The Yemeni military lost a MiG21 warplane over Saada province yesterday. 

The Houthi rebels said they shot it down, and named the pilot as Lieutenant Shamsan Mohammed Abdo Mufleh (it is unclear if he survived).

The government said the aircraft was flying at low altitude and carshed “because of a technical problem and in an area where there is no combat”.

It was the first reported crash since Operation Scorched Earth began in August.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 3 October 2009.