Fighting erupts between Yemeni government forces and Houthis on the outskirts of Taiz
Yemen's internationally recognised government forces clashed with Houthi fighters on the western edge of Taiz on 21 October. The city, largely encircled by the Houthis, is also struggling with rubbish and fuel shortages.
Yemeni government forces and allied Popular Resistance fighters clashed with Houthi fighters on the western outskirts of Taiz on Wednesday, 21 October. The Houthis are an armed movement fighting the government in Yemen's conflict. The fighting took place near the city's old airport and the Jabal Han mountain. Taiz is the third-largest city in Yemen.
The government said its forces had repelled the attack. It also reported air strikes on Houthi positions, vehicles and a missile launchpad to the west, south and east of the city. These claims could not be independently verified. Footage shows a government tank firing towards Houthi positions while gunfire echoes through the area.
A city under pressure
The clashes come as Houthi forces have largely encircled Taiz and cut key supply routes. These include the main road to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognised government.
The restrictions have also disrupted access to the city's main landfill, so rubbish is piling up along major streets. Sanitation workers say the clashes mean they can no longer reach the site, and they have been burning waste in the streets. Footage shows rubbish burning beside busy roads, thick smoke rising over neighbourhoods and goats feeding among the waste.
Aid agencies say fuel shortages are also disrupting water pumps, hospitals and waste collection, which deepens fears of disease outbreaks. One resident said: "If we don't die from Houthi shelling, we'll die from this rubbish."
