A military official confirmed on Saturday that a truce had been brokered in Dammaj (northern province of Sa’ada) in between the Houthis (Shiite group) and Salafi militants (Sunni radicals) following over three days of heavy fighting.
According to several local reports an estimated 100 people have perished since Wednesday, among which many civilians, which prompted several NGO to call on the government to intervene.
It is important to note that only last month a reported 42 people died in similar clashed in the northern province of Amran and the central province of Ibb where the Houthis have established strong networks.
Ansar Allah, the Houthis’ political arm issued a statement on Wednesday in which it warned that the Salafis had transformed their religious centre in Dammaj into a Jihadist stronghold; a threat the faction warned it would not tolerate at the heart of its dominion.
Yehia Mansour, member of the presidential committee tasked with negotiating a truce told reporters on Saturday that Sana’a had dispatched two army battalions to keep the peace and ensure that the terms of the negotiated truce will be upheld by both parties.
Serour al-Wadie, a spokesman for the Sunni Salafi movement, confirmed that over 100 of its fighters had died since Wednesday.
Thousands of Sunni Salafist Islamists demonstrated in Sana’a on Saturday in support of their fellow militants, calling on the government to restore peace and protect their people’ religious freedom.