Taiz Axis Commander: We arrested a number of Houthi cells while trying to enter the city through the Qasr roundabout crossing

Taiz Axis Commander, Major General Khaled Fadel, confirmed today, Monday, the arrest of a number of Houthi cells while trying to enter the city through the Qasr roundabout crossing east of the besieged city in southwestern Yemen.

This came during his meeting with a team from the office of the UN envoy to Yemen, headed by Dennis Francis, in the presence of Brigadier General Adeeb Al-Shihab, member of the Supreme Military Committee, and a number of military leaders, according to the Yemeni News Agency "Saba".

The meeting discussed the security challenges and the suffering of citizens while crossing the Al-Qasr roundabout crossing east of Taiz city, which was recently opened, and the importance of completing the opening of the main roads leading to Taiz city, which has been under siege for many years.

During the meeting, Major General Khaled Fadel briefed the UN official on the security measures taken by the government to secure citizens and the daily passage of thousands of cars and citizens to and from the city, as well as the major congestion that occurs at the outlet, as it is the only one for the city and the governorate’s directorates.

He also informed him of the ongoing violations committed by the Arab Houthi militia and their repeated attempts to provoke the security forces of the army tasked with securing the port and preserving the safety and lives of citizens through drone flights or firing at police personnel at the port, in addition to the militias creating a checkpoint only meters away from the army and police checkpoint and the militia elements digging tunnels towards the city.

Major General Fadel stressed the army's commitment to self-restraint and not to respond to the militias' violations due to the sensitivity of the area where the crossing point is located and out of concern for the lives and safety of citizens, noting that a number of Houthi cells were arrested while trying to enter the city and dozens of weapons were seized.

The leadership of the Taiz axis also addressed other security challenges they have been facing wisely and rationally since the opening of the outlet, demanding that the main roads be opened by the militias that were accustomed to before their war and unjust siege on the governorate and to alleviate congestion and suffering on this road.

In turn, the UN official stressed the envoy's office's follow-up of the road opening file and the challenges facing citizens while crossing the Qasr roundabout crossing in a safe manner, and the importance of taking appropriate security measures to protect civilians and facilitate their passage, explaining that the team's visit aims to closely examine the security challenges regarding the roads to prevent escalation and calm any tensions.

In the same context, the head of the government committee for opening roads, Abdul Karim Shaiban, and the committee members stressed in another meeting with the UN official the necessity of opening all the main roads of the city, calling for pressure on the Houthi militias to open these roads, which are considered a lifeline for the citizens.

Shiban pointed out that opening the Qasr-Al-Kamb-Al-Madinah roundabout road does not alleviate the suffering of the people of Taiz, and it is also located in a military contact area that is still surrounded by military sites.

He explained that the Asifra-Al-Sitteen line is safe and will greatly alleviate the suffering of owners of large trucks in terms of easy passage, reduce the accidents they were exposed to on the alternative and rugged road, and lower the cost of transportation.

He also stressed that it will have a positive impact on the citizen in reducing the prices of goods, food and consumer goods and allowing international aid to enter the governorate easily and smoothly, but the Houthi militias were stubborn and refused to open this road, expressing his hope that the UN envoy would oblige the militias to open it and open all the main roads to the city as a humanitarian aspect without conditions.