Al Mukalla: Hundreds of displaced people have returned to their homes in newly liberated regions in the northern province of Jawf as forces loyal to President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi are making significant territorial gains in the province and also in the province of Sana’a.

Residents recently entered their homes for the first time since Al Houthis stormed Hazem city, the capital of Jawf province, in June.

“I have found my house largely untouched. But Al Houthis broke some doors and stole a TV and 60,000 Yemeni rials (Dh1,027) from my house,” Mubarak Al Oubadi, a local journalist, told Gulf News from his house in Hazem city.

Backed by aggressive air raids by the Saudi-led coalition, government forces and resistance last month fighters mounted a massive ground assault on Al Houthis’ positions in the province of Jawf. Thousands of soldiers and tribesmen, who received military training in the neighbouring Marib province, made a major breakthrough last week by storming Hazem city and some other smaller regions.

Al Oubadi said that many thousands of displaced people who are still in the camping sites outside Jawf, are reluctant to return home fearing possible shelling by Al Houthis and the lack of basic services. “There is no electricity, no health services, no schools and no communication expect one mobile operator.”

Al Oubadi, who fled to Marib after Al Houthis took control of his city, said that at least 5,000 families were forced to leave Jawf province and settle in Marib city and a desert area between Hadramout and Marib.

“At least 1,700 families lived in tents in an area called Al Rayan in the large desert between Hadramout and Marib and the remaining lived in houses in Marib city,” he said.

Residents say that Hazem did not suffer great damage to property as the city did not see ground combat between pro-government forces and Al Houthis. “Some houses were destroyed by coalition warplanes when Al Houthis hid inside them. The Al Houthis also blew up some houses of their opponents.”

Also in Jawf, Abdullah Al Ashraf, a spokesperson for the Jawf Resistance, told Gulf News on Wednesday that pro-government forces have reasserted their control over almost all major cities in the province.

“The Al Houthis are in control of five districts that are collectively called Higher Jawf. The resistance and the national army have regained control of Al Ghail, Al Mitoun and Al Marazeg. Fighting now is the north and west of Hazem city.”

Al Houthis, who grabbed power in September last year, have lost the initiative since July when government forces backed by the Arab coalition forces took control of the strategic southern port city of Aden and quickly pushed the militants out of all provinces in the south. The Al Houthis, who are allied to forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have lost control over Marib province and are now retreating in Jawf. Pro-government provinces also pushed into the province of Sana’a for the first time since early this year.

In the southern Taiz city, where Al Houthis have imposed a siege, residents said that the militia on Tuesday allowed people to leave and enter the city from the western entrance.

“The Al Houthis said they partly lifted their siege on the city in commemoration of Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) birthday. We managed take some medical and food supplies to the city.” Hamoud Saeed, a local lawyer, told Gulf News on Wednesday.