Yemeni Govt Forces Clash with Houthis on Taiz Outskirts
Yemeni government troops and allied Popular Resistance units engaged in combat with Houthi militants on Wednesday, 21 October, along the western outskirts of Taiz. The fighting occurred near the city’s old airport and Jabal Han mountain, according to reports from the internationally recognised government. Officials stated that their forces successfully repelled the assault and conducted air strikes against Houthi positions, vehicles, and a missile launchpad located west, south, and east of the city. Visual footage captured a government tank firing toward enemy positions as gunfire resonated throughout the area.
The clashes highlight the intensifying pressure on Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, which has been largely encircled by Houthi forces. These groups have severed key supply routes, including the main road connecting to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognised government. The blockade has severely restricted access to the city’s primary landfill, leading to a significant accumulation of waste along major streets. Sanitation workers reported that they can no longer reach the dumping site due to the ongoing hostilities and have resorted to burning refuse in the streets. Video evidence displayed waste burning beside busy roads, with thick smoke rising over residential neighborhoods and goats feeding among the debris.
Aid agencies warned that fuel shortages are disrupting water pumps, hospitals, and waste collection services, thereby deepening fears of disease outbreaks. One resident expressed the dire situation, stating, “If we don’t die from Houthi shelling, we’ll die from this rubbish.” The combination of military conflict and deteriorating public health conditions underscores the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.
This report was produced in the Europe Brief News newsroom.
