The southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz has been mired in intense fighting ever since April 2015, but for most of this time, the conflict has effectively remained a stalemate. Over the past two years, Houthi rebels, loyalists of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh , and forces aligned with the government of current Yemeni President Abd Rabboh Mansour Hadi (along with their tribal allies) have entrenched themselves in different parts of the strategically important city. On May 29, however, pro-Hadi forces announced that they had captured the Republican Palace in Taiz, as well as its surrounding areas. Casualty numbers reported in the fight for the palace suggest that Houthi rebels attempted to hold the position at great cost. At least 78 Houthi fighters were reportedly killed in the advance, and 24 others were captured or surrendered.