Armies of Liberation

Pop quiz: Q: What was the characteristic response of the Saleh regime to power sharing demands following unity in 1990 that precipitated the 1994 civil war? A: Assassinations. Hundreds of southern political leaders were assassinated, often by veterans of the Afghan jihad who were allied with Saleh.

Five protesters wounded in Sanaa by an explosive device thrown from a car with police plates.

War planes bomb Arhab, five dead. Three houses, a mosque and many farms damaged. Clashes in Nehm, 20 km south of Arhab, eight wounded.

The Yemen Post reports Hamid Al-Qushaibi of the 310th escaped a car-bomb assassination attempt in Amran province but al Sahwa reports Major Ismail al-Ghurbani, commander of the 310th Armored Brigade of the 1st Armored Division was shot dead in an assassination in Amran

A truce between Islah and the Houthis in al Jawf will go into effect 8/17 when the JMP declares the national council; Fares Manna, UN sanctioned weapons dealer and long time associate of Saleh, will be replaced as governor by Sheikh Hussein Al-Thaneen from the Islah Party.

One person was killed and three wounded Sunday evening when a suicide car bomber detonated at a gathering of Houthis near the health center in al Jawf, News Yemen reported. The Houthis blamed the US, saying “The process shows the intense action and malicious plots by the Americans and the targeting of Yemen in general and the northern areas in particular.” Mareb Press reports dozens of injuries. Interior Ministery says 14 dead and the hallmarks of al Qaeda.

16 suspected al Qaeda were killed Sunday as clashes in the province take place in seven areas. The tribesmen (like the commander of the 25th Mechanized) say that the government is arming the al Qaeda militants and providing other support.

Yemen Post: Local tribesmen in Abyan province, fighting with government against militants, are accusing the government of helping al-Qaeda fighters stay strong by attacking tribal posts and arming the militants.

According to tribal sources in Abyan, at least 19 tribesmen have been killed by government attacks.

A senior Yemeni Defense Ministry official denies that the toll is that high, but did not deny that government raids did kill tribal fighters in accidental attacks.

Over the last month, tribes have succeeded to retake more than 60 percent of the province from the hands of suspected al-Qaeda militants after the government failed to show progress in its fight against the militants since May.

At least 1600 tribesmen are fighting al-Qaeda militants in the province.

More than 15 al-Qaeda fighters were arrested on Thursday by the tribesmen as their push to cleanse the province from the militants nears the final steps.

Update: Sultan al Barakani says Hamid al Ahmar is the prime suspect in the bombing on the presidential palace because the sims cards used in mobile phones belonged to SabaFone.

The buzz is they were helped to escaped, after earlier reports by Sarah Phillips that 70 al Qaeda were released by the regime in March. They did this during the Saada War in 2008 and in other instances, released prisoners on condition they fight for the state.

The National reports Abdulaziz Yahya Alabdi, the murderer of the Jewish rabbi Masha Yaesh Nahari in 2008, is among the escapees. The escape occurred on 4/17.

About thirty prisoners sentenced to death escaped from Amran central prison 50 km north of Sana’a last Friday after killing three prison guards. (Read on …)

PR from Abdul Malik al Houthi

Yemen – Saada, 15 / 3 / 2011

A belief in the importance of the current stage, and a sense of its seriousness, and find out how great the responsibility of the Yemeni people, continue to sons (Saada) to fill in the squares, demonstrations and marches to express them on their interaction neighborhood and the conscious, and full solidarity with the Yemeni people proud, (Read on …)

statement via email

To all the free sons of the Yemeni people to everyone eager himself to freedom, pride and dignity: We emphasize that we are sons of the province of Saada, Amran, Al Jawf both as an integral part of this people We affirm our support and solidarity with members of the Yemeni people to overthrow the corrupt regime, and we stress the following:

* Moved that this move is within the broad popular marches and this is the cohesion and harmony with the position of people in all governorates of Yemen. (Read on …)

Two killed, 11 wounded in Amran, police claim when security opened fire on protesters near the police station. An early statement on the Houthi website said many were killed in a bombing but the later statement from the Houthis clarified two. Saada was carpet bombed during the six Saada wars, beginning in 2005. Civilian areas including villages and cities were destroyed and thousands were arbitrarily arrested. A strong case exists against President Saleh for war crimes and crimes against humanity from the conduct of the military over the last several years, including blocking food and medicine to the entire region in a deliberate attempt at starving the people into submission. Update: witnesses report the security was shooting machine guns into the crowd and the “bomb” was shot from a tank not by air. HOOD is saying two killed. Additional fatalities were reported when protesters returning home were accosted at a security checkpoint. Ah English:

Harf Sofyan, Yemen (CNN) – Security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters in northern Yemen on Friday morning, killing two people and injuring nine others, witnesses said.

The forces fired into the protesters in Harf Sufyan city to try and disperse them, witnesses said. Three army planes flying over the crowd also attacked the protesters, witnesses said.

The vast majority of the protesters were Houthi rebels, according to Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the group

Council of the Alliance of Marib and Al-Jawf tribes denounces the massacre of Aden and salutes Tai’z youth, the station of change and train engine of freedom: Mareb Press.

To recap, both Saleh’s allies and opposition are experiencing fractures. The pillars of the regime are peeling away and causing some polarization of the public. Hussain al Ahmar from Amran is promising Hasid tribal protection for the protesters in Sanaa. The tribes in Marib and al Jawf are throwing in with the democracy movement. al Zindani is calling for replacing the regime with a national unity government and for the people to go peacefully to the streets. Two youth different groups were calling for nationwide protests on the 24th and 25th, but I think its going to happen tomorrow whether they are ready or not. The JMP however has not revised its position to advocate the fall of the Saleh regime, only change and reform. (Read on …)

That’s truly and utterly despicable. A militant (former air force pilot) in Amran killed rabbi Mahsa al Naheri on December 18, 2008 in broad daylight after threats to convert or leave. After a public outcry and strong efforts by Yemeni civil society, the murderer was sentenced to death. This kidnapping is intended to pressure the murder victim’s family to accept the penalty of a fine instead. Earlier on the rabbi’s cold blooded murder can be found here and here and here. Its rather clear who kidnapped the child, so one would expect the state to take action to find him or to pressure his kidnappers to release him.

Yemen Post: A Yemeni Jewish child was kidnapped from Reda district in Amran province on Saturday, informed source told media outlets. Yameen Ameran Al-Nahari, 8 years, disappeared while the Jewish community was practicing their religious rituals on the weekend.

Sources said that the kidnapping of the child targeted to pressure the Jewish community to forgive Abdul-Aziz Al-Abdi, who shot dead a Jewish fellow citizen, Mashaa Yehiya bin Yaeesh Al-Nahari, and accept his fine in which he will pay 5.5 million riyals. Lately, a Yemeni court upheld a death sentence on a Muslim man after being accused of killing a Jewish citizen.

There’s over 300,000 displaced in Sa’ada by the Yemeni military’s (and Saudi) attacks and bombing, and AQAP is declaring war because the Houthis forced people to move??? Is al Qaeda’s Saed Shihri trying to be stupid or does it just come naturally? Like many, AQAP is out of touch with the moment.

Well thats convenient timing for Saleh. a) The Yemeni military cant re-start the war at the moment but the terrorists can, b) It certainly shows the international community that they neeeeeeeeed Saleh, c) Nothing like a good crisis to distract the people’s hostility toward the state, d) With the Houthis in control of large swaths of those areas, the officially facilitated smuggling operations into Saudi are impacted and profits diminished, e) How can you buy weapons (and resell them on the black market) for a war that’s over? f) Saudi funds rise and fall in relation to perceived threats.

SANAA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) — Leader of al-Qaida militants in Yemen declared “holy war” against the Houthi-led northern Shiite rebels, in an audio message posted on the internet by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) on Friday.

“To our Sunni fellows in northern Yemeni provinces of Saada, Al- Jouf and Amran, we (AQAP) announced jihad (holy war) against Iranian-backed Houthi Shiite advocates,” Saeed Ali al-Shihri, deputy leader of the Yemen-based AQAP.

“The jihad against northern Shiites has been declared since the implementation of the AQAP’s twin martyred car bombing attacks against convoys of the Shiite rebels’ followers in northern provinces of Al-Jouf and Saada on Nov. 24 and Nov. 26 of the last year,” he said.

In the 17-minute audiotape, the Saudi fugitive al-Shihri justified his group’s war against the Shiite rebels by claiming that the sectarian-motivated Houthi rebels attacked and displaced many Sunni families in the north.

Last December, the Sunni-devoted AQAP claimed responsibility for twin suicide car bombings against convoys of the Shiite rebels ‘ followers in northern provinces of Al-Jouf and Saada on Nov. 24 and Nov. 26, 2010, which left over than 90 Shiite followers dead, including the group’s Shiite spiritual leader Bader al-Deen al- Houthi.

OK maybe they are just idiots:

Opinions: An Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leader warned Sunni Muslims of a rising “Christian-Shiite alliance” against them in an audio message released on jihadist forums late on Friday.

Abu Sufyan al-Azdi called the participation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Iran’s former foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki at a conference on terrorism in Yemen “is the biggest proof of the Christian-Shiite alliance.”

“America and Iran became one alliance against the Sunni people in the area,” added the Saudi AQAP leader, who was formerly imprisoned for six years at the US detention centre inGuantanamo, in a 16-minute audio message.

Azdi was referring to the annual Manama Dialogue, held in December by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies and billed as the “most important regional security meeting in the Middle East.”

The AQAP chief also warned Sunnis in Yemen that they risked being massacred at the hands of northern Shiite Zaidi rebels, also known as Huthis, and urged them not to be caught unprepared.

“Sunnis, be careful from the massacres… that happened in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen to happen to you while you are unarmed… prepare yourselves before it is too late… buy weapons… protect your religion, your lives and your honour.”

25 Zaids arrested on al Ghadeer day for celebrating the holiday including a 60 year old Imam. His son was arrested when he went to the police station to inquire about his father.

Yemen Times: SANA’A, Dec.1 — Human rights activist Mohammad Al-Moayad was detained by police in Amran yesterday when he went to the police station to enquire why Zaidis were arrested last Friday.

Police arrested at least 25 Zaidis on Friday when they commemorated Al-Ghadeer day, a Shiite religious ceremony. Al-Moayad is a member of the Yemeni Democratic Organization for Defending Human Rights that had obtained permission from the Supreme Court to investigate police charges against the Zaidis. (Read on …)

There’s a lot of related material below, including a statement by Abdelmalik and videos from Badr al Din al Houthi’s funeral. The rebel-manned check points in northern Yemen were established with the advent of the Saada Wars in 2004. Check points in al Jawf and Amran were in place well before the Houthis began their investigations into the two bombings. (Its still unclear if those attacks were suicide bombers or remotely controlled.) Even dignitaries were checked into the region and often escorted since the ceasefire. They caught Hussain al Tais last August at a checkpoint if I recall correctly.

The Houthis area of control is growing, a result of alliances with some tribal leaders including Shaifis and other Sunni sects as recently noted. In addition to mediating and resolving some long standing tribal disputes, they forbid women from shopping alone in the markets, arrested some homosexuals and banned smoking among the ranks. The explicit focus on capturing al Qaeda operatives is new, and following the deadly al Qaeda attacks, logical and necessary. The Houthis turn their prisoners over to state’s security forces at the same time that they forbid residents from cooperating with the state.

According to the Mareb Press article below, Abdelmalik is blaming the US for the deadly attacks last week as a plot against Muslims. Their counter-terror efforts are not a a “tribal awakening” ala Iraq, but an independent uptick in security procedures for the benefit of the residents that converges with US interests. We are under attack by the same enemy, but the Houthis don’t see it that way.

The Yemeni government committed substantial war crimes against the Houthis and more importantly, the civilian population in Saada, since 2005. US acquiescence was interpreted as control. Well over 200,000 remain displaced and starving to death, mostly women and children. The Houthis, like many Yemenis, believe al Qaeda is a US creation and Anwar al Awlaki is a US stooge. The Houthis are going to entirely expel Al Qaeda from their region and find and punish those responsible for the two attacks. But they think the attacks were a part of a US plot for controlled chaos.

The Houthis’ chant is Death to America, and has been since the outbreak of the Iraq War in 2003. They insist it is a nuanced political statement. I have always had an issue with the ability of children and teenagers to discern that difference. At the same time, the evolved Zaidi theology of the Houthis (some say regressive but we can say, revivalist) retains the strong prohibitions against targeting civilians and is generally as counter-takfirist as the various sects of mainstream Zaidi theology.

IRIN Checkpoints: Houthi supporters have set up checkpoints on roads connecting the three governorates (ed-Al Jawf, Saada and Amran) and arrested people suspected of being linked to AQAP. The local independent news website al-tagheer.net reported that in retaliation for the suicide attacks, Houthi followers arrested several Sunni scholars in Al-Hamati village, Majaz District, Saada Governorate. The village’s population is known to be affiliated with Salafism, a puritanical creed within Sunni Islam. (Read on …)

The black market is one of the most robust elements of the Yemeni economy, and the drug trade is well established. Yemen has become like Syria in this regard. In addition to Keptagon from Eastern Europe, there’s oodles of hashish from Pakistan. It is encouraging that the US embassy is setting up a section to focus on the issue of drug smuggling, which is often closely tied to counterfeit currency and a range of criminal activity.

Yemen Arrests Notorious Interpol-Hunted Drug Dealer
Yemen Post Staff Police in Amran Province have arrested a drug dealer wanted by Yemen and Saudi Arabia, who was being hunted by the Interpol, the News Yemen reported on Saturday. The website quoted the province security director, Abdullah Dabwan, as saying that the dealer had been arrested in Amran and would remain in custody as a prelude to handing him to the specialized authorities.

The dealer’s name was circulated by the criminal police four years ago on charges of smuggling drugs to Yemen and Saudi Arabia, it said. He was a notorious dealer and his arrest represented a blow to the trade and trafficking of drugs that have flourished in Yemen in the last years.

Its very dangerous for a US ambassador or any western diplomat to be driving around Yemen. At the same time, the embassy can become an echo chamber when its primary input is from overt and covert Saleh loyalists who distort reality.

Ambassador Feierstein meets the people of Amran

US Embassy press release October 26, 2010

On October 26, U.S. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein visited Amran City to discuss with government officials, journalists, teachers and youth how the United States can assist the people of Amran in overcoming the development challenges in their province.

Ambassador Feierstein met with Governor Kahlan Mujahed Abu Shawarib, visited a primary school supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development, took a walking tour of the beautiful and historic old city of Amran, spoke with students at Amran University, visited a cement factory, and conducted a roundtable with local journalists. During these meetings, he reiterated the support of the United States for the Yemeni government and people’s efforts to improve the quality of education and health services and to address security issues in Yemen.

The visit underscored the long and productive partnership between the United States and the people of Amran.

500,000 children in Yemen targeted in Back to School Campaign

SANA’A, Oct. 11 (Saba)- Half a million children in Yemen, including IDPs and refugees, were being targeted by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF in collaboration with UNHCR, Save the Children, CHF and other development partners, in a major Back to School Campaign. (Read on …)

These are the Hashimites arbitrarily taken prisoner based on their religious affiliation by Hussain al Ahmar’s forces in Houth, Amran. For prior report, click here. This is not related to the show that went on in al Hota, Shabwa. After the assault on Houth, Hussain al Ahmar issued a statement that the prisoners weren’t all in his tribal prisons, they are in official state prisons. But how does Hussain al Ahmar have the authority to go around rounding up villagers based on their religion and put them in official jail? That is actually a worse scenario that indicates Yemen is thoroughly out of control as has already devolved into various fiefdoms.

1. 1. العلامة / قاسم حسن قاسم السراجي
2. 2. عبدالخالق عبدالرحمن عبدالله الشرعي
3. 3. علي محسن حسين الــديـدي
4. 4. عبدالرحمن محمد محمد المتوكل
5. 5. حسين علي يحيى الشرعي
6. 6. صالح أحمد حومي
7. 7. عبدالقادر أحمد قاسم السراجي
8. 8. عبدالباسط محمد حسن الـديـدي
9. 9.أيمن عبدالقادر شرف الـديـدي

10. حمزة يحيى محمد السراجي

11. عبدالله صالح سباعي

12 (Read on …)

(Update: Now its a war of threats.)

This is one version of the story but the town is still under siege. Armed tribal mercenaries under the command of Sheikh Hussein Al-Ahmar attacked Hashimite families in the town of Hooth, Amran, two weeks ago. The villagers were Hasimites, not Houthi supporters, giving rise to the charge of ethnic cleansing.

On Saturday August 21st, a tribal mercenary of the Hashid murdered an unarmed Hashemite youth, Mohammed Zaid Al-Hoothi, in Hooth. The murderer had brother who was killed in the sixth war in Sa’adah. The murderer escaped to Hussain Al-Ahmar’s house in Hooth. The Hoothi family asked Hussain to submit the murderer to justice. Hussain refused and sent two messengers to the Hoothi family telling them that they can not ask that because their son was in Sa’adah and thus not entitled to redress if he is killed. (His blood has no value in the tribal concepts). The Hoothi family said to the messengers that they do not accept that and they consider it an insult.

The Hoothi family buried the body Sunday evening. When receiving the guests, as all the Yemenis do, some tribal mercenaries started attacking them under the pretense that it was Hussain al Ahmar’s tribal committee searching for weapons in the Hashemite houses. Some clashes broke out Sunday evening at one house the al Ahmar loyalists. By Monday morning, thousands were attacking the city; bombing, shooting. About 80 people were kidnapped and remain in al Ahmar’s tribal prison as well as some state prisons. The Yemeni army cut Sana’a-to-Sa’adah road and a siege is in place around Hooth. As we know, the Saudis are unhappy with the Doha agreement and Hussain is financed by the Saudis.

al Wasat: يسود منطقة حوث التابعة لمحافظة عمران توتر حاد منذ مطلع الأسبوع الجاري إثر اندلاع مواجهات بين قبائل العصيمات وأبناء منطقة حوث والتي أسفرت عن مقتل وجرح العشرات من الطرفين في ظل غياب أي دور للسلطات في احتواء الموقف المتصاعد. Region there is Hot in the province of Amran tension sharply since early this week following the outbreak of clashes between tribes living in a region Alasemat Hot, which resulted in the killing and injury of dozens of parties in the absence of any role for the authorities to contain the escalating situation. ولاتزال قبائل العصيمات المسلحة تفرض حصاراً على منطقة حوث التابعة لها في حين احتجزت ما يقارب 67 مواطناً من المنتمين للمذهب الهاشمي. The tribes still Alasemat armed siege on the area’s Hot in when they detained about 67 citizens of belonging to the doctrine of Hashemi. وبدأ انفجار الأحداث على خلفية مقتل محمد مطهر زيد الحوثي من أبناء حوث قبل ثلاثة (Read on …)

There has to be some neutral supervision of the cease-fire implementation.

Update: Khaleej Times: Houthis free 200 captured soldiers from the 72nd Regiment of the army’s Republican Guards (commanded by Prince Ahmed).

Gulf Times: Shia rebels took control of a strategic army post in north Yemen yesterday and captured some 70 soldiers, in the latest clash to endanger an increasingly fragile truce, army and tribal sources said. “Houthi (rebels) took control of a military position in Al Zaala and captured all remaining soldiers,” a tribal source said. “Violent clashes erupted since the early morning hours.” A local military official said the rebels captured some 70 soldiers. (Read on …)

UN

22 July 2010 – The United Nations is expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in northern Yemen, where the needs of the local population displaced by ongoing fighting vastly outstrip the funds provided so far by donors.

Less than $70 million, or 36 per cent, of the $187 million sought this year by aid agencies for assistance in Yemen has been received, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today.

UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been providing relief to civilians in Yemen’s north, where Government forces have engaged rebels in sporadic armed conflict in recent years. (Read on …)

Its a powder keg waiting to go off. Its unclear if its a tribal clash or a military one since the Houthis are fighting with “Army backed tribes.”

SANAA — Fighting in mountainous north Yemen between Shiite rebels and army-backed tribes over the past four days have left at least 49 people dead, threatening a fragile truce, tribal and rebel sources said on Wednesday.
(Read on …)

The tribal paramilitary hasn’t been paid, violence ensues. I believe this happened in the last wars as well, likely the money got pocketed if it was paid at all.

Yemen Post: An army officer has been killed and three soldiers and unidentified number of tribesmen injured in the clashes that are still continuing between the army and tribes in Al-Ashah district in Amran Province. (Read on …)

Update: Saudi Ambassador, four were kidnapped by a tribe not the Houthis and released, Yemen Post

There is just so much of the Yemeni regime’s propaganda coming out of Reuters lately. I wonder how much it costs to buy a wire service. In this case, the Saudi government says it has no knowledge of a Saudi citizen kidnapped by the Houthi rebels as Reuters earlier reported. Saudi Gazette

SANA’A – A Saudi diplomatic source at the Kingdom’s embassy in Yemen said that he has no information about reports that Saudi citizens were kidnapped and then released by Houthi rebels near Amran Province 30 km north of the Yemeni capital.

The source emphasized that the embassy has been following up these reports with the responsible authorities at the Yemeni Ministry of Interior in an attempt to verify them.