Armies of Liberation

The government bombing entirely flattened several villages. Hundreds of women and children forced to flee have no where to go.

IHT: Yemeni officials say government forces have beaten back an advance by northern rebels who brought their fight south to within 12 miles of the capital San’a over the past few days.

Until recently, the rebellion that began in 2004 had been concentrated in Saada province, close to the Saudi border more than 100 miles from the capital.

But in the last three days, government forces pounded a mountainous area near San’a around the village of Bani Heshiash to battle advancing rebels, tribal and local officials said Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

The government put checkpoints on main streets in San’a, searched cars and questioned passengers while deploying armored vehicles to Bani Heshiash, 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.

Houthis requests JMP mediate:

Al-Houthis ask opposition to mediate Sa’ada war

Sana’a, May 31, 2008 (YemenOnline) – Al-Houthis reportedly requested opposition Joint Meeting Party (JMP) to mediate Sa’ada war between the Yemeni authorities and al-Houthis.

Opposition sources said that Saleh Habra, al-Houthis senior negotiator, called one of JMP leaders and asked the opposition to launch a mediation between the government and al-Houthis to end a four-year old war in Sa’ada.

The sources added that the JMP authorized one of its senior leaders to contact al-Houthis as a prelude to begin mediating Sa’ada war between the two parties.

Seven al-Houthis followers were arrested in Sana’a. State News Agency reported that the arrestees were plain-clothed security officials.

Yemen Post

Ten days before announcing the new ministerial reshuffle, Minister of Expatriates Affairs Saleh Sumi’ee resigned from his post in protest against the constant demands by the head of investigation sector at the Anti-corruption committee to pay the due sums for the Yemeni community schools in the Horn of Africa.

Sumi’ee hinted that the head of the education center for community schools Abdul Bari Al-Dhamari embezzled YR 45 million over the years 1998 to 2002 at the leniency of Finance and Expatriates’ Affairs ministries. (Read on …)

Good report by the SNACC. It would be nice if there was any judicial enforcement to back up the investigations. YO

The first comprehensive investigation into corruption in Yemen has revealed 8709 corruption cases in the past 3 years. Astonishingly, 3932 of these occurred in 2007 alone. The offenders were the Ministries of Education, Health and Population, and Labour, Works and Roads. The most corrupt governorates were Ibb, Aden, al-Muhrah, and al-Muhwaid. (Read on …)

Update: “Near” the pipeline, missed again according to al-Motamar

Mareb Press

The oil pipelines in al-Buriqa zone, Aden, were hit by three missiles by unknown people.

Aden refinement is located in al-Buriqa Zone.

A security source told Mareb Press that there are no casualties. The source added tha the missiles targeted the oil pipelines.

The security authorities are still investigating the incident, the source added.

Some sources said that AlQaeda organization may be behind the attack.

(Read on …)

AQI urges large attacks on US interests. The missing mortars have become embarrassing.

Yemen Online

Sana’a, May 26, 2008 (YemenOnile) – Al-Qaeda organization called its followers in Yemen to initiate “tough and painful” strikes against foreign interests mainly those of the U.S.

“We hope from our brothers in Yemen to get us back to the old days of attacking USS Cole and French Limburg as such operations influence the people nowadays,” said a statement posted in a website run by al-Qaeda. (Read on …)

This is a good comprehensive article on the trial of Baoum and the southern civil unrest where it remains illegal to chant slagans, in the north or in the south.

SANA’A, May 30 (The National)- Amid a crowd of opposition party members, democracy activists and lawyers, three senior members of the Yemen Socialist Party went on trial at the state security court yesterday. (Read on …)

Yemen Post
Local sources told the Yemen Post that President Saleh has sought to force Al-Ezi bin Abadan to withdraw his candidacy as governor of Al-Jawf. The negotiations led Al-Jawf sheikhs and tribes supporting Abadan to lift their siege on the government complex in Al-Hazm, the capital city of Al-Jawf province.

Bin Abadan support amassed last week after a first-instance court rejected the results of elections and ordered conducting new elections, demanding the result to be approved and to announce their fellow as the winner. (Read on …)

Health Ministry, little help

Over 500 persons effected by dengue in Shabwa
[30 May 2008]
SHABWA, May 30 (Saba)
- A medical source said on Friday more than 500 persons have been affected by a dengue fever outbreak in Shabwa province, south-east of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a. (Read on …)