2020 al-Jawf offensive

The Al Jawf offensive began in February 2020 with clashes in the Al Jawf Governorate and reached a decisive phase with the capture of the town of Al Hazm by the Houthi movement on 1 March 2020 from the Hadi government, during the Second Yemeni Civil War.[16][17][18]

Al Jawf offensive
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) and the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Map of the offensive      Pro-Houthi Government control     Pro-Hadi Government control
Date 29 February 2020 – 29 April 2020[1] Location Al Jawf Governorate, Ma'rib Governorate, Yemen Result Houthi-led victory Territorial changes Houthi fighters captured Al Hazm, the capital of Al Jawf Governorate, from Hadi Government.[2] Houthi forces captured 11 of the 12 districts and 95% of the Al-Jawf province.[3][4] Houthi forces captured four Saudi-led coalition military bases in Al-Jawf province and Marib province.[5][6][7][8] Houthis controlled all of North Yemen except for Ma'rib Governorate[3][4]
Belligerents
Yemen (Supreme Political Council) Houthi movement	Cabinet of Yemen Security Forces (pro-Hadi) Saudi Arabia
Commanders and leaders
Mohamed al-Atifi (Minister of Defense)	Gen. Sagheer bin Aziz (Chief of Staff)[9] Sheikh Amin al-Okaimi (WIA) (Governor of Al-Jawf)[10][11] Ali Mohsen Al Hoda (WIA) (Commander)[11] Gen. Hameed al-Maswari  † (Chief-of-operations in Kofal military camp)[12] Gen. Mohamed Kamil al-Thaifani  † (72nd Brgd. Commander)[12] Gen. Khalid al-Joma'ei  † (310th Brgd. Commander)[12] Abdul Nasser al-Halisi  † (Commander)[13]
Units involved
Houthi fighters Popular Committees	Islah militias[14]
Strength
unknown	6 Brigades and 3 battallions
Casualties and losses
unknown	1,200 casualties (Acc. to Houthis)[15]

Battle

Al Jawf Governorate in red, Yemen

After weeks of clashes, Houthi fighters stormed the city of Al Hazm, the capital of Al Jawf province, from different directions on 1 March 2020. A Hadi Government official told Xinhua News Agency that the Hadi forces had failed to repulse the Houthi fighters storming Al Hazm from the western and northwestern sides. The Houthi forces were deployed in different parts of the city whilst all pro-Hadi government military withdrew to Ma'rib city. The fighting left dozens of soldiers killed.[2]

The Houthi movement spokesperson said that the group controlled most of the Al Jawf District with the exception of some areas close to Saudi Arabia; the areas captured by the group comprised the Khub wal Shaaf and Yatma districts. The Houthi forces then turned the offensive on the Ma'rib Governorate with the aim of attacking Ma'rib city.[16][19]

On 18 March, local sources reported that the Houthi forces had expelled the Saudi-backed forces from the Atias mountain, a base at the Kufil mountain, and the Ghabira mountain, with reported clashes taking place near Talaat al-Hamra.[8]

On 28 March, according to the Houthi media wing, Houthi fighters seized the Kofal Camp.[20] Two days later, local sources informed that Houthi fighters captured the military base of Labnah in Labnah mountains from Saudi led coalition forces.[5] the capture of the military base allowed the Houthi forces to arm their aligned Popular Committees, the aim of the offensive was to encircle the al-Islah stronghold in oil-rich Ma'rib Province.[14] Ongoing battles were reported in the Kofal Camp.[14]

On 4 April, Yemeni government forces issued a statement saying that government forces supported by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes launched an attack on the Houthi militants in the Sirwah District, Ma'rib Governorate. According to Hadi Government forces, the fighting claimed 25 Houthi militants killed and several vehicles were destroyed. On the same day, pro-Houthi media reported that the clashes resulted in the death of a senior commander and several soldiers of the government forces.[21][22] According to Houthi media 80 Pro Hadi government forces were killed and wounded. The 310th Brigade Commander Gen Mohamed Kamil al-Thaifani; the Chief of operations Gen Hameed al-Maswari and the 72nd Brigade's commander Gen Khalid al-Joma'ei were confirmed dead in the fighting.[12] On 8 April, the Saudi-led coalition announced a two-week ceasefire, in part to avoid repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Saudi vice defence minister Prince Khalid bin Salman tweeted that Saudi Arabia would contribute $500 million to the U.N. humanitarian response plan for Yemen in 2020 and another $25 million to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.[23]

On 10 April, Houthis announced the capture of the military base of Khanjar from Saudi led coalition Forces after several attacks.[7]

On 21 April, Houthi fighters captured the al-Jufra base from Saudi led coalition forces.[6] Later Houthi forces concentrated their forces attacking the Mass military base and Wadi Mass.[24] The same day Houthi media displayed a 15 min video of the capture of an AQAP base in the Khasaf region in Al-Jawf. The footage showed a prison, explosive belts, ammunition and Al-Qaeda operational documents.[25]

By 28 April, Houthi forces said that they managed to capture eleven of the twelve districts and 95% of the Al-Jawf province with only the eastern district of Khab and al-Shaaf still being in Saudi-led coalition control. They controlled all of North Yemen except for Marib Governorate.[3][4]

Analysis

The capture of Al Hazm was considered by the head of the Sanaa Centre think tank as a "game-changer" for the Houthis, and could totally change the "course of the war".[17] The United Nations Ambassador to Yemen Martin Griffiths labeled the ongoing offensive as the "most alarming military escalation" in the war.[26]

References

1. "Map: Ansar Allah operation end in al-Jawf province". IWN.
2. "Roundup: Houthis make new military progress in NE Yemen". Xinhua News Agency. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
3. "Audience Question: Did Ansar Allah Liberated 95% of al-Jawf?". Islamic World News. 2020-04-30. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
4. "Yemen: Houthi army spokesman declares end of Jawf operation, holds 'key to Marib'". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
5. "Roundup:Yemenis Edge Closer to Ma'rib Liberation as Infighting Rocks Saudi-Led Coalition". Tasnim News Agency. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
6. "Latest Updates on Yemen, 21 April 2020". IWN.
7. "Map: Latest updates on al Jawf front, 10 April 2020". IWN.
8. "Latest Updates on Marib Battles, 18 March 2020". IWN.
9. "Prominent Foe of Houthis Appointed Yemen Chief of Staff". Asharq AL-awsat.
10. "In dramatic counterattack, Houthis take Yemen's Al-Jawf and eye Marib". Middle East Eye.
11. "Heavy blow to the body of Mansour Hadi forces in Al Yatmah". Retrieved 2020-04-06.
12. "105 Yemeni troops, Houthis reportedly killed, injured in Marib". Debriefer. 2020-05-04. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
13. "Map: Latest Updates on Yemen, 24 April 2020". IWN.
14. Kareem, Kareem (March 31, 2020). "Yemeni forces and Popular Committees retake military base as they surround Marib".
15. "Details of the "Fa'amkon Minhom" operation by the spokesman of Yemeni Armed Forces". IWN.
16. Caleb, Weiss (17 March 2020). "Houthis report capture of province bordering Saudi Arabia". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
17. "Yemen Houthis seize strategic city bordering Saudi Arabia". Middle East Monitor. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
18. "Officials say Yemen's rebels seize strategic northern city". www.aljazeera.com.
19. Desk, News (March 17, 2020). "Ansarallah forces announce the capture of Al-Jawf province".
20. "Ansarallah forces capture important military camp in northern Yemen". 28 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
21. "Yemen's gov't forces claim killing 25 Houthi fighters in ambush - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
22. "也门政府军打死25名胡塞武装人员". mbd.baidu.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
23. El Yaakoubi, Aziz; Kalin, Stephen (2020-04-08). "Saudi-led coalition announces ceasefire in five-year Yemen war". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
24. "Map: Ansar Allah heavy attacks on Maas base". IWN.
25. Caleb, Weiss (21 April 2020). "Houthis capture Al Qaeda base in northern Yemen". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
26. "UN blasts 'new and irresponsible' offensive in northern Yemen". The National (Abu Dhabi). 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-03-27.