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ADEN: Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed 16 troops in an attack on government-aligned forces south of the port city of Hodeidah, two medical officials said on Sunday, in some of the most violent fighting bet­ween the sides in years.

The two medical sources said hospitals in the area on the Red Sea coast received 16 dead from pro-government forces and 22 wounded.

Earlier an officer with the government-aligned forces in Jabal Dubas in the Hays district, where the clashes took place, gave a provisional toll of 14 troops and 23 injured in “fierce fighting”.

The officer said the Houthis briefly took control of pro-government positions in the clashes, which began late on Friday, before a counterattack to retake them concluded at dawn on Saturday.