Saudi deaths in fight with Yemeni rebels reach 113

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The kingdom’s well-funded but largely untested military joined the fray after Shia rebels from Yemen crossed the border into Saudi Arabia on November 5, killing two Saudi border guards.

The Al Riyadh newspaper quoted Maj Gen Ali Zaid Al Khawaji as saying the dead include a senior Saudi officer whose body was found with those of two soldiers after a battle last week to drive rebels out of a border .

The latest toll is a significant jump from last week, when assistant defence minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan said the Saudis had 82 dead and 470 wounded.

The mounting toll underscores the ferocity of the fighting with the poorly armed Yemeni Hawthi rebels, who have been battling their own government since 2004 over neglect and discrimination.

The rebels have gained a reputation for being cunning adversaries, taking full advantage of the rugged mountainous terrain of their homes in northern Yemen.

The Saudis have been relying on artillery and air power to defeat the rebels without risking manpower, but the casualties mostly come from mop-up operations in rebel stronghold villages.

 

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