Yemeni security and military officials say rebels have withdrawn some of their forces from the southern city of Aden to reinforce their positions elsewhere. They say two battalions of the Republican Guard and special forces supporting former President Ali Abdullah Saleh were moving to Sanaa and their northern stronghold of Sadaa near the Saudi border. The fighting in Yemen pits the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and allied troops loyal to Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of the exiled president. The rebels seized the capital in September. In March, a Saudi-led and U.S.-backed coalition began launching airstrikes against the rebel forces. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
