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Yemeni city Taiz 'seized by Shia rebels' | Yemeni city Taiz 'seized by Shia rebels' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Yemen's third largest city Taiz and its airport have been seized by Shia Houthi rebels, officials say. | |
Residents took to the streets in protest and one was killed as the rebels fired on them and used tear gas. | |
The insurgents already hold the capital, Sanaa, after overthrowing President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in February. He fled to Aden in the south. | |
Instability has been growing in Yemen, where al-Qaeda and Islamic State sympathisers also pose a threat. | |
On Saturday, the US said it was withdrawing its troops from the country due to the worsening security situation. | On Saturday, the US said it was withdrawing its troops from the country due to the worsening security situation. |
The US evacuated a southern military base seen as key to its use of drones against al-Qaeda militants. | |
Tanks | |
Dozens of tanks and military vehicles were reported to be heading from north Yemen towards Taiz, which lies between Sanaa and Aden. | Dozens of tanks and military vehicles were reported to be heading from north Yemen towards Taiz, which lies between Sanaa and Aden. |
The seizure of the Taiz brings the Houthis to within 140km (86 miles) of President Hadi's new base in Aden - a southern port city. | |
The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on Yemen's security situation on Sunday. | The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on Yemen's security situation on Sunday. |
The rebels declared a new government in February and said a transitional five-member presidential council would replace President Hadi. | The rebels declared a new government in February and said a transitional five-member presidential council would replace President Hadi. |
However, the Houthis are from the north, and their declaration has not been recognised by southern leaders. | |
On Sunday, Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi vowed to pursue Islamists militants from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and IS. | |
Both al-Qaeda and IS are Sunni groups and consider the Shia Muslim Houthis to be heretics. | Both al-Qaeda and IS are Sunni groups and consider the Shia Muslim Houthis to be heretics. |
IS said it was behind the suicide bombings of two Houthi mosques on Friday in Sanaa, which killed 137 worshippers. | |
Mr Houthi also accused Qatar and Saudi Arabia of "funding all conspiracies in the region" and accused Mr Hadi of "being a puppet in the hands of other actors to implement their agendas in Yemen". | |
This crisis is deepening fast, says BBC Middle East analyst Alan Johnston, and there's a danger of northern and southern Yemen eventually being torn apart. | |
Are you in Yemen? Have you witnessed events? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Yemen? Have you witnessed events? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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