A Yemeni military source told Al-Jazeera that Yemeni Minister of Defense Muhammad al-Maqdashi survived a mine explosion in his convoy in Sarwah district, west of Marib city, while six of his companions were killed.
The source added that the explosion occurred with a car carrying a number of security personnel, and that Minister Al-Maqdashi was in good health.
According to military sources, the accident occurred while the minister was on a field mission to inspect and lead military operations and battles in the Sarwah district on the outskirts of Marib Governorate, which government forces are fighting against the Houthi group.
Last October, the Minister of Defense also survived an explosion that rocked the temporary headquarters of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense in Marib while he was meeting with a number of military leaders in the Ministry building.
The sources stated that the government forces had made remarkable progress in western Ma'rib Governorate, and had succeeded in recovering several sites after violent battles with the Houthi group, which also managed to reach these sites after controlling a series of mountains and sites in the Naham front, east of Sanaa a few days ago.