A Jordanian F-16 warplane crashed in Najran on Friday but its pilot survived, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen said.

“Technical reasons” caused the crash of the US-built aircraft in the Najran district on the Saudi side of the border with Yemen, the coalition said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). It added that the pilot was in good condition.

Separately, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Army command announced the death of one of its soldiers fighting in Yemen as part of the coalition.

He was the second Emirati soldier in a week to die in Yemen, raising to around 80 the number of troops from the UAE killed in coalition operations against the Houthis and their allies.

Separately, a suicide bomber killed eight people at a Yemeni Army base Friday as clashes between pro-government forces and the Houthis left 35 dead, and five civilians died in shelling, security and local officials said.

The bomber blew up his vehicle at the entrance to Najda Camp in Abyan province’s capital Zinjibar, just 55 km from second city Aden where the government is based.

Source: Arab News