PM returns to Yemen from Saudi exile

Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah flew into the southern port of Aden from exile in Saudi Arabia yesterday, after pro-government forces ousted Shiite rebels from the city, an airport source said.

Bahahfled into exile with President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and the rest of his government when the rebels entered Aden -- their last refuge -- earlier this year.

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Impoverished Yemen has been rocked by months of fighting between the Huthi rebels and Hadi loyalists, who have received air support from a Saudi-led coalition. Thousands have been killed and millions are need of aid.

On Monday, a humanitarian pause declared by the coalition went into effect but it collapsed the next day.

The interior and transport ministers toured parts of Aden in mid-July during a brief visit to assess the damage from the fighting.

They also looked at ways to fully reopen the ports and airport to allow the delivery of desperately needed relief supplies.

On the ground, government forces were pressing an advance yesterday north and east of Aden to dislodge rebels still entrenched in Lahj and Abyan provinces, officials and witnesses said.

Coalition warplanes stepped up raids late Friday and early yesterday against rebels in the strategic al-Anad airbase in Lahj province, military sources said.