Despite this, Marib’s main city center is still under the control of the Saudi-backed government.
“Most of Marib is now in the hands of the [Houthis], there are 14 districts that make up Marib, only two are controlled by the [internationally recognized government] including the city center, two others are battlefields and the rest of the districts are under Houthi control, ”said Al-Ezzi.
The battle for Marib, the internationally recognized government’s last major northern stronghold, is crucial to the warring factions of the conflict in Yemen.
A key strategic location, home to one of the largest oil infrastructures in Yemen, Marib has seen intensified fighting and a renewed military offensive early this year.
According to Houthi media, the coalition’s Saudi-led air strikes have continued to bomb Houthi positions, pushing back Iranian-backed forces; however, the Houthis said they are working to control all the surrounding areas of the city.
Despite repeated calls by the international community to the Houthis to stop their attacks on Marib, Houthis continued to escalate – just this week the militias launched more than 15 ballistic missiles at the city of Marib, the internationally recognized foreign government said. Minister Ahmed Bin Mubarak told CNN.
Aid groups and diplomats have issued stark warnings of a humanitarian crisis if the fight continues.
Ma’rib Governorate is already home to an estimated one million internally displaced people – the largest population of displaced persons in Yemen according to local authorities – and some live in about 125 displaced persons locations, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) . last week.