Battle of Taiz

Last updated
Battle of Taiz
Part of the Yemeni Revolution
Taiz city from AlQahirah Castle.jpg
Aerial view of the city
Date28 May – 7 June 2011
(1 week and 3 days)
Location
Result Alliance of Yemeni Tribes victory [1]
Belligerents
Flag of Yemen.svg Alliance of Yemeni Tribes Flag of the Yemeni Army.svg Yemen Army
Commanders and leaders
Sheik Hamoud al-Makhlafi [2]
Strength
5,000 fighters [3] 33rd Armored Brigade [4] 7,000-11,000
Casualties and losses
35-71 killed [5] 11 soldiers killed [6] [7] [8]
4 civilians killed [9]

The Battle of Taiz erupted during the 2011 Yemeni Revolution, between forces loyal to Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh and opposition protesters, backed by armed tribesmen and defecting soldiers in the city of Taiz.

Contents

The battle

Opposition demonstrators had occupied the main square in the city since the start of the uprising against the rule of president Saleh. The protests were for the most part peaceful. However, that changed on 29 May, when the military started an operation to crush the protests and clear the demonstrators from their camp at the square. Troops reportedly fired live ammunition and from water cannons on the protesters, burned their tents and bulldozers ran over some of them. The opposition described the event as a massacre. [10]

Street clashes continued and by 31 May, the death toll among protesters reached between 28 [11] and 64. [12] On 31 May, about 100 women protesters had gathered in a central square, challenging security forces nearby to use force, which would represent a breach of social norms. But the women were soon dispersed by female police officers and women who support the president. [13]

On 2 June, armed protesters appeared on the streets for the first time and two of them were killed, along with three soldiers, in an exchange of fire. [6]

On 3 June, four soldiers were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by protesters. Another 26 were wounded in clashes in which two more protesters were killed and 30 wounded. [14] [7]

On 5 June, armed members of the opposition tried to storm the presidential palace. The fighting that ensued left four soldiers and one gunman dead. [8]

On 7 June, about 400 opposition gunmen chased out the security forces from Ta'izz and took control of the city. After that, the military was trying to regroup outside the town for a counter-attack. [1] During the clashes, a tank fired on a residential building near the presidential palace killing four people, including three children. [9]

Aftermath

On 14 June, women demonstrated against Saleh and demanded his removal from power. [15] [16] The next day, there were reports of violent clashes between government troops and opposition fighters in the city, leaving casualties on both sides. Two fuel tankers were also burned by the opposition. [17]

On 16 June, demonstrators organised a large protest against regional and international attempts to undermine the movement and demanded the formation of a transitional council without any members of the Saleh regime. The march reached Freedom Square, where the protestors set up camp and resumed their sit-in. [18]

On 1 August, two soldiers and one anti-government fighter were killed in clashes in the northern area of the city after tribal gunmen attacked a military checkpoint and army tanks shelled the northern parts of the town. [19]

Between 1 and 4 December, 28 civilians were killed in clashes in the city. A number of government soldiers and opposition fighters were also killed. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Yemeni presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Yemen on 20 September 2006, alongside local elections. Incumbent president Ali Abdullah Saleh of the General People's Congress received 77% of the vote, defeating opposition coalition candidate Faisal Bin Shamlan.

The Houthi insurgency in Yemen, also known as the Houthi rebellion, the Sa'dah War, or the Sa'dah conflict, was a military rebellion pitting Zaidi Shia Houthis against the Yemeni military that began in Northern Yemen and has since escalated into a full-scale civil war. The conflict was sparked in 2004 by the government's attempt to arrest Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a Zaidi religious leader of the Houthis and a former parliamentarian on whose head the government had placed a $55,000 bounty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Yemen insurgency</span> 2009–2014 separatist protests and attacks on government forces

The South Yemen insurgency is a term used by the Yemeni government to describe the protests and attacks on government forces in southern Yemen, ongoing since 27 April 2009. Although the violence has been blamed on elements within the southern secessionist movement, leaders of the group maintain that their aims of independence are to be achieved through peaceful means, and claim that attacks are from ordinary citizens in response to the government's provocative actions. The insurgency comes amid the Shia insurgency in the country's north as led by the Houthi communities. Southern leaders led a brief, unsuccessful secession in 1994 following unification. Many of them are involved in the present secession movement. Southern separatist insurgents are active mainly in the area of former South Yemen, but also in Ad Dali' Governorate, which was not a part of the independent southern state. They are supported by the United Arab Emirates, even though the UAE is a member of the Saudi Arabian-led coalition working to support the Yemeni government under President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemeni Revolution</span> Yemeni upheaval occurring simultaneously with the Arab Spring (2011)

The Yemeni Revolution (intifada), also known as the Yemeni Revolution of Dignity followed the initial stages of the Tunisian Revolution and occurred simultaneously with the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 and other Arab Spring protests in the Middle East and North Africa. In its early phase, protests in Yemen were initially against unemployment, economic conditions and corruption, as well as against the government's proposals to modify Yemen's constitution. The protesters' demands then escalated to calls for the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Mass defections from the military, as well as from Saleh's government, effectively rendered much of the country outside of the government's control, and protesters vowed to defy its authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Sanaa (2011)</span> Battle of the Yemeni Revolution

The Battle of Sanaa was a battle during the 2011 Yemeni uprising between forces loyal to Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh and opposition tribal forces led by Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar for control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa and, on the part of the opposition, for the purpose of the downfall of president Saleh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Yemeni Revolution (January – 2 June 2011)</span> Historical event timeline

The following is a timeline of the 2011 Yemeni revolution from January to 2 June 2011. The Yemeni revolution was a series of major protests, political tensions, and armed clashes taking place in Yemen, which began in January 2011, influenced by concurrent protests in the region. Hundreds of protesters, members of armed groups, army soldiers and security personnel were killed, and many more injured, in the largest protests to take place in the South Arabian country for decades.

The Battle of Zinjibar was a battle between forces loyal to Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh and Islamist militant forces, possibly including elements of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), for control of the town of Zinjibar and its surroundings as part of the wider insurgency in the self-declared Al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen. Many of the Islamist forces operating in Abyan province refer to themselves as Ansar al-Sharia.

The Alliance of Yemeni Tribes, sometimes referred to as the Yemeni Tribes' Alliance, was an alliance of tribes in Yemen opposed to the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. It was formed on 30 July 2011 amidst the civil uprising in Yemen to defend anti-government protesters. Its leader, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar of the Hashid tribal federation, stated his intention to remove Saleh and his sons from power in his capacity as head of the Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Yemeni Revolution (3 June – 22 September 2011)</span>

The following is a timeline of the 2011–2012 Yemeni revolution from 3 June through 22 September 2011. The Yemeni revolution was a series of major protests, political tensions, and armed clashes taking place in Yemen, which began in January 2011 and were influenced by concurrent protests in the region. Hundreds of protesters, members of armed groups, army soldiers and security personnel were killed, and many more injured, in the largest protests to take place in the South Arabian country for decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Yemeni Revolution (23 September – December 2011)</span>

The following is a timeline of the 2011–2012 Yemeni revolution from 23 September through December 2011. The Yemeni revolution was a series of major protests, political tensions, and armed clashes taking place in Yemen, which began in January 2011 and were influenced by concurrent protests in the region. Hundreds of protesters, members of armed groups, army soldiers and security personnel were killed, and many more injured, in the largest protests to take place in the South Arabian country for decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daraa Governorate clashes (2011–2013)</span> Series of military confrontations in Syria

The 2011–2013 Daraa Governorate clashes are a series of military confrontations between the Syrian Army and the Free Syrian Army in Daraa Governorate, Syria, which began in November 2011, after widescale protests and crackdown on protesters in Daraa had lasted since April 2011. The clashes had been ongoing as part of the Syrian civil war, until the U.N. brokered cease fire came into effect on 14 April 2012. Sporadic clashes continued since then, however.

The Rif Dimashq clashes were a series of unrests and armed clashes in and around Damascus, the capital of Syria, from November 2011 until a stalemate in March 2012. The violence was part of the wider early insurgency phase of the Syrian Civil War. Large pro-government and anti-government protests took place in the suburbs and center of Damascus, with the situation escalating when members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) started attacking military targets in November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Aleppo Governorate clashes</span> 2012 series of battles

The 2012 Aleppo Governorate clashes were a series of battles as part of the early insurgency phase of the Syrian civil war in the Aleppo Governorate of Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idlib Governorate clashes (September 2011 – March 2012)</span>

The September 2011 – March 2012 Idlib Governorate clashes were the violent incidents that took place in Idlib Governorate, a province of Syria, from September 2011 and prior to the April 2012 Idlib Governorate Operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Yemeni Revolution (January – 27 February 2012)</span>

The following is a timeline of the 2011–2012 Yemeni revolution from January to 27 February 2012. The Yemeni revolution was a series of major protests, political tensions, and armed clashes taking place in Yemen, which began in January 2011 and were influenced by concurrent protests in the region. Hundreds of protesters, members of armed groups, army soldiers and security personnel were killed, and many more injured, in the largest protests to take place in the South Arabian country for decades.

The Battle of Douma was a military engagement during the Syrian Civil War. The battle began on 21 January 2012, after Free Syrian Army fighters changed their tactics from attack and retreat guerrilla warfare in the suburbs of Damascus to all-out assault on army units. Earlier in January, the FSA had taken the town of Zabadani, and consequently gained control over large portions of Douma. After a general offensive in the suburbs, Douma was retaken by the Syrian army at the same time as the other rebelling suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemeni peace process</span> Attempts to resolve the crisis in Yemen

Yemeni peace process refers to the proposals and negotiations to pacify the Yemeni Crisis by arranging a power transfer scheme within the country and later cease-fire attempts within the raging civil war. While initially unsuccessful, the reconciliation efforts resulted with presidential elections, held in Yemen in February 2012. The violence in Yemen, however, continued during the elections and after, culminating in Houthi successful grip of power and the ensuing civil war.

The Hama Governorate clashes were a series of incidents of fighting during late 2011 and early 2012 in the Syrian Governorate of Hama, as part of the Early insurgency phase of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012–2013 Iraqi protests</span> Sectarian protests and violence in Iraq during the post-U.S. insurgency

The 2012–2013 Iraqi protests started on 21 December 2012 following a raid on the home of Sunni Finance Minister Rafi al-Issawi and the arrest of 10 of his bodyguards. Beginning in Fallujah, the protests afterwards spread throughout Sunni Arab parts of Iraq. The protests centered on the issue of the alleged sectarianism of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Pro-Maliki protests also took place throughout central and southern Iraq, where there is a Shia Arab majority. In April 2013, sectarian violence escalated after the 2013 Hawija clashes. The protests continued throughout 2013, and in December Maliki used security forces to forcefully close down the main protest camp in Ramadi, killing hundreds of civilian protesters in the process. Sunni groups, such as the Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order, took up arms in response, and joined forces with the General Military Council for Iraqi Revolutionaries (GMCIR), a militant group made up of former Ba'athists, to conduct a military campaign against the Iraqi government. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) would later grow out of this civil conflict, escalating into a full-scale war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiz campaign</span> Conflicts in and around Taiz, Yemen, in the civil war from 2015–present

The Taiz campaign is a protracted military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the city and surrounding area. The battle began one month after the start of the Yemeni Civil War.

References

  1. 1 2 "Witnesses: Tribal fighters take over major city in Yemen". CNN . Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  2. "Who is running Yemen?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 24 October 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  3. "Gulf of Aden Security Review - June 9, 2011 - Critical Threats" . Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  4. "Injured Yemen leader Saleh flies to Saudi for care". USATODAY.COM. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  5. 28 shatter Yemen truce, US slams killings [ permanent dead link ]-64 YEMEN: Civilians flee violence in the south (28–31 May), 2 killed (2 June),2 protesters, 3 soldiers killed in fire exchange in south Yemen 2 killed (3 June),Yemen's Saleh injured in shelling, seven killed Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine 3 killed (5 June),Gunmen kill 13 troops in Yemen total of 35-71 reported killed
  6. 1 2 F_161. "2 protesters, 3 soldiers killed in fire exchange in south Yemen" . Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  7. 1 2 AP Story. "Associated Press" . Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 Protesters celebrate departure of Yemen's leader
  9. 1 2 "BBC News - Yemen: 30 dead in Zinjibar and 'clashes' in Taiz". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  10. "BBC News - Yemen forces 'kill 20 protesters' in Taiz". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  11. "Clashes shatter Yemen truce, US slams killings". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  12. "IRIN Middle East - YEMEN: Civilians flee violence in the south - Yemen - Conflict - Early Warning - Governance - Migration - Refugees/IDPs - Urban Risk". IRINnews. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  13. Cease-Fire in Yemen Capital Breaks Down
  14. "Yemen's Saleh injured in shelling, seven killed". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  15. "Yemen - Jun 14, 2011 - 16:48". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  16. "Yemen - Jun 14, 2011 - 20:16". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  17. "Yemen - Jun 15, 2011 - 10:52". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  18. "Yemen - Jun 16, 2011 - 14:12". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  19. Yemeni airstrikes kill 15 suspected militants
  20. Hakim Almasmari, CNN (3 December 2011). "5 killed in Yemen clashes". CNN. Retrieved 14 December 2014.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)