Rebels Within 12 miles of Sana’a Defeated: Regime
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 warSana’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.
