Yemen army chief injured by landmine

A government official said Brigadier General Taher Al Aqeeli suffered minor injuries in the explosion, which happened on Friday while he was inspecting government positions in the northern province of Al Jouf

The chief of staff of the Yemeni army has been injured by a landmine that went off while he was visiting the northern province of Al Jouf, where heavy fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters is underway, a senior government official has said.

The official said Brigadier General Taher Al Aqeeli suffered minor injuries in the explosion, which happened on Friday while he was inspecting government positions in Khub wa Al Sha'af, the largest district in Al Jouf.

Forces loyal to Yemeni president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi's government captured most of the district in heavy fighting with the Houthi rebels last month.

Pro-government forces, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, have intensified an offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis since former president Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed last month after switching sides in Yemen's war. The rebels control the capital, Sanaa, as well as much of the north of the country.

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The Houthis, who killed Saleh after surrounding his compound in Sanaa, accused the former president of trying to sow sedition in the country. In turn, Saleh's General People's Congress party accused the rebels of trying to monopolise running the country.

The Houthis said Brig Gen Al Aqeeli and several of his aides were injured in the blast, describing the army chief's injuries as serious.

Mr Hadi appointed Brig Gen Aqeeli in September last year, replacing Major General Mohammed Al Maqdeshi, who was appointed as a presidential adviser.

The UAE's state news agency, Wam, reported earlier this week that local Yemeni fighters in the south-west, backed by Emirati forces, had killed dozens of Houthis and cut one of their main supply routes to Taez, the country's third largest city which the rebels control.

The Houthis seized the capital in September 2014 and later advanced south, forcing Mr Hadi's government to flee to the second city of Aden and prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intervene in the war.

The conflict has displaced more than 2 million people, caused a cholera epidemic and pushed the country to the brink of famine. At least 10,000 people have been killed.