Sanaa, Sep 12 (AFP) Yemen's Huthi rebels have said they had killed the suspected killer of the brother of their chief Abdelmalek al-Huthi, an "assassination" they blamed on Saudi Arabia.

The insurgents' TV channel Al-Masirah reported last month that the rebel leader's brother Ibrahim Badreddine Amir al-Din al-Huthi had been "assassinated at the hands of traitors" working for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Iran-backed rebels said their intelligence wing had killed Mohammad Ali Qaid Dawi, 54, in "a successful intelligence operation" in the city of Marib, deep inside coalition-held territory.

They said their investigations had proved Dawi had links to "the Saudi enemy".

The Huthis seized Sanaa from Yemen's internationally-recognised government in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year.

The conflict has since left tens of thousands dead and pushed the country to the brink of famine. (AFP) HMB 09120757 NNNNn Asian and European Tour events.

The tricky Real Club Valderrama was manageable in first round but firmer greens and higher winds made it difficult to score on second day.

Bhullar, playing in the morning started from tenth tee. He started with a bogey, but made up on the next hole. A bogey on 15th was followed by birdies on 17th and 18th as he turned in one-under. He had one bogey and played steady for either other pars on his second nine.

Bezuidenhout played in the morning for his 68 to get to eight under par as he chases his first European Tour win.

Tournament host Sergio Garcia, fellow home favourites Adri Arnaus and Alvaro Quiros, and Welshman Bradley Dredge emerged as the closest challengers at four under par.

Quiros had a 68 in the morning and Garcia battled to an afternoon 72 as he tries to win this event for the third consecutive season.

Bhullar, South African George Coetzee, Scotland's Scott Jamieson, Finn Mikko Korhonen and Frenchman Victor Perez were all one shot further back at three under par.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)