ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi on Tuesday made his first visit to Taiz, the southwestern Yemeni city that has been under siege by the Houthis for nearly a decade.

Al-Alimi arrived in downtown Taiz with two other members of the presidential council, along with high-ranking government officials and military leaders, the state-run Saba news agency reported.

Footage broadcast on state-run Yemen TV showed Al-Alimi waving to a welcoming crowd gathering at Taiz's main entrance.

According to local media reports, the convoy traveled from southern Yemen's port city of Aden via a treacherous and challenging route, on which a military vehicle overturned, injuring two soldiers from the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces who were accompanying Al-Alimi.

Al-Alimi's visit was a demonstration of "great love and loyalty" towards the conflict-affected Taiz, given the risks of entering a "besieged city surrounded by Houthi forces," Osama Sharabi, director of Moral Guidance and Public Relations for Taiz Police, said in a statement.

Local observers said the visit may signal a potential shift in the government's strategy towards the ongoing conflict.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognized Yemeni government.

In 2015, the Houthi group entered Taiz Governorate and surrounded its capital, Taiz. Although the city remains under the control of the Yemeni government, it is still besieged by Houthi forces. Enditem

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