Battle of the Jabara Valley explained

Conflict:Battle of the Jabara Valley
Partof:Operation Victory from God
Date:26 – 29 August 2019
(3 days)
Place:Jabara Valley, Yemen
Result:Decisive Houthi victory
  • Saudi reinforcements decimated.
  • Saudi forces encircled and destroyed
Combatant1: Houthi government[1]
Combatant2: Saudi Arabia
  • al-Fateh Brigade
Commander1:Unknown
Commander2:Radad al-Hashemi
Strength1:Around 500
Strength2:1,100-2,000
Casualties1:Unknown but less than 250
Casualties2:1,000–1,900 killed or captured, 100 escaped
200+ vehicles destroyed or captured

The Battle of the Jabara Valley occurred between 26 and 29 August 2019, during the Second Yemeni Civil War. It was part of Operation Victory from God, a major Houthi-led offensive along the Saudi Arabian-Yemeni border.

The battle

A Saudi Arabian auxiliary force of around 1,100 men from the al-Fateh Brigade launched an offensive into the Jabara Valley in Yemen's Saada Governorate against Houthi forces.[2] When the al-Fateh Brigade entered the valley, it was initially met with no resistance. A Houthi force then enveloped the Saudi-aligned force and besieged it for four days. Saudi air support was ineffective at breaking the envelopment, with Houthi sources reporting that the Saudis accidentally struck their own positions with airstrikes.[3] On 29 August 2019, a small breakout occurred with about 100 men from the pro-Saudi force escaping. The remaining thousand pro-Saudi troops capitulated, with approximately 1,000 to 2,000 killed or captured. The battle was part of the initial phase of Operation Victory from God.[4]

Aftermath

Houthi sources reported that a Saudi airstrike killed several Yemeni prisoners of war captured during the battle.[5]

The Houthis continued their offensive in course of September 2019.[6]

Use of foreign weaponry by Saudis

NGOs from the EU have discovered Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia that had been used in Yemen, notably in the Jabara Valley.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Houthi Who?. Foreign Affairs. Asher. Orkaby. 25 March 2015. 25 March 2015.
  2. News: 'I curse myself': Yemeni mercenaries say their Saudi fighting days are over . . 3 September 2019 . 4 September 2019.
  3. News: روايات من قلب الانتكاسة .. كيف وقع لواء الفتح فريسة سهلة للحوثيين . Novels from the heart of the setback .. How the brigade of conquest fell prey easy to the Houthis . Hassan Mohammed . Balqees TV . ar . 3 October 2019 . 14 October 2019 . 14 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191014091115/https://belqees.tv/yemen/%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%81-%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AD-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D9%87%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86.html . dead .
  4. News: Weiss. Caleb. Houthis claim major operation inside Saudi Arabia . Long War Journal. 29 September 2019. 8 October 2019 .
  5. Web site: منهم الأسرى الذين قصف طيران التحالف مركز احتجازهم في مدينة ذمار..؟ . Who were the prisoners killed in the Coalition bombing of detention center in Dhamar? . Yemenat.net . 1 September 2019 . 4 September 2019 . ar.
  6. Web site: Yemen's Houthis Claim Invasion of Saudi Arabia, Capture of Thousands of Troops in Najran. Common Dreams. Juan. Cole. 22 June 2023.
  7. Web site: BELGIAN ARMS IN YEMEN . 2020-10-17 . . Lammerant . Hans.