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Yemen Rebels Accuse Saudi Forces of Killing 54 People

   Yemeni  Shi'ite  rebels are accusing Saudi forces of killing 54 people
   in air strikes on a town in northern Yemen.

   VOA News 21 December 2009

   The  rebels  of the Shi'ite Zaidi sect say Saudi warplanes carried out
   the raids Sunday, destroying five houses in the town of Razeh in Saada
   province.  They say women and children were among the dead.
   There  was  no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia on the allegations,
   and  there  has  been  no independent confirmation of the air strikes.
   Saudi  forces  launched an offensive against the rebels, also known as
   Houthis,  last  month  after  the  rebels killed two Saudi guards in a
   cross-border raid.
   Yemen's  government said Sunday rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi was
   seriously wounded in fighting with Yemeni troops.
   Yemen  stepped  up its own battle against the rebels earlier this year
   to try to crush the five-year long insurgency.

   Some information for this report was provided by  AFP and Reuters.

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