Thousands of conflict-displaced Yemenis return Aden

Thousands of civilians who fled the long-running battles between the Shiite Houthi group and forces loyal to Yemen's exiled President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the southern port city of Aden began to return home on Wednesday, local residents told Xinhua.

The displaced populations returned to their original houses in Aden after Yemen's government brought water and electricity service to a number of neighborhoods in the ruined Aden.

"Finally, we are just so happy after months of suffering," said Ahmed Galal, who, along with his wife and four children, were displaced by months of intense street fighting. "We've been staying at a friend's house and then to Djibouti by sea. It's good to be home."

"The fighting must end and we call on both sides to lay down their arms. Yemeni people suffered a lot ... enough of this war," Galal said.

After the end of heavy battles between Houthis and fighters for the Popular Resistance, an anti-Houthi southern militia linked to President Hadi, scores of civilians were either killed or injured due to Houthi-installed landmines in Aden.

The Shiite Houthis took over Aden and several neighboring southern provinces late March. Almost four months, Aden saw bloody confrontations, turning the infrastructure and many neighborhoods in the city into ruins.

The Arab coalition has been engaged in a war against the Houthis since late March to restore Hadi's legitimacy. The exiled government announced on July 17 that Saudi-backed fighters has taken full control of the southern port city of Aden after days of battles with the Shiite Houthi militia.

Hadi was ousted by the Shiite Houthi group who had controlled the capital Sanaa since September. He fled to Aden, the temporary capital as he declared, in late February after weeks of house arrest, and has been taking refuge with his cabinet in the Saudi capital of Riyadh since March 26 when the Houthis were besieging Aden city. Enditem