AL-KHOBA (Saudi Arabia), Dec 22 Seventy-three Saudi soldiers have been killed, 470 wounded and 26 are missing since fighting broke out in November between Saudi forces and Yemeni rebels, a Saudi minister said on Tuesday.

“The confrontation on the southern border” has resulted in “73 martyrs and 26 missing soldiers”, said Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan in comments broadcast on television from a media conference in Al-Khoba in the southern Jizan province.

“We believe that 12 of (the missing soldiers) were killed, while we do not know about the fate of the other 14,” Prince Khaled said.

“The number of wounded has reached 470, the majority of whom have been treated and released, while 60 remain in hospitals,” he added.

This is the first time Saudi Arabia has given a death toll for the fighting between Saudi forces and Yemeni Shiite rebels, also known as Huthis, which began more than a month and a half ago.—AFP