The Houthis sent large military reinforcements to the Al-Majd Brigade camp in the Mukayras district of Al-Baydha governorate on Monday night, while at the same time deploying military convoys to Tharrah hill between Mukayras and Lawder district in Abyan governorate, according to local residents in the area. 

Eyewitnesses told Almasdar Online that light military trucks and armored vehicles belonging to the former Republican Guards arrived at Al-Majd Brigade camp from Al-Baydha City, to support the Houthi forces stationed in Mukayras town. 

The Houthi military trucks, which arrived in Mukayras and Tharrah hill, were carrying a large number of new recruits, including African migrants, according to local residents and eyewitnesses.

“Houthis are taking advantage of the Yemeni government’s lack of financial and military support for the Tharrah hill front,” an army field commander told Almasdar Online, noting that the Saudi coalition has frozen aid to military operations there.  

A few weeks ago, the Houthis launched an artillery attack on positions of the army and Southern Resistance Forces (SRF) in the center and at the foot of the hill, resulting in fierce clashes between the two sides. The commander said that leaders of one of the factions of the SRF were injured and transferred to a hospital in the interim capital Aden. 

The Houthis have controlled Mukayras district since late 2014. In early March 2015, the Houthis gained control of strategic Tharrah hill and Lawder district and advanced towards Abyan governorate and Aden. The Saudi-led coalition backed a military campaign that drove the Houthis out of Lawder in August of the same year.