800 Colombian Soldiers Join Saudi-Led Forces in Yemen

Hundreds of former Colombian nationals are fighting alongside Saudi -led forces in Yemen, media reported on Sunday.

Pan–Latin American terrestrial and satellite television network, Telesurtv, quoted the Colombian newspaper, El Tiempo, as saying that as many as 800 Colombian nationals could soon be fighting in Yemen, with dozens likely already in the war-torn country.

The troops include former Colombian soldiers fighting under contract with Saudi Arabia, the report said.

The first group of just under 100 Colombian troops arrived in Yemen earlier this month, the newspaper said, noting that the troops were set to arrive in the southern port city of Aden.

In recent days unconfirmed reports have surfaced the number of Colombians in Yemen may have already reached that number, the Caracas-based network, Telesurtv noted.

Yemen has been since March 26 under brutal aggression by Saudi-led coalition. Thousands have been martyred and injured in the attack, with the vast majority of them are civilians.

Riyadh launched the attack on Yemen in a bid to restore power to fugitive president Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi who is a close ally to Saudi Arabia.

However, Yemeni army, backed by the committees has been responding to the aggression by targeting several Saudi border military posts and cleansing several areas across the country, especially the country’s south, from Hadi and al-Qaeda-linked militias.