Alwaght- The Yemeni army and Ansarullah liberated two more districts from the Saudi-backed forces in the strategic Marib province in Operation Spring of Victory launched jointly.
The province’s al-Jubah and Jabal Murad districts were liberated by the army and allied popular forces during the second phase of ‘Operation Spring of Victory,” said Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesman to the army.
He further told the pro-Saudi mercenaries to surrender “before it is too late.”
The Yemeni armed forces have vowed not to lay down their arms until the complete liberation of the whole country that has been subjected to a Saudi-led war since March 2015.
The Yemeni forces and the foreign-backed militants, part of whom are loyalists to the resigned President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, have been in fierce battle since last February over the strategic Marib province.
The province is seen as the major stronghold for the anti-Sana’a forces in the center of the country. It provides a base for operations against the north which is held by the revolutionary movement of Ansarullah.
The province’s recapture, towards which many advancements have been made so far, is expected to pave the way for further military victories for Yemen’s armed forces.
Saudi Arabia deployed to the battleground as many forces as it could recruit, including foreign militants and even Al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorists with whom Riyadh reportedly made a deal to fight Sana’a forces.
During the Yemeni forces’ advances, the Saudi-led coalition conducted as many as 159 airstrikes against them, prompting Yemen’s missile defense and drone units to carry out 188 counterattacks, 29 of which targeted the depths of the Saudi soil, Saree said.
The West has been assisting the Saudi campaign in Yemen with arms and logistics, only to find the kingdom in a swamp it is hard to move out of.
What does Marib recapture mean?
The recapture of more parts of Marib means that the Sana’a forces are close to liberation of the whole strategic province. Its recapture would be a game-changer for the war developments and gives an upper hand to Ansarullah and the army. First point is that they can take from the Saudis and their loyalists a major base which have been used to launch offensives on the northern cities which are under control of Ansarullah.
The second point is that liberation of Marib means more military push southward and further recaptures can follow. The Operation Spring of Victory has been focusing on taking back Bayda and Shabwa provinces using the already-captured parts of Marib.
The third point is facilitated by the two mentioned points. Saudi Arabia is already seeking ways to end the war as it grows costly for it. Recapture of Marib can give Ansarullah new cards and burn those of Riyadh. Cardless Saudis are easier to bring to the negotiating table for concessions and end of the devastating seven-year war that so far killed and injured hundreds of thousands of civilians and displaced millions.
