Houthi militias in Yemen have transformed a number of large farms into weapons caches and secret training camps for recruits ahead of deploying them to the Hodeidah and Hajjah fronts, according to local residents in Hodeidah. The group is bringing the new recruits at night from several areas in Hajjah and al-Mahweet to these camps. They are trained for several days to acquire physical fitness and learn how to use light and medium weapons. They are indoctrinated with sectarian ideas based on the Khomeini creed, which the group views as a religious doctrine, said sources in al-Qanawes directorate north of Hodeidah. The Iran-backed militias prevent villagers from approaching these farms, which according to the sources, are owned by pro-Houthi figures or trade and political families in Sanaa. The owners can not refuse the Houthis request to turn their property into a cover for their secret military activities, the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Residents reported hearing gunshots and explosions from the farms during training sessions. After completing their training, the militias arm the new recruits with weapons and send them in different stages to the west coast front, south of Hodeidah, where the legitimate forces are advancing in al-Jarahi, said the locals. Over the past few days, Arab coalition war planes destroyed Houthi training camps in the western and southern suburbs of Sanaaa, particularly in al-Hima and Sinhan, as well as the Dhamar province of Anas. The reports on the training camps emerged after the militias released dozens of military detainees loyal to late President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his General Peoples Congress party, in an attempt to win them over to fight in their ranks. The 49 detainees were held on charges of participating in December in Saleh’s armed uprising against his former allies, the Houthis. Saleh was killed by the militias days later for turning his back against them. A number of his loyalists and supporters of his Congress were arrested in the aftermath of his murder. In an attempt to appease the leaders of the late presidents party, the Houthis also released about 3,000 detainees from its prisons in Sanaa, Hajja, Mahweet and Amran. Among them are former officials of the so-called Presidential Guards and close associates of the former president. However, none of Salehs relatives were among the released. These relatives include his two sons Salah and Madin, his nephew Mohammed and the son of his nephew Afash. Meanwhile, local sources in Hodeidah, said the Houthis released from the central Hodeidah jail dozens of prisoners convicted of murder and theft, in return for joining their ranks. This development comes as the Houthis attempt to address the drop in the number of their fighters after hundreds were left dead or injured on the field and dozens fled the fight against the Yemeni army, which is backed by the Arab Coalition. A voluntary recruitment Houthi campaign launched earlier this year was a major failure because citizens were reluctant to join the militia.