ADEN, Yemen, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A total of five pro-government security officers were killed in fighting with the Houthi rebels in the Yemeni southern province of al-Dhalea on Friday, a government official told Xinhua.
Fierce fighting took place between the government forces and the Houthi rebels in Hajar area in the western parts of al-Dhalea, leaving five officers of the newly-recruited security forces killed, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The five killed officers are Shalal Shobahi, leader of the security forces tasked with protecting Aden's main port, and four members of the Fourth Special Battalion of Aden's security forces, he added.
More well-trained officers had left their sites in Aden to confront the Houthi rebels in al-Dhalea after the incident, the government official noted.
"Snipers of the Houthi group are posing a real threat to the pro-government forces that made advancement on the ground," an army commander based in Aden confirmed to Xinhua, also on condition of anonymity.
During the past days, key pro-government army and security commanders lost their lives as a result of the attacks of Houthi snipers, he said.
Fighting is still going on in the area of Hajar as Houthis started to intensify their artillery shelling in their attempts to advance on government-controlled sites, according to local sources.
Both warring sides continued to mobilize large numbers of fighters to the frontlines in al-Dhalea amid armed confrontations which have lasted weeks in the government-controlled province.
The areas in the north and west of al-Dhalea have witnessed continuous fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters for four years.
Yemen has been plagued by a civil war since late 2014 after Houthi rebels revolted and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.
