Giants Brigades

The Giants Brigades (Arabic: الوية العمالقة‎ al-Weyat al-Amaliqa) is a militia that fights for the Yemeni government. Its fighters are mostly tribesmen from Lahj and Abyan and natives of Dammaj in the Saada Governorate but were expelled by the Houthis in early 2014, most of the fighters Salafis as well. The militia is part of the Yemeni National Resistance and is the largest faction in the formation. The Giants Brigades also receives extensive support from the United Arab Emirates militarily and financially.[4]

Giants Brigades
LeadersAbdulrahman Abu Zarah Mahram
IdeologySalafism
Size20,000-28,000
Part of Yemeni National Resistance
Southern Movement
Allies Saudi Arabia
 United Arab Emirates
Tihamah Resistance
Opponents Houthis
Hezbollah
Battles and warsYemeni Civil War (2015-Present)

History

The brigades were originally in the former North Yemeni military since the early 1970s. After Yemen unified, these brigades saw intensive action in the 1994 civil war and continued to be an effective unit in the Yemeni military. During the Yemeni civil war, the remnants of this elite unit withdrew to the southern Lahej and Shabwah governorates. They were completely rebuilt with United Arab Emirates' (UAE) help, and no fewer than three brigades exist in the Al Hudaydah area. They have shown their military power during the Al Hudaydah governarate offensive, where they have killed scores of Houthi militants. They were fiercely loyal to late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and have continued to be closely aligned with his family and the Republican Guards unit which were loyal to him. In May 2018 the militia alongside Arab coalition forces took control of several pockets in Taiz from the Houthis, in the fighting several Houthi fighters were killed and several pieces of their equipment were either damaged or destroyed. After taking control of the "Mocha Interception" in the city the militia alongside allied forces including other factions in the National Resistance, the Tihamah Resistance and Yemeni military they began to advance towards the "Bara Junction" to cut the Houthis' supply lines. The commander of the brigades, Abu Zahra Al Mahrami, distanced links between himself and his brigades from the Southern movement and the Southern Transitional council.[5]

References
  1. "Yemeni forces on the offensive to take Hodeidah - in pictures". The National. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. "Backed by Saudi air support, Yemen troops advance deeper into Houthi rebel-held Hodeida". Japantimes.co.jp. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  3. "Yemen National Resistance, Brigades al-'Amalaqah and Tihama Forces prepare for massive military campaign to liberate Hodeidah from Houthi clutches". Wam.ae. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  4. "Who are the UAE-backed forces fighting on the western front in Yemen? - Yemen". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  5. "Yemeni giant's brigade forces take full control of Al Mocha intersection". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 5 February 2019.


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