The Yemeni Army and popular committees downed a Saudi Apache Helicopter on Sunday morning after a rocket struck the tail of the chopper, resulting in the pilot losing control of the aircraft before it crashed 10km away from Marib City.
According to Yemeni sources, the Apache Helicopter was providing air cover for their ground forces combatting the Yemeni Army and popular committees along the Marib-Safir Road near the oil fields – all of the Saudi airmen in the chopper were said to have perished when the aircraft crashed.
Saudi media sources deny that the Apache Helicopter was shot down by the Yemeni Army and popular committees; instead, they claim that the chopper suffered mechanical difficulties, which ultimately led to its crash and destruction in this desert area.
Recently, the Yemeni Army/popular committees have engaged in fierce clashes with the Saudi-led Coalition Forces along Marib-Safir road, despite the latter’s repeated attempts to deter the advancing Yemeni resistance fighters from reaching their positions.
For the Saudi-led Coalition Forces, they have sustained a significant casualty count in the Marib Province of central Yemen; however, this has only resulted in the increase of military personnel on the ground and the proliferation of arms to the pro-Hadi militias.