Military Refuses to Vacate Positions As Required by Mediated Settlement
Such a sad situation. YT:
SA’ADA, May 14 — Bloody clashes between army personnel and Houthi supporters in Harf Sifyan district of Amran governorate killed approximately 40 Houthis and eight soldiers from Saturday until Tuesday evening, a military source said Wednesday.
However, Houthi representative Sheikh Saleh Habra told the Yemeni Times by phone Wednesday morning that the number of Houthis killed in the current clashes doesn’t exceed two, denying media reports claiming that 40 Houthis were killed.
Habra claimed that the 40 victims are civilians not connected with Houthis, who were killed by air strikes, mortars and Katyusha rocket attacks targeting their villages in the Harf Sifyan district, located in the vicinity of Sana’a-Sa’ada Highway.
With regard to security situation in other Sa’ada areas, Habra noted that army fighter jets, backed by tanks and Katyusha rockets, struck the Ezzan Mountain and nearby areas, and added that the army blocked all four roads to Sa’ada’s Mirran district.
According to the Houthi representative, citizens cannot go to markets to buy basic necessities for their families, as the entire Sa’ada governorate is under siege. The tribal leader went on to say that eight brigades of republican and special guard forces are involved in the fighting, in addition to personnel from the First Armored Division and units from marine and air forces, plus central security troops. “It is the second time for republican and special forces to be involved in the government’s fight with Houthis,” he said.
“On Monday, Houthi loyalists seized up to 700 portable missiles, along with launchers that have viewfinders to better pinpoint targets, which were being transported aboard military trucks to the war-ravaged governorate via Harf Sifyan area,” a reliable source told the Yemen Times.
The ongoing fierce clashes broke out on Saturday, considered by political analysts and observers as the beginning of a fifth destructive war between the army and Houthis in Sa’ada governorate.
The clashes broke out on Saturday when armed Houthis blocked the Sana’a-Sa’ada Highway in an attempt to control military equipment and ammunition but failed to do so. Their repeated attempts succeeded on Monday when they intercepted an army truck and seized a load of arms and ammunition. Until now, the roads there were blocked for Houthis and military forces, but civilians can move about freely.
On Sunday, the Yemeni Defense Ministry accused Houthis of creating obstacles to mediation efforts expended by local and regional teams with the aim of ending the four-year fighting between them and the army. It also blamed them for breaching the Doha-brokered ceasefire agreement that both conflicting sides signed on February 1.
The ministry held Houthis accountable for consequences of such legal violations and irresponsible acts, adding that the group’s behavior contradicts law and order.
Regarding the situation in Sa’ada, a military source said that the governorate is calmer and more stable than Harf Sifyan district, predicting that the military operation in Harf Sifyan will cease by the weekend.
Asked by the Yemen Times about efforts exerted by the Qatari mediation team, Habra replied, “The Qatari mediation team leader flew home a few days ago while Gen. Nasser Al-Selaiti, one of the mediation team members, is still in Sana’a but is expected to fly to Doha soon in the days to come.”
Other tribal sources said that the Qatari mediation team informed both conflicting sides that it reached an impasse once again after it received a list from Habra indicating all the areas and positions where the government refused evacuate its troops. Troop withdrawal from these areas is stipulated by one of the ceasefire agreement terms.
The Sana’a-based Specialized Penal Court, concerned with terrorism, sentenced four Houthi followers to death after the public prosecution found them guilty of shooting Ahmad Abdullah Fadhil and Ali Dheifullah Jazea to death and wounding Mohammed Eidha Jarfan and Dheifullah Ali Jamil, all of whom are security officers.
The court verdict reads that the perpetrators conducted surveillance on the victims and then decided to kill them because of the victims’ alleged loyalty to the government and strong rejections of Houthi beliefs and ideologies.
Apaches with US flags? I hope not. And Abdelmalik is not the most credible source for me.
Al-Houthi war extended to Amran province
http://www.yemenonline.info/news-593.html
Sana’a, May 12, 2008 (yemenonline) – Clashes between government forces and al-Houthis extended to the province of Amran just few days after rebel leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, threatened to expand the war out of Sa’ada.
Sporadic clashes took place between government forces and al-Houthi fighters in the Harf Sufyan district in Amran governorate bordering Sa’ada killing and injuring unidentified number of casualties from both sides.
Sources said that tens of casualties were reportedly killed and injured in the resumed confrontations.
Al-Houthi’s negotiator, Saleh Habra, said that helicopters shelled the areas of Dhahyan, Al-Mahadher, Al Ghadeer in Sa’ada and killed 30 citizens.
Al-Houthi affiliated website “manpar.com” reported that new apaches with U.S. flags were seen hovering overhead.
A source in the defense ministry said that if al-Houthi rebels continue in their acts of violence and terror and breaking the Doha-brokered peace deal the government will enforce law and order in all Sa’ada areas and protect citizens’ properties and interests.
The source further held al-Houthis responsible for repercussions caused by their acts.
Al-Houthi: “U.S. experts and commandos help military forces in Sa’ada”
Sana’a, May 11, 2008 (yemenonline) – Rebel leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, accused the Yemen government of preparing to launch a fifth war on his followers with the assistance of American experts.Al-Houthi indicated that he has confirmed information that there are American experts in Sa’ada helping government forces in their planning, shelling and other military operations against his followers.
He also said that the head of the new commission to monitoring the implementation of a Doha-brokered deal, Sheikh Hussein al-Hmar, called him and expressed that Sheikh Hussein could mediate end the war.
He indicated that Yemeni authorities are receiving assistance from what he called “American Commandos” who help Yemeni security forces in their tactics and planning to attack al-Houthi leaders.
Al-Houthi said that the American existence volatiles Yemen’s sovereignty.
SANA’A, NewsYemen
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has called the authority to “wisely go back to dialogue”, confirming his commitment to Doha deal to keep blood of people and forces.
“There is not any justification for this fifth war on Sa’ada, there is no necessity, no positive result may be obtained” said the information office of al-Houthi in a press release. It has warned the authority against “unreasonable behaviors”.
Al-Houthi warned of more choices and “bitter” clashes with the army for self-defense if the authorities continue aggression, as it said.
Al-Houthi has also urged Arab regimes to “consider credibility” in dealing with Sa’ada crisis. “I hope Arab regimes have no hand in bloodshed in Yemen as that will be so dangerous,” said the press release, referring to discussing Sa’ada issue in the latest meeting of Saudi cabinet and statements by King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz and Saudi Foreign Minister prince Saud al-Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz as they have called al-Houthi to show commitment to Doha deal and hailed efforts of president Saleh to contain the Sa’ada crisis.
The release said such statements demonstrate a Saudi intervention in Sa’ada issue “politically, military, financially and logistically.” It has accused the neighboring kingdom of “significantly intervening in Sa’ada crisis since the beginning of conflict in Maran in 2004”.
Meanwhile, the Mediation Committee to end sedition in Sa’ada headed sheikh Hussein Abdullah al-Ahmar has declared it could not perform its mission to bring Doha deal into effect due to continuous armed confrontations, said an official source in the committee.
The committee demanded in a press release that the two conflicting parties cease fire and escalation, open roads, remove new checkpoints set on the road to Sa’ada as well as withdrawing armed groups from all sites established after Doha deal, especially those on the Sana’a-Sa’ada road.
NewsYemen was informed that clashes between the army and rebels are going on since a week. Local sources told NY that more forces are being sent to Sa’ada, expecting more fierce clashes in next few day.
Sources said the Harf Sufian Hospital and five houses in Shab Hajji, Kadaban and al-Wulfa, east of Harf Sufian, were hugely damaged in Monday’s strikes and many people are still lost under debris.
Inhabitants accused some tribes of al-Osaimat, that support the armed forces, of practicing robberies last Monday “as supporters of the army used to do so in any war”.
NewsYemen sources in Hodeidah said the Military Hospital there has received several injuries among soldiers.ICRC calls for more support for Saada war affected people
The International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) asked today donors for an additional support for Yemen to respond to the increasing needs caused by the fighting in Saada Province, north of Yemen.
The ICRC said in a press release a copy of which was sent to Mareb press that the renewed fighting in northern Yemen’s Saada Governorate has resulted in a further deterioration in living conditions.
“The ICRC has asked donors for an additional 8.5 million Swiss francs for its Yemen budget to respond to the increasing needs caused by the fighting. The increase more than doubles the original 2008 budget for operations in Yemen, bringing it to 14 million Swiss francs,” the press release said.
“As a result of the latest confrontations in the north of the country, thousands of civilians are currently fleeing their homes to seek refuge where they can be assisted and cared for,” says Marcus Dolder, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen. “Our teams are working closely with the Yemen Red Crescent Society to provide these people with shelter and emergency assistance”.
The ICRC is concerned about the security and living conditions of civilians affected by the fighting and appeals to all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law. In particular, it urges them to distinguish at all times between civilians and people taking a direct part in hostilities, and to treat all casualties with humanity.
“The region has not yet recovered from four years of conflict. Even before the most recent fighting, more than 100,000 people had been directly affected, urgently requiring humanitarian aid,” says Marcus Dolder. “These people have also been hit hard by the steep increase in food prices over recent months.”
The ICRC plans to use the additional funds to step up the provision of food, water, shelter, essential household items and medical support in all areas of Sa’ada Governorate. It is also ready to provide life-saving surgical treatment for the wounded where required.
Over the past 14 months, ICRC staff have worked with the local branch of the Yemen Red Crescent Society to distribute emergency aid to almost 120,000 people, and have facilitated access to clean drinking water for thousands of others.
