Yemeni authorities close vital Taiz crossing after Houthi attempt to infiltrate the city

Government authorities in Taiz, in southwestern Yemen, on Saturday closed the eastern crossing linking the city with the al-Houban area, until further notice, for security reasons and because of military developments near the city, as Al Jazeera reports.

The vital crossing had been closed for nine years and was reopened later; it is one of the most important routes for the movement of civilians, after the main roads were closed by the war in 2016. A military official told Al Jazeera that the government ordered the decision to be implemented from Saturday, closing the road that runs through Sanaa, Dhamar, Ibb, al-Qa’idah and al-Hawban.

The decision comes after clashes erupted around the eastern crossing following a Houthi infiltration attempt towards the city. The road has seen shelling, military build-ups and infiltration attempts; some of last week’s attacks were carried out with armoured military vehicles during civilian traffic, which prompted the government authorities to ask citizens in the area to avoid using the crossing during the closure period.