Global General

73 Saudis killed in confrontation with Houthi rebels: report

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-22 23:54

RIYADH: Seventy-three Saudis have been killed and 26 others went missing in confrontation with the Yemeni Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, since fighting broke out in November on Saudi southern border with Yemen, the al-Arabiya reported Tuesday on its website.

The confrontation on the southern border left "73 martyears and 26 missing," said Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan during a conference in al-Khoba in the southern province of Jizan.

He added that the number of people wounded during the fighting hit 470, among them 60 were still in hospitals.

However, the minister did not mention whether the fatalities were all soldiers or included civilians.

Meanwhile, the Saudi military leader gave the Yemeni rebels 48 hours to withdraw from the border area of al-Jabri, affirming that all other border areas became under the full control of the army.

The fighting between Saudi forces and the Yemeni Shiite rebels was triggered on November 3 following a fire exchange, during which one of the Saudi border guards was killed.