Violent confrontations broke out on Friday between gangs of Islah militants in the center of Taiz city, leaving dead and wounded in addition to causing damages to citizens’ property.
According to local sources in the city, clashes broke out between armed men loyal to Ghazwan Al-Mikhlafi, nephew of Islah military leader Sadiq Sarhan, and a gang affiliated with so-called Al-Ja’ashni in Al-Rawdha area, near “July 7 school for girls”.
“The clashes left at least two dead and several wounded,” one of the sources said, without mentioning a final statistic. The victims were transferred to the city’s hospitals, including civilians.
The sources confirmed that the clashes took place during Friday prayers over royalties imposed on cars for selling qat, and caused damage to citizens’ homes in addition to burning of a military pickup vehicle.
The same sources indicated that Al-Mikhlafi demands “Al-Ja’ashni” to pay more than 150,000 riyals a day from market royalties.
“Cases of fainting were recorded among terrified women and children due to fear and panic of clashes,” one of the sources explained.
Al-Mikhlafi gunmen went on to target Al-Ja’ashni’s house and impose a suffocating siege on women and children inside the house, the sources added.
Tensions remain high due to the chaos in areas, which are under the control of the Saudi-led coalition-funded gangs.
