Battle of Taiz (2015)

The Battle of Taiz between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the 35th Armored Brigade base took place one month after the start of the civil war, culminating with the takeover of the barracks by pro-Houthi fighters. Clashes in the city have continued since.

Background
Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's influential former president and General People's Congress party head, swept into Taiz on 22 March, capturing the military airport and other key parts of the city. They encountered little resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into the air to disperse protests. One demonstrator was killed and five more were injured.

Two days later, five demonstrators were killed by the Houthis and 80 were injured during a protest on 24 March against their presence in the city, while in the city of Al Turba, 80 km to the southwest, three protesters were killed and 12 injured while attacking a Houthi position.

On 11 April, pro-Houthi soldiers and fighters loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi both reportedly mobilised around Taiz, with the 35th Armoured Brigade deploying on the city streets and anti-Houthi militiamen taking up positions north of the city, amid Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in the area. The 22nd Republican Guards Brigade was hit by an airstrike, as was the village of Al-Dhahirah in the Mawiyah District, the next day.

The battle
By 15 April 2015, Yemeni military sources reported that five pro-Saleh military brigades defected throughout the country, with one of them battling Houthis in the Taiz Governorate.

Airstrikes pounded Republican Guard and Houthi military positions in and around Taiz on 17 April. A government official in Taiz told Xinhua that the airstrikes had caused dozens of injuries and virtually destroyed Taiz's infrastructure, as well as the military bases they struck.

Between 17 and 18 April, at least 30 people were killed when Houthi gunmen, supported by the elite Republican Guard, assaulted the headquarters of the 35th Armoured Army Brigade, which had announced its loyalty to Hadi. The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters, as well as three civilians. Another report put the number of dead at 85. On the morning of 19 April, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed.

On 22 April, Houthi forces captured the pro-Hadi brigade's military base in Taiz. An air-strike was conducted against the base shortly after its capture. 10 pro-Hadi soldiers were killed in the battle for the base.

Four days later, residents reported pro-Hadi forces captured several city districts from the Houthis. Fighting was heaviest around government and security buildings in the city center, with some 20 civilians being killed. The WHO put the death toll at 19 civilians, after the local Al-Thawra hospital was hit.

Fighting broke out in Taiz on 16 May, despite a five-day ceasefire agreed to by the Houthis, military factions, and Saudi-led coalition. At least a dozen civilians and a number of fighters on both the pro-Houthi and pro-Hadi sides were killed.