AFP reports that 400 Sudanese soldiers arrived in the Yemeni port city of Aden, in support of ousted President Hadi.
These Sudanese forces will combine with 500 other Sudanese soldiers who arrived in Aden on October 19. Sudanese troops have been deployed by the pro-Hadi government in southern provinces to take back cities currently held by Houthi fighters. Hadi is backed by Saudi airstrikes, troops, and supplies.
Four additional southern provinces - Lahj, Daleh, Abyan and Shabwa - were recently retaken by pro-Hadi forces, AFP reports.
The latest influx of Sudanese soldiers is suspected to be part of a defensive manuever to keep the Houthi fighters from reclaiming Aden. Aden is a crucial port city in Yemen, currently held by pro-Hadi forces. Both Houthis and pro-Hadi forces have claimed the city at different points in the ongoing conflict.
"General mobilization was been declared in Daleh," where the Houthi fighters recaptured another nearby city, Damt, on Saturday, a local official told AFP.
Pro-Hadi forces are also moving toward the coastal city of Dhubab, near the Bab al-Mandab strait, where the Houthi fighters achieved a "limited advance" during the weekend, a military source said. The Houthis claimed a military base in Dhubab on Saturday, after a battle with pro-Hadi forces left dozens dead.
The UN reports that over 5,000 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict since March. Tens of thousands are without food, electricity, and access to emergency aid.
