SANAA — Yemen's pro-government fighters have pushed out Shite rebels and their allies and retaken a southern city that's the gateway to the port of Aden in their first significant advance since a Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on the rebel group, officials said Tuesday. In a counter-offensive, pro-government fighters managed to capture the city of Dale and also the command center of the 33rd Armored Brigade, officials said. “The whole city of Dale is now under the control of the Popular Resistance Committees,” an umbrella group of southern factions, local chief Saleh Al-Mansub said. “All the military bases and strategic positions in the city are in the hands of the Popular Resistance Committees,” said another local chief, Ali Al-Assmar. The brigade, which once controlled the city, is one of the country's largest army units. It is loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is allied with the rebels. In capturing Dale, pro-government fighters also seized large weapons' and ammunition caches, armored vehicles, and Katyusha rocket launchers, said the officials. The capture of Dale — the gateway to Aden — is a major achievement by pro-Hadi forces since March 26 start of the coalition airstrikes. Hadi's government has declared several provinces of Yemen disaster zones, including Dale, where all basic services have collapsed. Due to the violence, most Yemenis now face severe shortages of fuel, water, medicine and food. Tuesday's airstrikes hit Houthi positions and Saleh's forces in at least five cities, including the capital, Sanaa, and Aden — where rebels have deployed large forces. — Agencies
