of Yemen's third-largest city of Taiz on Monday between forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and Houthi militia fighters.

Yemeni local media reported that forces loyal to the internationally recognised government have managed to control areas of Jabal Habashi district, pushing militia fighters out of areas that used to be under their control.

Raging battles in the area have taken a heavy toll on civilians in recent days.

The Medecins Sans Frontieres charity reported it had treated more than two dozen people wounded in recent clashes.

Its medical centre, al-Thawra Hospital, came under heavy gunfire, with an attack that wounded at least three people including a healthcare worker and 12-year-old boy.

Artillery also hit a residential area in Taiz on Sunday, wounding seven children as they left their school, according to the charity Save the Children.

The attack occurred just days after three children were killed and 10 others wounded when shells hit their homes in the same area.

The conflict in Yemen erupted nearly six years ago, after the Houthis swept into the capital and seized much of the country’s north.

A Saudi-led military coalition launched a bombing campaign to dislodge the Houthis and restore the internationally recognised government.

The stalemated war was has killed around 130,000 people, including more than 12,000 civilians, pushed millions to the brink of famine and spawned one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.