Armies of Liberation

Didnt al-Motamar publish the same news? The official Yemeni government estimates were 8,000 tribal fighters and they were going to try to recruit more. Maybe it was the part where the Islamic extremists were training the fighters that was the military secret.

News Yemen
SANA’A, NewsYemen

A state security and terrorism specialized court refused on Monday an objection by al-Share independent weekly against the court’s authority to hold a press case as press cases are required by the constitution to be heard by the Press and Publications Court.

The court said it has the authority to look into the case raised against the paper by the Ministry of Defense and ordered the case to the primary court again.
Last November, Editor Nayef Hassan and two journalists at al-Share Weekly were indicted in Yemen’s State Security Penal Court, which is reserved for terrorism cases. Al-Share published articles documenting the regime’s use of tribal fighters in its war against Shiite rebels in Sa’ada.

The Ministry of Defense demanded the execution of the three journalists for “threatening national security, demoralizing the military and divulging state secrets.”
The al-Share case referred to the State Security and Terrorism Court. The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate condemned referring a press case to terrorism-specialized court and said it was against the Yemeni constitution and press law.

Do they really have money for more weapons purchases? The rationalization of the government budget is not going well I see. Its about 7% of GDP on military and less than 2% on health care. (And even what is spent on health care is largely stolen and sold. )

Yemen, China discuss security cooperation

[11 November 2008]

SANA’A, Nov.11 (Saba) - Yemen and China held Tuesday talks on the aspects of security cooperation between the Interior Ministry and the Chinese company Chin Shida specialized in the exportation of military and security products.

Deputy Interior Minister Saleh al-Zawari affirmed here with assistant director of the Chinese company the importance of developing the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of security cooperation.

The Yemeni government has recruited thousands of tribesmen in its war against the Zaidi rebels. According to Yemeni government figures, about 8000. Some are underage. Al- Share reported on the tribesmen and that they are being trained by “Islamic Extremists” from a variety of Jihaddist groups including the Aden Abyan Army. The Yemeni Defense Department is now demanding the death penalty in the specialized terrorism court. The paper raised an appeal that the press and publications court should have jurdistiction but it was denied.

NewsYemen

A state security and terrorism specialized court refused on Monday an objection by al-Share independent weekly against the court’s authority to hold a press case as press cases are required by the constitution to be heard by the Press and Publications Court.

The court said it has the authority to look into the case raised against the paper by the Ministry of Defense and ordered the case to the primary court again.
Last November, Editor Nayef Hassan and two journalists at al-Share Weekly were indicted in Yemen’s State Security Penal Court, which is reserved for terrorism cases. Al-Share published articles documenting the regime’s use of tribal fighters in its war against Shiite rebels in Sa’ada.

The Ministry of Defense demanded the execution of the three journalists for “threatening national security, demoralizing the military and divulging state secrets.”
The al-Share case referred to the State Security and Terrorism Court. The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate condemned referring a press case to terrorism-specialized court and said it was against the Yemeni constitution and press law.

Ukranian, (like the tanks?)

The Miracle MiG Makeover
October 14, 2008: Egypt and Yemen have hired a Ukrainian firm to upgrade most of their MiG-21 fighters. Egypt has 62 MiG-21s, while Yemen has 47. Egypt had earlier upgraded some of its MiG-21s with British electronics. The Ukrainian firm (Odesaremservis), will install a modern, digital, cockpit (flat panel color displays and far fewer switches and buttons to deal with). Installed under the aircraft will be a laser designator and camera so that the aircraft can deliver smart bombs.

The 9.5 ton MiG-21 is a 1950s design. Poor flight controls and lousy visibility limited what a good pilot could do with this aircraft. But few good pilots flew the MiG-21, as it was built for poorly trained pilots who mainly followed instructions from someone on the ground. It can carry two tons of bombs and missiles.

After the American experience with smart bombs over the last two years, most air forces have accepted the fact that the more expensive (starting at $30,000 each) smart bombs are more effective than the much cheaper ($500 or less) dumb bombs. This potentially makes the MiG-21 a much more effective aircraft.

The Ukrainian firm also offers the Sura targeting helmet, which enables the pilot to look at the target and fire a Russian R-73 heat seeking missile, that will then go after the target the pilot is looking at. If the MiG-21 is facing roughly equivalent aircraft, the Sura helmet makes the aircraft a much more effective dog-fighter.

The Ukrainian cockpit and targeting upgrade costs several million dollars per aircraft.

from Russia, Yemen Post

Yemen announced that it will postpone the regional summit for fighting piracy, which was planned to be held in Sana’a next week. Participating countries were expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation between them in fighting piracy.

From his part, Minster of Transportation, Khalid Al-Wazir, told media outlets that the postponing came in response to the Regional Center for Combating Piracy request, adding that the summit will be held later this year.

Al-Wazir assured that Yemen will establish a center in Sana’a for monitoring ships in collaboration with 20 countries and International Maritime Organization.

In the meantime, seven military ships from six different countries have headed to Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden in a mission to fight Somali pirates, and to protect trade ships and fisheries from pirates operations, whose attacks have risen over the last few months, especially in the international waters between Yemen and Somalia.

This comes within the country’s efforts to restrict piracy activities targeting ships off Yemen’s coasts, especially in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Piracy activities have long been a headache for international navigation in the Gulf of Aden, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and connects Asia and Europe.

A Yemeni official who preferred not to reveal himself, told a Chinese agency that president Saleh’s visit to regional countries came as the result of the Yemeni government’s worry for business ships that pass by the Gulf of Aden.

The sudden movement by regional countries came after pirate’s hijacked a Ukrainian ship that was believed to be carrying seven tankers. Further, pirates warned that they would explode the ship if procedures were taken against them.

Sources who asked to be left anonymous mentioned to the Yemen Post that the tanks that were on the Ukrainian ship were on their way to Yemen, and were part of the military agreement signed between Russia and Yemen.

Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Mrs. Sergey Meronof said last Friday while visiting Yemen that her country intends to send more military ships soon to free the Ukrainian ship if needed.

Increased Russian Naval Presence, Increased Use of Yemen’s Ports for Military and other Goals

Russia could resume naval presence in Yemen

SANA, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said on Thursday that Russia could resume a naval presence in Yemen.

Authorities in the Middle East country are calling on Moscow to help fight piracy and possible terrorist threats. The U.S.S.R. had a major naval base in the former socialist state of South Yemen, which merged with North Yemen in 1990 to form the present-day Yemen.

Speaking to journalists in Sana, the capital of Yemen, Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov said the new direction of Russia’s foreign and defense policies and an increase in its naval missions would be taken into consideration when making a decision on the request.

“It’s possible that the aspects of using Yemen ports not only for visits by Russian warships, but also for more strategic goals will be considered,” he said.

(Read on …)

freaky, somehow I think the Sa’ada war is not over yet.

Flight Global: Egypt and Yemen have contracted the Ukrainian defence ministry’s Odessa aircraft repair station (Odesaremservis) to modernise their fleets of RSK MiG-21 fighters, according to information revealed late last month during the Aviasvit 2008 air show in Kiev.

Pictures shown during the event illustrated Egyptian MiG-21PFM and Yemeni MiG-21bis aircraft that have already been upgraded. The Soviet-era aircraft received technology insertions corresponding to “fourth and fifth generation fighters”, Odesaremservis claims.

A key element of the work was the integration of the Sura helmet-mounted sight, which provides target designation and a firing envelope of +/-75° for R-60 and R-73 short-range air-to-air missiles.

Two 5 x 5in (125 x 125mm) multifunction cockpit displays are also offered as options, along with a new head-up display. Ukraine is offering a similar package of upgrades for MiG-23/27-series strike aircraft, but has so far only performed the work on a handful of its own aircraft.

Further pictures shown at Aviasvit provided evidence that Yemen has also chosen to upgrade its Aero Vodochody L-39 trainers in Ukraine. The work includes the installation of a sensor/designator turret under the aircraft’s fuselage that enables the type to perform light attack tasks using precision-guided weapons.

The air forces of Belarus and Ukraine have launched more modest L-39 upgrades also offered by Odesaremservis, with the work introducing a revised avionics suite and a multifunction cockpit display. A full specification L-39M upgrade would also add identification friend-or-foe equipment, and an Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLSh engine offering a 10% increase in thrust and an improved rate of climb.

I’m glad this issue is getting some attention. Both the rebels and the government are using kids to fight the Saada War.

al-Sahwa

Sana’a, Sahwa Net- The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers has accused, in its recent report, Yemen of using children as soldiers in Saada war.

“Although Yemen’s laws specified 18 as the minimum recruitment age, under-age recruitment to the armed forces reportedly remained common” said the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in 2008 report.

It further explained that parents sometimes agree to the recruitment of their children into the armed forces because of their poor economic situation, pointing out that joining the army is highly sought after as a result of other employment opportunities are extremely limited.

SAMA first training aircraft arrives to Aden

ADEN, Aug. 10 (Saba)- The first training aircraft model SAMA (2020) operating by one engine arrived on Sunday at Aden International Airport.

Director General of the academy captain Ameen Ghanem said to Saba that this aircraft is one of four aircrafts to be sent to Aden after an agreement with Jordanian manufacturing plant Jordan Aerospace Industries (JAI).

Ghanem mentioned that in the upcoming days the air academy will be launched officially in Aden in the wake of completing all technical processes.

Turkish investors to market JAI’s Sama 2020 training and surveillance aircraft in Turkey

Jordan Times
AMMAN (JT) - Jordan Aerospace Industries (JAI) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Turkish investors to market its Sama 2020 training and surveillance aircraft in Turkey. Following the marketing operations, the company will start a programme to manufacture the surveillance aircraft in Turkey where the aircraft will be equipped with Turkish-made communication and surveillance equipment. The MoU, signed by Turkish businessman Ahmet T. Ozal and JAI Director General and Chief Executive Officer Muayad Al Samaraee, was the outcome of business talks between the two sides, and a visit by Turkish business investors to the company’s plant, located at Queen Alia International Airport. Established in 2001, the JAI is still the only private certified light aircraft manufacturer in the Middle East. 4 August 2008

26 Sept

Defence Minister Mohammed Nasser Ahmed concluded a successful several-day visit to Russia.
During his visit to Moscow, the Defence Minister held talks with a number of Russian officials on the aspects of cooperation relations between the two countries, particularly in fields of military and Combating and preventing terrorism.
Ahmed also met at Yemen’s embassy in Moscow with Yemeni undergraduates studying in Russian military academies in which he delivered a speech focusing on a number of the national issues and the latest developments witnessed in the homeland, especially the rebellion movement in some districts of Saada governorate.
He confirmed that his country’s government had dealt with the al-Houthi rebellion in accordance with the interests of the country.
For the concern situations in some southern provinces, Defence Minister Mohammed Ahmed considered them “an expression of less than 20 or 30 persons only”.

Military spending is a line item in the budget.

TMQ2

Uganda 2.2% (2006)
Ukraine 1.4% (2005 est.)
United Arab Emirates 3.1% (2005 est.)
United Kingdom 2.4% (2005 est.)
United States 4.06% (2005 est.)
Uruguay 1.6% (2006)
Uzbekistan 2% (2005 est.)
Vanuatu NA
Venezuela 1.2% (2005 est.)
Vietnam 2.5% (2005 est.)
West Bank NA
World roughly 2% of gross world product (2005 est.)
Yemen 6.6% (2006)
Zambia 1.8% (2005 est.)
Zimbabwe 3.8% (2006)

These figures of property damage in Sa’ada were first released in July 2007, so the totals are certainly much higher now after the fifth war. In the mean time, prominent activists including al-Khaiwani remain in jail. Another is Mohammed al-Miftah, who is on a hunger strike after being disappeared by the Interior Ministry.

Sahwa Net – The head of Al-Haq Party’s shoura council Mohammad Miftah has been going on a hunger strike since two months. Miftah who was kidnapped by gunmen belonging to the Interior Ministry on May 21, 2008, said he would not suspend the hunger strike until he is released…It is worth noting that the authorities suspect that Miftah belongs to the al-Houthi movement in Saada.

This is the same Miftah who Amnesty International called a prisoner of conscience. A Zaidi cleric Mohamed Miftah was released in May 2006 apparently after receiving presidential pardons. He had been serving an eight-year prison term.

And Ali Mohsen surfaces…

Mareb Press: The governmental committee assigned to evaluate and count the damages caused by the rebellion in Sa’ada province returned today to the Sa’ada, chaired by the Minister of Local Administration, Abdul Qadeer Hilal, and the Deputy of Prime Minister for Security and Stability affairs, Rashad al-Alimi, Minister of Defense, Mohammed Ahmed, and commander of the Eastern North region, Ali Muhsen al-Ahmer.

The committee will visit military and security units in the province to inspect the condition of soldiers.
Meanwhile, the cabinet studied yesterday the initial report on counting the damages caused by the armed rebellion in Sa’ada province, prepared by the committee chaired by Abdul Qader Hilal, Minister of Local Administration.

The cabinet directed the committee to carry out field visits to Bani Hushiesh district in Sana’a province to evaluate and count damages caused by the rebellion and including its findings in the report to be raised to the government.

A total of 4141 houses, and 88 farms were damaged in Northern Province of Sa’ada during the war between the Al Houthi rebels and the government troops, said a primary official report on Tuesday. The report which was carried by the state-run news agency Saba said some 201 public installations including 116 schools, 36 health utilities, and 26 mosques were also either wholly of partially damaged.

Source: IRIN

A recently formed government committee has faced problems assessing damage to buildings and property in conflict-hit Saada Governorate, northern Yemen.

Committee members had to return to the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, after being intercepted in Mashor village Saada Governorate, by pro-government tribes who said they, not the al-Houthi rebels, should have priority when it came to government assistance. The pro-government tribes did not want the committee to start assessing the damage in “pro-al-Houthi villages”, demanding instead that the government give them priority assistance as a reward for fighting on the government side.

However, a few days later, on 6 August, the committee went back to another part of Saada Governorate on the orders of the Cabinet, to try and complete its assessment.

Minister of Local Administration Abdul-Qader Hilal, who chairs the committee, said: “We will work in accordance with the president’s orders and the state’s strategy to promote peace and reconstruct Saada.”

An interim report by the committee, which was set up on 22 July, said 4,141 houses and 88 farms (including 24 poultry farms) had been damaged in the past two months alone, due to the fighting. It also said 201 public buildings were damaged, including 116 schools, 36 health centres and 26 mosques in the same period.It is unclear to what extent a ceasefire in mid-July - following a deal between President Ali Abdullah Saleh and representatives of the rebel leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi - was holding. Local media have reported continuing sporadic clashes between the two sides.

Meanwhile, local media reports indicate that some army leaders were reportedly not happy when Saleh tried to end the fighting before they could defeat the rebels.

Rebel allegations

A statement by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi’s information office on 3 August said some army leaders were trying to violate the ceasefire deal: unidentified army officers had set up four military checkpoints on the main road to Har Sufian, a pro-al-Houthi area in Amran Governorate. It said there were other violations, which had resulted in the killing of a number of citizens.

In November 2007, a government committee said 3,375 properties had been damaged in five of Saada’s 15 districts, but the assessment was cut short by the fighting.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced during the clashes in Saada Governorate since 2004. According to the 2004 population census, Saada Governorate has 81,568 houses and a population of some 700,000.

Yemen Observer

Abdul-Mulak al-Huthi, leader of the rebel tribe in Sa’adah in the north of Yemen confirmed in a letter sent to President Ali Abdullah Saleh his commitment to Saleh’s proposed cease fire, including retreating from mountains hideouts, evacuation from citizens’ houses, ending all armed initiatives and handing over all captives from the army, reported the September 26 website, mouthpiece of the Yemeni army.

(Read on …)

This is a good sign that the war is over.

HODEIDAH, NewsYemen

Soldiers differently injured during war in Sa’ada, north of Yemen, on Saturday staged a sit-in in a street in Hodeidah demanding that the government pay them their financial rights and compensations.

Two hundred soldiers blocked the Hodeidah-Sana’a highway and prevented vehicles, especially the government ones, from crossing.

NY’s reporter in Hodeidah reported that demonstrators wanted to meet the governor of Hodeidah and President Saleh. Reporter said that riot police were extensively deployed in front of government institutions in the area but did not try to break up the sit-in.

The military commander Mohammad Mujahid Nameran promised demonstrators their requests will be met, but they refused his promise and decided to go on their protest.

President Saleh last week announced the end of war in Sa’ada and many soldiers started to return from three-month confrontations with rebels that claimed hundreds of lives among forces and rebels and injured many others.

Media Line

At least four people were killed and six wounded in ‘S’ada as a 14-year-old boy detonated an anti-personnel mine that he was carrying outside a government complex, local media reported.

This is the first time a child has been used and it remains unclear whether or not he knew he was going to die, sources at the Yemen Times told The Media Line.

Saturday’s attack came after government forces and local rebels loyal to the Houthi tribe were involved in heavy fighting over the weekend.

Sources at the Yemen Times also reported that, for the third day running, the state air force has been targeting areas of combat in ‘S’ada. The planes are hovering continually and hitting places where even the government military is present.

The soldiers were killed because of either engaging with the Houthis in combat or their proximity to the Houthi camps. Dozens of military soldiers are reported dead because of the air force attacks.

Yemen Times

SA’ADA, July 6 — For the fourth day in a row, the Yemeni army has been attacking with heavy weaponry and fighter jets several villages in Mirran district and other areas in Amran governorate’s Harf Sifyan district, believed to be another stronghold of Houthi loyalists, tribal sources said Sunday, noting that hundreds on both sides were killed or injured.

“During direct clashes between the army and Houthi supporters, army fighter jets dropped bombs on Saturday, but they missed their targets, instead hitting military positions in the area of Mirran, resulting in an increased death toll involving troops,” the sources continued, pointing out that the same mistake was repeated Sunday morning.

According to the sources, bloody confrontations between army personnel and Houthis have continued for many days in the Mirran mountains as the Yemeni army attempts to score a ground victory and seize control of strategic positions in the area. However, despite backing from fighter jets, the army is facing fierce resistance by Houthis.

Backed by Hashid tribesmen, Salafi groups and jihadists, the Yemeni army launched two offensives this past weekend against Houthis after its military tactics failed to prevent necessary supplies from reaching Houthis over the past seven weeks

As the Yemeni army gathers brigades from various governorates to Sa’ada to wage war against Houthis’ main stronghold in Mirran, according to presidential directives, the governors of Sana’a, Amran and Sa’ada have invited thousands of citizens to form a populist army to hinder Houthis’ spread in rural areas.

However, other tribal sources disclose that citizens haven’t responded to this invitation, despite the fact that the government promised to recruit them into the army, as citizens fear potential involvement in the armed conflict with Houthis in Sa’ada.

The ruling authority is gathering more military forces in preparation for a new war in Mirran, as 1st Armored Division brigades have failed to make progress on the ground since the most recent war broke out in April.

Mareb Press

Another high ranking officer was killed along with 6 soldiers, Colonel Ahmed Mosaad Makwalah (who may be one of Ali Saleh many inlaws). He was the private body guard of Ali Saleh during the late eighties and early nineties. Early reports indicate that he was killed by a land mine in Haref Sofian, Amran.

The first was Brigadier Mohssen Tabaza who was killed by snipers in Saqqen district in the Sada’a governorate.

Also assassinated was Abdul Elah A’atif, but just because he was killed by people wearing military uniforms doesn’t mean it was a government hit, because there is no actual central government anymore, just fiefdoms with loyal paramilitaries made up of soldiers and security forces, sometimes tribesmen and jihaddists.

July 6 — Manager of the former Prime Minister’s office Abdul Elah A’atif was killed last Thursday evening while in the yard of his house in Sana’a. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Salem Bin Salman, who was with A’atif, was also injured. A’atif and Salman were subjected to gunfire by unknown attackers, some of whom were wearing military uniforms, said witnesses.

“The assassination group planned it in a professional manner, as two of the group ascended to a nearby house at about 8:00 p.m. and tried to drag the gate guard out of the house,” said A’atif’s elder son. He added they quarreled with him in a fabricated way so as to prompt A’atif to go out of the house. “As soon as he got out of his house, a lot of snipers shot at him dead and injured his escort in his legs lest he might move and then flee,” said A’atif’s son.

He added that the gate guard was able to injure one of the attackers in his feet. “Some of the attackers were on a military vehicle wearing military uniforms and they ran away after the assassination, which means that the operation was deliberate,” said A’atif’s son.

When asked whether his father had enemies or not, his son answered that his father “had no enemies and we don’t have any problems with neighbors as some media sources reported.”

A’atif’s family has not accused anyone of the murder and the Ministry of the Interior hasn’t yet issued a press release about the event, but it informed A’atif’s son that security authority arrested four people whom they thought carried out the assassination.

A’atif’s Yaf’i tribe in Lahj governorate, political and social groups were all surprised by the event. They issued a press release to condemn the assassination of A’atif and the injury of Salman. They also laid the responsibility on the government, demanding that the assassins be caught and prosecuted as soon as possible. Yaf’i tribe confirmed their solidarity with the A’atif and Salman families, stressing that revenge is their right if the government neglects its duty.

Tribal sheikhs, civil society organizations and the local authority in the four Yaf’i districts in Lahj governorate called on people to hold separate meetings to follow up the issue’s developments. In their meetings, attendants decided to hold an extended meeting for all the districts belonging to the Yaf’i next Sunday in the Suq Al-Sallam region of Al-Awss town in Lahj governorate.

Post updated

Katushkya Missile missed? Land mine redeployed?
BBC

At least five people have been killed in an explosion in north-western Yemen, according to news reports. Local officials said they do not yet know what caused the explosion, which happened at a post office. But the blast is reported to have hit the province of Saada, which has seen sporadic fighting between Shia rebels and government forces.

Al-Jazeera, land mine

At least five people have been killed in an explosion in the town of Saada in northwest Yemen, a witness said. The blast, which local sources said was caused by a landmine, occured near Saada’s post office on Saturday. Witnesses said that a number of other people had been injured in the incident. Security forces sealed off the site and rescue workers took away the casualties.

Sources said that the landmine was being carried out by a person, believed to be from the al-Huthi group, Shia rebels who have been fighting the government since 2004.

Other reports indicate that Colonel Mohsen Tabaza, Deputy Commander of Operations in The First Infantry led by Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar half brother of Ali Saleh was killed by a sniper in a different location.

Mareb Press reports News Yemen reports a 14 year old suicide bomber….

Security source said that a 14-year-old young man exploded himself near to the governmental complex and the post office in Sa’ada governorate.

The source told the independent News Yemen website that about two people were killed and six other were injured. Rescue services evacuated the casualties as security forces sealed off the site.

Abdul Malek al-Houthi threatened in an interview with Lebanese al-Akhbar newspaper to expand the cycle of war outside Sa’ada province. He said, “The real war has not started yet.”

He added the war against his group is funded by Saudi Arabia and supported by America. He denied receiving any support from Iran describing the Iranian position as “negative”.

“Striking the capital Sana’a by Katusha missiles is a possible choice.”

Update: The crack Yemeni forensics team determined from the shrapnel that it was the Houthis:

Almotamar.net - Investigations conducted by security authorities into the terrorist incident that happened on Saturday nearby the post office in the city of Saada by a suicide bomber disclosed that the explosive charge that went off as the person carrying it was trying to take from under his clothes to kill citizens gathering in front of the post building and killed its carrier and injured four other persons.

A security source said today that it has been revealed that shrapnels of the explosive charge are of the same type of charges used by elements of terror and insurgency followers of the terrorist al-Houthi in the sabotage acts that happened during the past period.

The assassinated military guy was killed by a sniper:

YemenOnline-July 5.2008- Military commander, Brigadier Mohssen Tabaza was killed by snipers today in Saqqen district in the Sada’a governorate. In other news, seven people were killed in an explosion in the town of Saada in northwest Yemen, a witness said.

The blast was caused by bomb. A man, suspected to be a Houthi Rebel, was carrying the bomb when it exploded next to a post office, killing him and six others. More than 12 civilians were injured.

Officials speculate that the bomber was headed towards a government building in front of the post office. Security forces sealed off the site and rescue workers took away the casualties.

Yes why would the Houthis bomb their own people? Or for that matter why would anybody blow up civilians to start with? Yemen Post

According to government sources, a Houthi suicide bomber exploded himself inside a governmental compound last Saturday killing four innocent citizens. Even though the Houthi spokesperson denied the incident and claimed that the government is only trying to give them a negative image, my core focus is not who is responsible for it but rather what happened.

Most of you might remember the suicide bomber who blew himself up in an Amran mosque and killed nearly a dozen and injured 21 as they were praying. Before that incident Yemen has never heard of suicide bombers who attack their own people.

This brings up another question. Why would someone kill innocent people to defend what he believes in? The government blamed Houthis for both attacks, while they denied the allegations. Supposing that Houthi loyalists were after both attacks, it is logical that they would be after innocent worshippers in a mosque or by passers in a governmental institution instead of killing their so called enemies, the government forces?

What I can see is a new and dangerous era in Yemen’s war tactics, which if not taken seriously will harm the country in a way no one could predict. People who decide to be suicide bombers in most occasions are those who face bad financial situations, little if no hope for the future, and ongoing problems in their everyday life. Looking at that, many Yemenis are illegible for entry in that category if nothing is done to stop it soon.

More

Special sources told the Yemen Post that a Houthi suicide bomber blew himself up with an explosive belt at 11a.m., on Saturday in front of a Sa’ada governmental complex and the post office.

Eye witnesses stated that the youth, 15- years-old, blew himself up as nothing of his remainings was left to identify his identity, adding he was trying to enter into the governmental complex.

However, he was not able to enter due to the inspection process at the door by security soldier. This caused him to blow himself outside the government complex.

The attack resulted in killing four and injuring four others. The attack is considered the second of its type in Sa’ada. The first attack involved a mosque in Sa’ada and left behind dozens killed and injured.

Government sources indicated that army forces are making progress at all war fronts in Sa’ada especially in areas believed to be safe havens for Houthi loyalists.

In return, media sources revealed that Houthi snipers shot dead Muhsen Tayrah dead on Saturday in Saqeen district. He was the deputy head of the first armored brigade’s operations department.

This doesn’t make sense. I dont think the Houthis are connected to Lebanese Hezbollah, and if Saleh wants to end the fighting, all he has to do is implement his end of the peace accord.

CBS News

President Saleh sent a message to the Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the militant Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, urging him to intervene to put an end to the fighting with the rebel Huthi followers in Saada in northern Yemen, according to a report posted on a Yemeni Internet forum by the Yemeni Shiiter group Ansar al Haq. The group also posted several videos that showed aftermath pictures of an airstrike by Yemeni warplanes on a village in Saada. One video showed what the group said were parachute drops of food and supplies for Yemeni forces stranded in the Meran area.

Arresting people who are printing books? It could be the normal mainstream Zaidi teachings, its unclear.

Sahwa Net – Yemeni security forces could seize on Thursday a cell in Aden relating to Houthi rebels which printed books of the Imamate rule.

A source told 26 September newspaper that the cell includes 8 persons that promoted to Houthi ideologies. On the other hand, confrontations are still underway in Saada governorate between rebels headed by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and Yemen’s army.

YT: The Yemeni Socialist Party-affiliated Aleshteraki.net has quoted informed sources as saying that Houthi gunmen shot down an MI-8 helicopter at 10 a.m. Tuesday as it hovered over the 17th Military Division, which has been besieged for more than a month, in an attempt to supply its troops with food and ordinance.

The site’s sources say that members of the 17th Military Division – besieged in Mirran area for 44 days now – are angry at the government’s seeming indifference toward releasing them, so they’ve begun telephoning media outlets to complain about their harsh conditions.

The besieged troops say they lack basic living necessities such as food, water and medication, particularly as they are subjected to frequent Houthi assaults. They note that sympathetic boys in the area had been supplying them with food until Houthis discovered this and stopped them from doing so two days ago.

The besieged troops include division commander Abdulaziz Al-Shahari, whom Houthis blame for intensifying the blockade on various Mirran villages after a July 2007 ceasefire agreement reached by both sides in Doha went into effect. Houthis further accuse Al-Shahari, a Salafi extremist, of insulting Zaidi ideology.

On Sunday, Houthis shot dead Mohammed Al-Fadhli, head of the 10th Military Division’s training unit, in Al-Sama as he was surveying the area prior to a planned attack against the strongholds of Houthi leaders in Matra district.

Military commanders question strategy

YemenOnline - June 29, 2008- According to MarebPress, military officers have started to complain about how the war in Sadah is being conducted. Officers are puzzled over their commands, as they seem strategically ineffective. After many advances by the army in the Houthi stronghold, they have received orders to stop fighting. The Houthi militia in the regions of Mahadha and Maran has taken tremendous blows by the army, losing many men and control of strategic locations. Yet instead of going for the clincher, the army has been ordered to stand down.

This voluntary slowdown in their own progress has allowed for the Houthi rebels to regroup and reclaim land they had lost to the army. The army is then redeployed to regions they had previously won. This back and forth course of engagement has prolonged the war for much longer than is thought necessary by many military strategists. Some political analysts are beginning to question: are there ulterior motives behind the extension of the war?

boom boom boom, you can hear it from Sana’a

Yemeni Military forces are facing two enemies in Sa’ada.
YemenOnline-June 2,2008- The situation in Merran, Sa’ada governorate is getting more serious as some of the military camps have been cut off by the rebels since the beginning of the fifth war’ sources informed YemenOnline. Accordingly, food supplies and military reinforcements could not reach those undersiege camps.Now, hunger represents another major enemy that the military forces have to confront . At another level, in spite of what military sources have been reporting for the last three weeks that they have taken control over the whole area of Bani Hushaish, bombings, according to an eye witness, were heard once again in Bani Hushaish area last night as an indication of an uninterrupted war.

NY

SANA’A, NewsYemen, The independent weekly al-Ghad reported in its edition on Tuesday that security sources said that Yemeni security authorities arrested dozens of military personnel allegedly involved in al-Houthi rebellion in Sa’ada.

The sources were quoted as saying that investigations with those military personnel are ongoing and that they are as they are accused of leaking military and security information to rebels.

On the other hand, Yahya al-Houthi, brother of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi was quoted by Marepress.net as calling upon all Sheikhs who were sent by President Saleh to Sa’ada for a new mediation to stop their mediation efforts.

Al-Houthi said that he will refuse any mediators to be selected by President Saleh alone. He said there is no mediation after the latest Qatari one.

NY

Yemeni security authorities have arrested non-Yemeni nationalities involved in clashes against the government forces in their battles with rebels in Sa’ada, security source said.

The source said most of the arrested are Somalis and that initial investigations revealed that they joined al-Houthis for $100 for each.

Verifying mil assistance, good!

Yemen signs “End Use Monitoring Agreement” with US
Mareb Press

United States Ambassador to Yemen Stephen A. Seche signed the first-ever bilateral agreement between the Yemeni and American armed forces at a ceremony held the Yemeni Ministry of Defense Officers’ Club on Monday, July 16, 2008.

The “End Use Monitoring Agreement” will allow for the verification of articles and services provided to Yemen under U.S-sponsored military and security assistance, thus preventing the misuse or illicit transfer of these items and service.

Ambassador Seche said, “Under this agreement, the United States and Yemen reaffirm their commitment to insuring transparency and fighting corruption.”

“Transparency, accountability, and oversight are key components of a free and democratic society. These principles, when properly valued and implemented, help build trust between allies as well as between governments and their citizens,” he added.

USD 143 million? Its low. Maybe thats just new investment.

Yemen allocates $143 million for defence and security
Sunday, 08-June-2008
Al-Motamar
Almotamar.net - An official report mentioned Sunday that Yemen has allocated $143 million and 370 thousand for defence and security, as part of an investment programme for the year 2008.
According to the report obtained by almotamar.net the process of financing is allocated to implement a number of institutional projects aimed at strengthening capabilities of the Coast Guard by installation of new security observation centres in the border areas, improvement of the level of services offered to crossing of ships of the Yemeni coasts in addition to enhancement of protection of security and military positions. The programme includes also the purchase of mechanizations and equipment and the development of communication networks of the security apparatuses besides the establishment of residential buildings and police stations in various governorates.

al-Motamar

Capture of 11 persons wanted by security, foiling a shipment of weapons for rebels
Saturday, 14-June-2008
Almotamar.net - It has been learned on Saturday that security authorities arrested Friday four persons of those on a list of wanted by security in the capital and the governorate of Sana’a. Meanwhile, security authorities were able to abort transportation of quantities of arms to the insurgents before reaching them. Thus the number of the caught persons wanted by security rose to eleven. Security men announced Friday they had 7 other wanted persons for security cases, among them two of the most dangerous elements of insurgent al-Houthi arrested in Marib governorate.

Information centre of the Interior Ministry mentioned that security authorities in Sabeen district, in the capital have captured Mohammed Ahmed al-Dailami, 24, who is on the wanted list and caught in Bani Hushaish area, Sana’a governorate, Abdullah Mohammed al-Qaili, Ahmed Yahya Uthman al-Wazir and Abdullah Ali Saleh al-Bahr on charge of their affiliation to insurgency and sabotage and all of them were sent to for facing security measures.

Security authorities on Thursday caught vehicle carrying ammunition consisting of different calibers of bullets and arrested the three persons who were in the vehicle. Primary investigations disclosed that the amount of ammunition was bound to elements of insurgency.

In Shabwa governorate security men caught another vehicle carrying three persons and in their possession one-hundred cases machine-gun ammunition in addition to 10 pieces of weapons of which they claimed they had bought at he black-market in Albaidha governorate.

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.

(Read on …)

Wow thats huge. Al-Alimi cut loose as interior minister and re-assigned to overseeing defense and interior. Is it a promotion?

President Saleh authorizes his new deputy premier to run interior and defense ministries
Sana’a, May 21, 2008
(YemenOnline) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh authorized today the newly appointed deputy prime minister to be in charge of the affairs of the interior and defense ministries.

Presiding over a meeting for the newly appointed cabinet and newly elected governors President Saleh said that the new deputy premier for security and defense affairs will be the head of the Security Committee located in the premises of the National Security Service in order to follow up on security issues in the country.

President Saleh’s authorization makes al-Alimi responsible for supervising, monitoring, and evaluating the performance of the interior and defense ministries.

(Read on …)

YSJMC kicks off activities in Sana’a

[26 May 2008]

SANA’A, May 26 (Saba) - Yemeni-Saudi Joint Military Committee (YSJMC) commenced its activities here on Monday.

Co-chaired by Chief of Staff Ahmad al-Ashwal and Saudi counterpart Saleh al-Muhya’a, the committee discussed on Monday a number of topics included in Sana’a Meeting’s agenda held during the past period.

Al-Ashwal welcomed Saudi delegation headed by al-Muhya’a, noting importance of the meeting that would discuss results of YSJMC’s activities based on Jeddah Treaty signed between President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Custodian of the two Holy Mosques Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz.

For his part, al-Muhya expressed pleasure for being in Yemen these days for meeting with committee’s members, highlighting unique relations between the two countries.

M&C:

Sana’a, Yemen - Heavy fighting broke out Friday between government forces and Shiite rebels in the volatile north-western Yemeni province of Saada, tribal sources said.

The sources said the fighting erupted after the weekly prayers in the remote mountainous district of Haidan, on the border with Saudi Arabia.

At least one soldier was reported killed in the clashes.

Army forces bombarded the rebels’ positions with artillery, sources said. It was not immediately clear what triggered the clashes.

The fighting comes one day after authorities said a Qatari mediation team had resumed efforts to follow up on the implementation of a Qatari-brokered ceasefire deal.

Ali Mohsen Thwarting Peace. Shocka!

YT

SA’ADA, April 23 — Citizens in Sa’ada province, the scene of fierce clashes between the army and Al-Houthi rebel group, are apprehensive that the army and the Houthis might resume warring after several months of respite, well-informed local sources told the Yemen Times.

“The Qatari delegation left Yemen last Monday after reaching an impasse due to the Northern Area Commander Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmer refusing to implement the agreement appendix signed by the government represented by Abdul-Karim Al-Eryani,” the sources added. The appendix states that life should go back to normal with the army abandoning houses, farms, civil facilities such as schools, courts and local governance buildings. According to the agreement, the army shouldn’t set up more than one checkpoint in each county of the province.

(Read on …)

rebels

Huthi rebels accuse Sanaa of blocking peace deal

Commander of Yemeni rebels blames government for failure to implementing Qarat’s peace deal.

SANAA - The commander of Yemeni rebels said on Monday that efforts by Qatar to implement a peace deal it brokered between the government and the insurgents have failed.

Abdul Malak al-Huthi blamed Sanaa for the failure which he said had resulted in the Qatari mediators leaving Yemen’s northwestern Saada province and heading back to Doha.

“The Qatari team left after reaching a dead-end due to the refusal of the official side (government) to pull out army troops from the areas in which they deployed during the clashes — namely villages, schools and mosques,” Huthi said.

Saada, a mountainous province near the border with Saudi Arabia, has been the scene of an on-off rebellion by members of the Zaidi community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Thousands of people have been killed in the clashes.

The insurgents are known as “Huthis” after their late commander, Hussein Badr Eddin al-Huthi, who was killed by the army in September 2004.

Hussein was succeeded as field commander by Abdul Malak, his brother.

A relative calm prevailed in Saada recently as the government negotiated with the rebels with the help of Qatari mediators to implement a peace deal brokered by Qatar in June 2007.

The agreement, under which the rebels would lay down their arms, was revived during a meeting between the two sides in Doha in February.

Abdul Malak al-Huthi claimed that his fighters had “evacuated 54 positions and hills in eight localities, including government buildings, public utilities and roads linking (the province) to Saudi Arabia.”

He said the rebels had maintained only a “limited presence” in some areas pending the army’s withdrawal and the implementation of measures that would prepare for villagers, displaced by the fighting, to return home.

Authorities “are to blame for the failure to implement the agreement,” Huthi said.

“The president (Ali Abdullah Saleh) is responsible for safeguarding security and stability and halting the bloodshed,” he added.

An MP from Yemen’s ruling party was among five people shot dead by gunmen in Saada on Friday although it was not known if the attack was linked to the insurgency.

Mareb Press

Campus patrolled by military

45 violations were recorded
Local News: Symposium on violations against Sana’a University students
Thursday 17 April 2008 / Mareb Press

The Yemen Student Union in faculty of education held Yesterday, Wednesday, a symposium outside Sana’a University after the refusal of the University Head to hold the symposium in one of the university halls.

The symposium which was described as a sit-in focused on violations against the rights and liberties of the student’. In the symposium, the university students refused the presence of the soldiers inside the university

Political Sciences Professor in Sana’a University, Abdullah al-Fakih, demanded for the independence of the universities saying there is no future for the students without the independence of the universities.

He urged the students to continue their peaceful struggle to obtain their rights and liberties warning them from violence.
“Imitating the ways and methods of the tyrant is a failure and the peaceful struggle is the goal and the solution for the independence of the university,” he added.

Dr. Mohammed al-Mekhlafy, chairman of the Yemeni Observatory Center for Human Rights, said, ” preparing the generation of the future depends on two pillars: liberty and democracy.”

At the end of the symposium, the General Student Union announced the black list of the violations against the students since 2005 in a report prepared by the committee of rights and liberties in the education faculty.

According tot the report, about 45 violations against the students were recorded; 10 violations were taken place in 2005, 13 violations in 2006, and 15 violations in 2007.

These violations were carried out by the political security (intelligences), the University security, the head of the university, the deans and the administrators of the collages, the report says.

Its possible they just live in Mareb, and know like everybody else the schedule of the checkpoint. Either way, these poor soldiers were caught up in somebody else’s game.

RSN

Yemen: The Skillful Jihadist Attack and Signs of Trouble
Stratfor©
April 16, 2008
Summary
Three police officers died in an April 16 explosion in Yemen’s Marib province. The sophistication of the attack is further indication that some of the country’s jihadist cells are becoming increasingly skillful — and that spells trouble for the already volatile Middle Eastern country.

Analysis

A bomb explosion killed three policemen and injured four civilians early April 16 in Yemen’s Marib province. The bombing is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks to hit Yemen in recent weeks.

The blast occurred about 8:30 a.m. local time at a spot where the officers reportedly parked every day. Marib Gov. Aref al Zoka said the explosion was caused by a land mine, while a security source told Agence France-Presse it was detonated by remote control. These are not necessarily conflicting statements, however. The bomber could have used a command detonation firing chain to make a mine into a remo