Senior Yemeni security commander killed in clashes with Houthis in Taiz

Yemen said Friday that Maj. Gen. Mohammed Salem Abdullah al-Khawlani, chief of staff of the Interior Ministry’s Emergency Forces, was killed in clashes with Houthi fighters in the southwestern province of Taiz.

This marks the highest-ranking security official whose death has been announced by the Yemeni government since the latest military escalation began in July, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

​​​​​​​“Al-Khawlani was killed while performing his national duty in fighting against the Houthis” on the Al-Kadaha front, the Interior Ministry said.

His death came amid a major military escalation in Taiz province, particularly on the Al-Kadaha, Jabal Habashi, Maqbanah and Al-Misrakh fronts.

In recent days, government forces have reported intense battles across several fronts in Taiz, alongside airstrikes on Houthi positions and continued fighting in different parts of the province.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.