| Al Bayda offensive | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theYemeni Civil War (2014–present) andMarib Campaign | ||||||||||
.svg) Map of the offensive Pro-Houthi Government control Pro-Hadi Government control | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||||
| Unknown |  Brig. Gen. Abdulrab Al-Asbahi[3](Chief of the Bayda military command) |  Abu Al-Walid Al-Adani †[2](ISIS Emir in Qifah District) | ||||||||
| Strength | ||||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||||
| 60 casualties[3] (Acc. Hadi Government) | Unknown | 250 casualties[3] 10 captured[5] (Acc. Houthi) | ||||||||
TheAl Bayda offensive began in late July 2020 with the restart of military operations by Houthis forces inAl Bayda Governorate, during theSecond Yemeni Civil War against forces ofAl-Qaeda in Yemen, theIslamic State in Yemen and military forces loyal to theGovernment of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Al-Hadi.
In early 2020, Houthi forces were achieving territorial gains inal-Jawf Governorate andMarib along the main highway that links those governorates,[6] with the aim of controlling the Bayda–Marib axis.[7]
On 15 May, clashes broke out in al-Bayda between Houthi forces and pro-Hadi government forces. The latter claimed the deaths and injuries of Houthi militants, but did not give specific numbers.[8]
On 21 June, Houthis-led forces fought its way in the Baydha Governorate, with the aim on reaching Mahilia area and attack Marib by the South.[9] According to Pro-Hadi government media the Houthi offensive on Al-Nahma area,Mahliyah District of Marib, left tribesmen loyal to the government and soldiers in a dire situation of being attacked from the South.[10]
On 30 June, Houthi forces made further advances on the north of Bayda and the south of Marib, seizing 400 km2 of terrain and inflicting 250 killed, wounded and captured Pro-Hadi Government forces.[11]
On 12 August, Houthi sources reported advances on the Marib front against ISIS and Al-Qaeda forces located in the southeast of Marib and Saudi led forces in the southwest.[12]
On 19 August, the spokesperson of the Houthi movement, Gen. Yahya al-Sari, said that after military operations the districts of Walad Rabi and Quraishiyah were captured by Houthi forces. According to al-Sari Houthi forces seized 1,000 km2 of terrain from control of Jihadist groups (Al-Qaeda andIslamic State in Yemen), inflicted 250 killed, wounded and captured whilst destroying 12 enemy bases.[13]
On 22 August, Houthi media revealed the advances made by Houthi fighters against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces in Bayda. According to Yemeni media Houthi fighters seizedM47 Dragon missiles,M2 Browning machine guns and supplies of theWorld Food Programme from jihadist forces.[14]
On 23 September 2021, Houthi forces said they captured three districts from Al-Bayda governorate effectively controlling the province.[15][16] The Ministry of Defense of the Houthi government dubbed the result as a "strategic victory" over Al-Qaeda and ISIS-Y.[17]
