Over 70 dead in fighting around Yemen's Taiz in 24 hours

More than 70 people have been killed over the past day in fighting in and around the southwestern Yemeni province of Taiz, AFP reported on Sunday, citing sources from both sides. Sources from the Yemeni government reported that 34 troops were killed, 20 of them in neighbouring Lahj, on the edge of Taiz province. Houthi military sources said 39 of their fighters were killed in fighting across Taiz and in areas bordering Lahj. The Yemeni government announced earlier on Sunday that it had launched a new wave of military operations to reclaim Houthi-controlled territory. The same day, the Houthis cut a vital supply route linking Taiz with Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognised government.