Forces aligned with Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council drove Houthi rebels out of the strategic Al Fakher region to deprive the Iran-backed militia of an essential source of revenue, officials and residents said.

Al Fakher, a rich agricultural district known for cultivating coffee beans and qat trees, links the southern province of Dhalea with Ibb to its north-west.

The southern forces, that fight alongside the internationally recognised government, killed more than 26 rebels in heavy clashes that started on Saturday and lasted 12 hours, Capt Mohammed Al Naqeeb, spokeman of the STC forces, told The National.

"Early on Saturday, our forces launched a large-scale attack from two fronts targeting Houthi forces in Al Fakher and in the Bab Ghalak mountainous area in the Dhalea province," Capt Al Naqeeb said.

The STC forces seized full control over the Al Fakher area, along with key sites to its north, he added, including a strategic intersection that brings them closer to control a road that Houthis use to bring in reinforcements from Ibb.

Houthi rebels suffered heavy losses in the clashes.

"Our forces killed and arrested dozens of the Houthi rebels, among them field commanders, and destroyed several military vehicles including armoured vehicles," Capt Fuad Jubari, spokesman of the Dhalea Military area, told The National.

Al Fakher hosts a popular market that attracts thousands of people from nearby provinces to sell their agricultural crops and buy coffee and qat leaves. The latter is a stimulant popular with most Yemeni men and some women, who chew it for hours throughout the day. The leaves can cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria.

The Houthis imposed high taxes on the market's farmers and merchants, according to local residents, who breathed a sigh of relief as the pro-government forces drove the Houthi rebels out.

"We celebrated with fireworks after the liberation of our area yesterday. It was a big victory for us because the Houthi rebels have been wreaking havoc in our land," farmer Murad Obaid told The National.

"They repeatedly destroyed and burnt farms of residents who refused to pay them the taxes they imposed since they controlled the area in 2019."

The Houthis also used to raid farms and shops asking for large sums of money to fund the war, and many farmers were rounded up in their prisons because they refused, he said.