Yemeni army’s advances provoke Houthis into desperate measures

Yemeni army’s advances provoke Houthis into desperate measures
Col. Turki Al-Maliki said Houthis are lying about their victories to preserve morale of militia. (File/AFP)
Updated 13 August 2019
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Yemeni army’s advances provoke Houthis into desperate measures

Yemeni army’s advances provoke Houthis into desperate measures
  • Houthis confessed in 2018 to recruiting 18,000 children
  • Arab coalition spokesman said the militia falsified events

DUBAI: The Yemeni army’s continued push has provoked the Houthi militia into spreading misleading messages via their media, the Arab coalition’s spokesman said.

Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the militia falsified events, claiming victories where none had been achieved to preserve morale among their troops.

Meanwhile Houthis continue to deceive Yemeni tribes to offer their children to fight alongside the militia, Al-Maliki said.

In December 2018, a senior Houthi military official told the Associated Press that the militia had recruited 18,000 child soldiers into their army since the beginning of the war in 2014.   

British tabloid The Mirror reported in May that children were being handed keys for “entering paradise.”

The recruiting of child soldiers breaches international law.