Riyadh, January 28: Saudi Arabia has claimed victory over Yemeni Shia fighters after the Houthi leader offered a truce to avoid more civilian casualties in northern Yemen.
“We achieved a clear victory,” Saudi Assistant Minister of Defense Prince Khaled bin Sultan said a day after Abdul Malik al-Houthi posted a message on internet and offered a ceasefire with the Kingdome, Routers reported.
The fighters also withdrew from at least 46 positions along the Saudi-Yemeni border as a gesture of goodwill to end the three-month clashes in the region, according to a statement released by al-Houthi’s office.
Prince Khaled, however, claimed that the fighters had been forced from the positions.
“We cleansed the area … Withdrawal was not an option for them,” he said.
Riyadh joined Yemen’s offensive against the Houthis after accusing them of killing a Saudi border guard and occupying two border villages on November 3.
Saudi jets began bombing Yemen’s northern villages the following day. The Houthis accuse Riyadh of using unconventional weapons against the civilian population of the north.
Saudi warplanes carried out attacks on a northern village even after the truce offer from the Shia fighters on Tuesday.
——-Agencies