*The Yemeni military has said that it killed 140 Shiite rebels in the north of the country on Sunday. The government is demanding that the rebels respect a ceasefire announced on Friday.
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) SANAA, Yemen - September 21, 2009: The Yemeni army killed more than 140 Shiite rebels during fierce fighting in the rugged mountainous city of Saada in northern Yemen on Sunday, a military official said, after the failure of a truce offered by the government.
Yemeni military hummer vehicles drive on a road during the ongoing military offensive on Shi'ite rebels in the northwestern province of Saada in this undated picture released by the Yemeni army. Yemen said on Sunday it had killed a leader of northern rebels as the air force continued to attack targets in Saada province, where rights groups say tens of thousands have been displaced. Yemni armored vehicles are seen in Saada province, Yemen. Yemeni Shiite rebels claim to have captured a key military post in the northern province of Saada bordering Saudi Arabia where fighting has raged for nearly three weeks.
"The army killed more than 140 rebels after thwarting an attempted attack on Saada," the official said, describing the fighting as "the fiercest" since the start of the military offensive on August 11.
The rebels started their attack on the city at 3.00 am from three directions in an attempt to reach the presidential palace in Saada, but the army was able to foil the offensive, the official said."So far more than 140 bodies have been found," he added.
The government on Friday announced a unilateral suspension of fighting, saying it would become a permanent ceasefire if the rebels abided by certain conditions. A rebel spokesman said they would "examine" the conditions but hostilities resumed on Saturday.
The main government demand is that they "respect the ceasefire and the opening of roads, evacuate their positions and free captured civilians and soldiers."
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