Saleh adopts Gaddafi’s strategy and money: Reports indicate the situation in Yemen has been influenced heavily by huge cashflows provided by the Libyan tyrant to his counterpart in Yemen. The first payment (equivalent to US Dollars 200 million) was delivered in cash two months ago to Saleh’s envoy to Libya, the notorious businessman Shaher Abdul Hak, sources report.
Libya has a long history of meddling in Yemen via payments to various individuals and groups.
(Its Day 12 if you don’t count the six year war in the north and the nearly four years of protests in South Yemen.)
Update: Sanaa, reports are two killed and somewhere between 10 and 26 injured after Ali Saleh’s deniable proxies open fire on protesters on Tuesday evening at Sanaa University. New national death toll is 13. Video here of rock throwing and gunfire. via email: “Our sources said that the promise of today’s attack was Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, the eldest son of President and Ammar Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, President of the National Security Service.” The National Security was set up in 2002 because the PSO is both corrupt and infiltrated by AQ; in statistical studies, the National Security is responsible for most of the attacks on journalists whether by beating, kidnapping, death threats, torture etc. The National Security reports to Ali Saleh directly.
- Iranian vessel seized in Yemen: The Yemeni Defense Ministry reported that the Iranian vessel and its crew of 13 people have been arrested in the Aden Gulf as it was illegally sailing in the Yemeni waters. Happened before many times. Yemen govt will likely say Iran smuggling weapons to Houthis but much more likely Sudan. A few days ago, an Egyptian fishing vessel was captured.
- Yemeni youth demand Sheikhs who receive monthly stipend from Libya denounce violence against Libyan people. There is a LOT of Qadaffi’s money floating around Yemen through direct monthly payments and via his charitable fund. Daughter came in oh 2006 or so and spread oodles.
- Sanaa protesters find weapons, torch car (Tuesday) News Yemen: ten injured by rent-a-thugs at Sanna Univ, CNN: Student protesters in Sanaa, Yemen, overturned a car and set it on fire Tuesday after discovering weapons inside apparently brought to a demonstration by government loyalists, a protester said…The sit-in at Sanaa University is one of at least five protests going on Tuesday in Yemen. There were others in Aden and Taiz, and in the provinces of Ibb and Lahj.
- Dhalie teachers protest broken up by tear gas, batons and live fire News Yemen & reports, journo harrassed, Teachers have had periodic strikes to demand the implementation of the 2005 Wages Strategy. HOOD one serious injury, 16 wounded total, one LC member arrested. (Tuesday)
- People beaten in Hodeidah (Monday?)
- Protests in Hadramout, Yemen Post: About 5,000 anti-government protesters gathered in eastern Yemen calling for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s regime. Demonstrators marched on Tuesday in the eastern town of Al-Shiher, chanting “Down, down with Saleh.”
- Shoot-out in Marib with al Qaeda (Monday) ( SABA) Marib province have arrested the al-Qaeda leader Abdullah Maodhah ,while he was heading for Shabwa province with a group of terrorists. Governor of Mareb Naji al-Zayidi said that three soldiers were killed in a fire exchange between policemen and gunmen came to support Maodhah. The accident caused the killing of two civilians and one injured, in addition to wounding six soldiers
- Security intimidates, shoots protesters in Taiz (Sunday) Youtube vid here: military car drives into crowd, shooting. Vid gunshot victim here. Video of Liberty Square in Taiz, February 22, 2011.
- Clerics back Saleh, mixed messages from al Zindani, JMP and Hamid al Ahmar, great article, overview of groupings & positions Nassar Arabyee, worth full read, here’s part:
Nasser Arrabyee The association of the Yemeni clerics held an exceptional meeting on Monday February 21st, 2011, and said in a statement President Saleh should remove all corrupts around him and take “serious steps” for reforms.
One of the most influential Yemeni cleric said the opposition must take to streets only if President Saleh has not accepted their conditions for a guaranteed peaceful transfer of power.
“A national unity government must be formed, with the most important ministries shared between the opposition and the ruling party, to prepare for elections within six month,” said Sheik Abdul Majid Al Zandani, a leader in the largest Islamist opposition party, and chairman of the religious university of Al Eyman.
Libya? Faris Manna is a major weapons dealer, and was moving guns all around the region for years. He was also on the mediation committee representing the government in talks with the Houthi rebels. His brother Hassan was the governor of Sa’ada until he was fired after his brother’s arrest. When the shipment of Chinese weapons was seized, high ranking and influential Marib Sheiks blocked the road in a bid to persuade the government to release the cargo.
Sahwa Net- Al-Mithaq newspaper, the mouthpiece of Yemen’s ruling party, the General People’s Congress, has accused the former governor of Saada Hassan Mana’a of supplying weapons to the Houthi rebels in weapons… (after) he told a Yemeni newspaper, Al-Masdar, that (Deputy Minster of Interior, Mohammad) al-Quasi failed to run the battle with the Houthi in Saada.
Manna threatened to talk about who funded the purchases for the rebels, which usually results in appointment as an ambassador, a lethal raid, nasty articles and/or a government contract. (Read on …)
IN 2005, the Saleh regime accused Shiite individuals in Bahrain along with Kuwait with supporting the rebels. Later, during the next round, they accused Libya (which had some truth) and Iran. Qatar mediated the last official cease fire. Saudi Arabia has serious concerns of course, and Egypt is willing to act as a mediator currently. Iraqi MP’s said Iraq should host the rebels headquarters in retaliation for Yemen hosting wanted Iraqi Baathists. The US and some western allies are worried that the war is a distraction from Yemeni efforts against al Qaeda. Currently Iran and Yemen are having a media war over the Iranian media coverage of the war.
To the extent the Saleh regime keeps calling the rebels “Satanic”, as it has for years, and imposing sectarian overtones on a essentially political conflict, Sana’a risks stimulating ever wider fractures both in Yemeni society and the region.
the Media Line: Deadly clashes in Yemen between government forces and a radical Shi’ite group are fueling tensions throughout the Gulf region.
A member of the Bahraini ruling Sunni coalition is accusing Al-Wefaq, the largest opposition Shi’ite party, of supporting the Al-Houthi rebels in northern Yemen.
MP Sheikh Jassem A-Sa’idi, an independent MP from the coalition bloc, talked of “suspicious movements” Al-Wefaq was making towards the Al-Houthi rebels. A-Sa’idi argued overtures to the Al-Houthis could have a “dangerous” impact on official relations between Bahrain and Yemen.
“I have proof to confirm that prominent Al-Houthi figures from the highest ranks visited Bahrain and met exclusively with MPs from Al-Wefaq,” A-Sa’idi told the London-based A-Sharq Al-Awsat, added that the political meeting had preceded the latest round of fighting which began on August 11.
“This is a big lie,” MP Jalal Fairooz, from the Al-Wefaq party told The Media Line. “[A-Sa’idi] is very well known in Bahrain for explosive words which are groundless and have no reality.”
Egypt willing to mediate… from al Sahwa
Egypt and other Arab states would intervene to end the conflict between the Yemeni government and al-Houthi rebels in Saada, high-profile sources have revealed.
The sources disclosed that al-Houthi rebels demanded the Arab League to visit Saada, but the league refused the request and confirmed that the Yemeni government has the decision on this issue.
So if Iranian ships are docking in Yemen and all is honky dory with Gaddafi, then the slew of accusations and allegations of Iranian and Libyan support of the Houthi rebels likely was just more bizarre spin and propaganda.
Yemen, Libya to strike deal (Read on …)
I believe Libya more than Iran on funding the Houthis and Iran more than Libya on funding and facilitiating AQAP but thats just me. The idiots haven’t figured out that they are pawns in a much bigger game and never considered that they are being two timed by their own side. Its an amazingly complicated tangle of alliances going on over their heads.
Al Hayat: Al-Awfi is still “lost” despite his recantation and the fact that he handed himself in. As proof, he did not apologize for his “terrorist” acts and intentions. This is important because a confession is different, to the mentality of these men, from an apology. His admiration of the actions and intentions of his former colleagues and his Sheikh, Osama Bin-Laden, also casts doubts about the sincerity of his recantation of their course and ideology. (Read on …)
Iran trys to make everyone a Shiite…
Saleh: Yemen achieved positive successes in chasing terrorists al Motamar
Saturday, 28-March-2009
Almotamar.net, Saba – President Ali Abdullah Saleh has expected the Arab summit, to be held on 29-30 March in Qatar’s capital, Doha, will go after previous summits without effective decisions, urging Arab leaders to put an end to their rift. (Read on …)
That’s a good point and this is an interesting analysis on Yemen’s external affairs from the Yemen Post, if only because it says some different things. The relationship between Iran, Yemen and the war in Iraq is an important point. (There’s no mention of Syria, Iran’s proxy state but if you take a good look at Yemen and Syria, you get a sense of things.) Yemen is the playground between Saudi Arabia and Libya, and the Sa’ada War in some ways reflects that.
Yemen has a strategic location; however, there has been constant increase of weakness points and waste of strength factors. The strategic location is connected with the interests of regional and international powers. What happens nowadays is a clear manifestation of the feverish conflict between these countries over the Yemeni field.
Active Diplomacy
The authority has turned to be diplomatically active and through different manifestations:
- President Saleh made two telephone calls with Libyan President Col. Mu’amar Al-Qadhafi and Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
- Sending Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs Rashad Al-Alimi to Saudi Arabia.
- Sending Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi to Oman
- Sending Col. Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, Commander of the Republican Guards, to the United Arab Emirates.
Regional Struggle
At the present time, there are four main players in the Yemeni field: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Libya and Qatar and these contesting parties have different goals to achieve. (Read on …)
Yemen urges Britain not to accept betrayer asylum seekers
[07 December 2008]
SANA’A, Dec. 07 (Saba) – Deputy Minister of Interior Saleh Hussein al-Zouari has urged Britain not to accept Yemeni asylum seekers of those who betray their country, the interior ministry website has reported.
Al-Zouari said as these betrayers deceive their country, they will betray Britain, affirming such people are unreliable as they swap loyalty easily as they put off their clothes.
Betrayers will not be forgiven by the country and the people, because they are mercenaries seeking to divide their country and harm its unity and stability, he said.
The fate of Yemen’s ambassador to Libya is unclear as speculations emerged that he might seek political asylum in Britain.
While informed sources noted that the ambassador had escaped, a Yemeni security source requested Britain not to accept what the source described as betrayer asylum seekers.
Yemeni Libyan relations normalizing with the end of the Sa’ada War
Interesting the way the agreement was signed by the political parties, not the governments themselves
TRIPOLI, August 10 (SPA) – Yemen and Libya have signed an agreement under which Libya will set up a 400 megawatt electricity station in Yemen.
The agreement was signed by the two countries General People’s Congress parties, according to a report circulated today by Yemen News Agency “SABA.”
Under the agreement, the countries will also increase the capital of the Yemeni-Libyan Holding Company to at least $ 100 million. The construction of the station is scheduled to start before the end of 2008.
The two parties also agreed to implement agreements signed in the past, which provided for exchanging expertise in areas such as media, research works, youth activities and programs for supporting women.
© Saudi Press Agency 2008
Sources have told the Saudi daily Al-Watan that a senior Al-Qaeda official, Naif Muhammad Al-Kahtani, also known as Abu Hamam, has been in Yemen for the past year and is receiving financial support from Iranian and Libyan elements to carry out attacks in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, August 20, 2008
Libya is a commercial relationship, but SA is a historic one.
Southern crisis is political and rioters must be tried for high treason, says Al Ahmer
Wednesday 23 April 2008 / Mareb PressThe Head of the National Solidarity Council (NSC) and Member of Parliament, Hussain al-Ahmer, described his relations with Saudi Arabia as historical while he said, “his relation with Libya is commercial one and it is currently suspended but it will be resumed at any time”.
Al-Ahmer said in interview with Mareb Press the current southern crisis is political crisis.
“Some parts in Yemen want to exercise political pressures by moving the street in order to achieve their goals. I wonder if there is any Yemeni person boasting of secession” he added.Al-Ahmer accused the committees which were formed to resolve the issues of the southerners of procrastination.
He added there is no problem in arresting and trying those people who carried out sabotage and riot acts. He demanded to try them on the charge of high treason.
About the aim of opening new branch for the NSC in Aden city, al-Ahmer said “The aim is to stand with people irrespective of their partisan affiliation and to spread awareness among them and to solve their problems.”
A tangled web if interests: Iran, Libya, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Without a peacekeeping force between the Houthis and regime tribesmen, the possibility for revenge attacks is high. That’s not really an unreasonable fear on behalf ot the HOuthis.
SA’ADA, August 1 – Tribal sources revealed it is relatively calm in Sa’ada save some occasional scrimmages between Houthis loyalists and army-supported tribal men. They added Sa’ada residents fear renewal of fighting between Houthis and the army as the Qatari delegation has not yet arrived and the ceasefire committee has returned to Sana’a.
Yemen armed forces media outlet, 26September.net, reported last Monday that the Qatari delegation working with the ceasefire committee is due to arrive in Sana’a over the next few days in order to supervise implementation of remaining ceasefire agreement articles.
The Qatari delegation left Sa’ada last Tuesday after it had been recalled by Qatari authorities in the wake of stalled implementation of the ceasefire agreement’s third article, as each party was unwilling to compromise on their stance and devise a mutual resolution.
Sources assured that the Qatari delegation was summoned for consultations and the same applied to the ceasefire committee that recently left for Sana’a.
A dispute arose between Houthis and the army after the former insisted on maintaining positions in Al Ghubair, Gharabat Zagran, Al-Masna’ah and other sites in Nashour, together with sites in Naqa’ah, Fard mountains and Matarah. Displaced residents are allowed to remain in these areas until the army and its tribal supporters evacuate resident houses and farms.
Reacting to Houthi criticism of the committee, sources went on to say that committee members are not part of the crisis and their task is to achieve peace through implementing the ceasefire agreement’s articles, noting that the committee receives many letters of criticism and makes field visits to places where Houthis complain of violations.
They also doubted the Houthi’s wish to achieve peace, especially when the committee has spent over 40 days trying to bring about reconciliation. They further hinted that massive losses incurred during the war should compel Houthis to be cooperative with peace efforts.
Houthi field leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi accused the committee of having bad intentions, especially when insisting that Houthis should descend their positions in Matarah and Naqah, stressing such a step will expose Houthis to revenge attacks of nearby tribes.
In related news, local sources told the media on Tuesday that Houthi elements in Dhahian city dismissed committees responsible for surveying damages to the area and confiscated their cameras. This came after the ceasefire committee left to Sana’a to meet with the Qatari delegation due to arrive in Sana’a by the end of this week. The two groups will return to Sa’ada later to supervise implementation of the ceasefire agreement’s remaining articles.
Member of the Parliament Freedoms Committee Mohammed Naji Al-Shaif noted that Iran is behind the Qatari mediation aiming to halt the war between the government and Houthis.
Al-Shaif told London-based Al-Hayat that the Qatari mediation arrived when Yemeni forces were about to conclude the war and Iran aims to lessen the pressure on Houthi loyalists. He further indicated the failing Qatari mediation aims to establish Qatar as a stronghold in the region, noting they are the messengers of Iran. He also accused Qatar of trying to rival Saudi Arabia in diplomacy efforts and stressed Libya financially supports Houthis.
Money transfers to tribesmen in Khawlan by LIbya were intecepted by the former Libyan Ambassador, so the tribesmen kidnapped the son of the acting Ambassador.
July 19, 2007 – The son of the acting Libyan ambassador to Sana’a has recently been released after he was abducted for tow weeks by some tribesmen in Khawlan district, near to the Yemeni Capital, Sana’a.
A source close to the kidnappers said that the release came after there tribal sheikhs and elders interfered.
The source said to “Alsahw.net” that the reasons behind the kidnapping are that the kidnappers accuse the former Libyan ambassador of seizing money transferred to them form the Libyan government.
“As the acting ambassador ever-postpone paying them the money, they resorted to abduct his son” the source added.
Sana’a, NewsYemen:
The Yemeni security could arrest two persons suspected of kidnapping the son of the financial officer of the Libyan embassy in Sana’a, a security source told NewsYemen.
The source told NewsYemen that investigations have revealed that the kidnappers have relationship with the Libyan financial officer, his son and some officials of the embassy. It said that the kidnappers used to contact officials at the embassy to favor the latest get some information.
The kidnappers have admitted they had kidnapped the son of the financial officer of the Libyan embassy after a disputed occurred between them.
The source said the search is ongoing to place the son and arrest other kidnappers.
Tribes performing unexplained services for Libya.
SANAA, Yemen: Armed Yemeni tribesmen have kidnapped the son of a Libyan diplomat in Sanaa, and demanded a $4mn ransom for his release, security officials said yesterday. The officials said a group of tribesmen belonging to the Bani Dhabian tribe snatched Hafidh Jebreel al-Awami, 23, from outside his home in Sana’a and took him to a mountain hideout in the Khawlan area, about 100kms east of Sanaa.
The kidnappers called the embassy and demanded that $4mn should be paid as a ransom for the release of the son of the embassy’s financial officer, Jebreel al-Awami, according to the officials, who asked not to be identified.
They said the abduction took place on June 16. A dispute between the tribesmen and the embassy on payments for unexplained services for the embassy they had allegedly carried out was behind the kidnapping, they said. – DPA
Incorrecto. What game is the regime playing now?
In related news, Bahraini Interior Minster Gen. Rashid Abdullah Al-Khalifa noted that his ministry has received no information about any Bahrainis involved in supporting Houthis in Yemen.
Responding to Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi’s statement regarding Yemen having material evidence of such groups’ involvement with Houthis, Al-Khalifa said his government is contacting the Yemeni side to learn the names of the alleged Houthi supporters.
He stressed that his country will investigate any individual or group providing such support, if proven, noting that Bahrain is keen not to interfere in other nations’ affairs.
Al-Qirbi told media outlets that some groups in Bahrain support Houthis; however, he declined to provide further details.
Bahrain to question anyone with links to Houthi rebels
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Published: June 23, 2007, 00:05Manama: Bahrain’s interior minister yesterday pledged to question any Bahraini suspected of links with the rebels in Yemen.
“We are not currently aware of any information about Bahrainis supporting the rebellion in Yemen, but we are ready to probe any person or group of people who could be with the Houthi rebels,” Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said in a statement to Al Ayam newspaper.
The minister was reacting to a statement by Abu Baker Al Qorbi, Yemen’s foreign minister, who on Tuesday said that his country had evidence that groups in and around Iran as well as non-governmental groups in Bahrain had offered support to the Houthis, the Shiite rebels in northern Yemen.
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But Al Qorbi, who mentioned the alleged support from Bahrainis in press conference in London, refused to give more details, saying that the Yemeni interior ministry was overseeing the issue.
Non-interference
Shaikh Rashid said that Bahrain had sought information from the Yemeni authorities, mainly about the names and identities of the Bahrainis allegedly supporting the Houthi rebels who have been battling since 2004 to restore the Zaidi imamate which ruled in Sana’a until 1962. An offshoot of Shiite Islam, the Zaidis are a minority in mainly Sunni Yemen, but form the majority in the north.
“We wish to stress the keenness of Bahrain not to have any of its citizens interfere in the domestic affairs of our brothers in Yemen or in any other country,” Shaikh Rashid said.
Bahrain and Yemen in September 2005 signed an agreement on security cooperation and intelligence-sharing in the war on terror. The accord covers cooperation on fighting terrorism and organised crime and the extradition of wanted terrorists.
Manama : A Bahraini delegation of security personnel is currently visiting the Yemeni capital Sana’a to investigate alleged support by some Bahrainis for local separatists, the “Al-Ayam” daily said.
The head of the delegation, the deputy chief of public security, Brigadier General Tariq Mubarak Bin Dinah, has held talks with Yemeni Interior Minister Rashed Mohammad Al-Alimi, the newspaper said in its edition published on Wednesday.
A security source who requested anonymity said the Yemeni side provided the Bahraini delegation with “sufficient information on the issue,” the paper reported.
The Yemeni side affirmed commitment to security cooperation between the two countries with regard to exchange of information and experience.
Bahraini Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid bin Abdallah bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa recently said that Bahrain is ready to interrogate any Bahraini citizen or authority, suspected of supporting the separatists, Al-Huthi family.
His statement was in response to previous statements released by Yemeni officials, saying that some Bahraini groups supported these separatists.
Strange. Al-Motamar
Almotamar.net – Reliable sources in Sana’a mentioned Tuesday that the Yemeni ambassador to Libya Dr Hussein Ali Hasan will in the coming days be back to his office in Tripoli.
The sources ascribed the decision of the ambassador return to his work in Libya to Libya’s condemnation of terrorist acts perpetrated in Saada and Libya’s stand by Yemen as mentioned in a message president Ali Abdullah Saleh received from Col. Muamar Gaddafi of Libya in which he expressed his country’s condemnation of the acts of terror and sabotage committed by terrorist elements that ignited sedition in the governorate of Saada, Yemen.
In his message Gaddafi expressed Libya’s stand by Yemen concerning all that safeguard its security and stability and preserves its national unity and republican system and achieving for it progress and prosperity. He also expressed supporting Yemen in its efforts in development area.
The message also affirmed Libya’s keenness on enhancing and strengthening those relations and keeping it away from any problems.
It is worth mentioning that almotamar.net has exclusively published Yemen’s earlier recall of Yemen to its ambassadors to Libya and Iran for consultation.
from the Gulf Times
Iran envoy in Yemen over Zaidi revolt rowPublished: Tuesday, 29 May, 2007, 07:29 AM Doha Time
SANAA: An Iranian government official arrived in Yemen yesterday amid a row with Sanaa over Tehran’s alleged support for a rebellion by the Zaidi community in the north of the country.
Mohamed Jalal Feirouzni, head of the Gulf section at the Iranian foreign ministry, told reporters upon arrival that his visit aims to strengthen ties between the two countries.
A Yemeni official had said earlier that Feirouzni, who had served as Tehran’s ambassador to Yemen between 1990 and 1994, would try to “clarify the Iranian position concerning Yemen’s accusations.”
Yemen’s Interior Minister Rashad al-Alimi charged last Thursday that Iran was supporting some rebels belonging to the Shia Zaidi community in northern Yemen.
“We are not against the Shias. We respect them all. But we do want and will not accept their politics to enter into Yemen… or any other country in the region,” he said.
Feirouzni described Alimi’s statement as “strange,” but added that his visit was planned before the remarks were made. (Read on …)
SA’ADA, May 27 — Yemeni Interior Minister Rashad Al-Alimi assures that the security situation in Sa’ada governorate is under control and that the Yemeni army has seized all districts except Ghamer, Qataber and Razih, which it hasn’t entered yet because the armed forces don’t want to shed civilian blood.
In a Thursday press conference at the Yemeni Cabinet headquarters in Sana’a, Al-Alimi noted that Houthi loyalists are using civilians as shields, adding that army and security forces eventually will enter those areas in a manner they deem suitable.
He went on to report that Yemeni security forces managed to foil several explosives implanted in areas of Sana’a, stressing that Houthis have sent numerous elements to the capital city to carry out terrorist acts, the most recent of which was a bomb explosion near the Defense Ministry, causing serious injury to two children. One later died and the other still is being treated.Shiite
Al-Alimi accused international parties of supporting Houthis. “Iran has exploited its official media, including Tehran Radio and Al-Aalam [The World) channel, to support Houthis,” he alleged. (Read on …)
The original fatwa, the recent last-chance-before-a-fatwa statement by the religious scholars, and the very traditional, tribal call to arms by Sheik al-Ahmar after a visit from President Saleh were all designed to increase popular participation in the war on behalf of the regime, however the 58,000 soldiers in the Republican Guard remain in Sana’a, with Saleh’s son Ahmed, who may be the ultimate and only winner in the war.
Gulf News: Sana’a: The state must fight the rebels in Sa’ada if they do not surrender themselves, said Yemeni religious scholars yesterday at the end of a conference that aims to end the four-month armed rebellion in the north. (Read on …)
Armies of Liberation website was banned by Yemeni authorities in 2007 and remains blocked by government censors despite a partial regime change in 2012.
Yemen Articles 2004-2010
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