US officials’ statements alienating southerners en masse (al Qaeda’s unwilling captive and nearby communities) isn’t helping overall efforts.

US and Yemeni officials have agreed to restart a controversial military-training program to help the new president tackle Al Qaeda militants as part of planned enhanced counter-terrorism relationship.

While President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has openly turned to Washington as he attempts to get the upper hand over the terrorist group, his policy may have a key drawback — upsetting the delicate political balance of power in the country and complicating the sensitive task of overhauling the nation’s fractured security forces.

Dozens of US special operations forces already on the ground are set to resume training of counterterrorism forces after a lull last year amid a wave of new sophisticated assaults by the Yemeni branch of the terrorist group and loosely linked jihadi groups. FOX

Reuters: – A gunman opened fire on a U.S. security team as it trained Yemeni soldiers in the south of the country, the Pentagon and a security official said on Friday, both denying reports from an Islamist group that a CIA officer was killed in the assault.

In the north of the country, a bomb blast hit an anti-U.S. protest, injuring at least 22 people, a rebel group that controls much of the region said.

Fighting with northern “Houthi” rebels and southern militants are among a list of challenges facing Yemen’s new president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a man Washington was hoping could end a year of turmoil in the country, which is near key oil shipping routes.

Ansar al-Sharia, a Yemen-based Islamist group linked to al Qaeda, said it had attacked and killed a U.S. officer in the south on Thursday.

“The mujihadeen (holy warriors) killed a CIA officer on Thursday while he was in Aden province, after tracking him and determining he was cooperating with the Sanaa government,” it said in a text message sent to journalists in Yemen.

A Yemeni security official in Aden, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a gunman fired on a U.S. security team on Thursday, but the shots had hit their armored vehicle without injuring anyone.

In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed that a gunman fired several shots at an armored vehicle carrying a U.S. security team in Yemen and that no one was injured.

Fears that political turmoil in Yemen would embolden al Qaeda’s wing in the country led Washington and Gulf Arab states to broker the exit of Hadi’s predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh after a year of mass protests against his rule.

Saleh’s exit made him the fourth Arab leader removed from power since mass uprisings and war swept east from Tunisia in late 2010, rattling U.S. client states and foes alike.

Hadi, who won a one-candidate election to replace Saleh last week, has promised to lead Yemen to new elections, create a new constitution and a reform the military within two years.

He inherits multiple conflicts including clashes with secessionists in the south and a long-simmering insurgency in the north.

Islamist militants took control of swathes of territory in southern Yemen during the struggle over Saleh’s fate, and hold the city of Zinjibar in southern Abyan province.

PROTEST BOMB “INJURES 22″

A bomb exploded during a protest against U.S. involvement in Yemen on Friday, injuring 22 people in the north of the country, the leader of Shi’ite Muslim rebels that control the area said.

In a statement, the leader of the Houthi movement – Shi’ite rebels that Yemen’s military tried to crush in campaigns in 2004-2009 – said the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa was personally responsible for the bombing in Saada, near the Saudi border.

“The one behind this attack is the U.S. ambassador and his agents,” Abdel Malek al-Houthi said. “It targets our rejection of foreign interference from the ambassador such as interfering in the structure of the army … and his satanic efforts to change its creed.”

The region has seen fighting in recent months between the Houthis and Sunni Muslims espousing puritanical Salafi doctrines influential in Saudi Arabia that cast Shi’ites as heretics. The Houthis have accused Riyadh of arming their foes.

Souther secessionists have rejected the transition deal that put Hadi in power, saying they want northing to do with a process involving a united Yemen.

In the capital Sanaa, thousands of protesters gathered near Hadi’s residence demanding the military be shaken up to exclude Saleh’s relatives and loyalists, witnesses said.

Bombings in Yemen Kill 4 VOA: Posted Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at 8:05 pm

Two separate bombings in Yemen have killed at least four people, including two suicide bombers.

Yemeni authorities said that, in the first incident Saturday, two suicide bombers drove a truck into a Republican Guard camp in the town of Bayda, killing one soldier and wounding five others. A local official blamed al-Qaida for the attack.

Hours later, two explosions rocked the southern port city of Mukalla, killing another soldier. Local authorities said the blasts were aimed at a central security force building.

The blasts came a week after another suicide car bombing killed 26 people outside a presidential palace in Mukalla, just hours after longtime vice president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was sworn in as the country’s new leader in the capital, Sana’a.

Dear Sir or Madam,
We would like to inform you that the a leader of the islamist Al-Islah party, head of the department of information in Aden branch, threatened the publishing team of the blog and Newsletter blog “Aden Alghad” because of their coverage of the violence in Almualla-Aden between members and sympathizers of the Alharak Aljanoubi Assilmi on one side and members of the Islamist Isalh party on the other side on February 3rd 2012. This happened when the Islah leader, Khalid Haidan, with the publishing editor, Fathi Bin lazraq, at the same day. The Islamist leader said that his party will prosecute the team of “Aden Alghad” and that his party might tolerate everything but not the blood of his members. When asked if this was a threat, the Islamist leader replied “consider it as you like”.

This is not the first time that Mr. Lazraq and his team are exposed to threat from leaders of the Islah party. On December 02nd 2011, another leader of the Islah party in Aden, Nabeel Assanii, threatened Mr.Lazraq because of republishing an article written by Assanii in which he describes participants of a demonstration organized by Alharak Aljanoubi Assilmi as drunk and drug-addicted.

We consider such activities by leaders of the Islah Party as a radical threat of the press freedom and the civilian life especially in such a peaceful city like Aden. We condemn the aggressive behavior of the leaders of the Islah which considers itself as one of the changing powers in Yemen and is participating in the current government and of its leader is a Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2011. We would like herewith to ask you to solidarise with Mr. Lazraq and the team of “Aden Alghad” against these threats and to support them in their struggle for freedom of expression. We warn from any aggression against the team members of “Aden Alghad” and bear the Islah party the full responsibility for the health and wellbeing of Mr. Lazraq and his team members.

Sheikh Khalid al Dhahab said in a later newspaper interview: “the remnants of the Saleh regime facilitated the gunmen to enter the city Radaa and the idea of formation and the establishment of the “solution and the contract” and the requirement by the “supporters of sharia law” to change the heads of districts and directors of offices services in the city of Radaa is to legitimize the rule of al-Qaeda through the establishment of Islamic emirate in Radaa, and remnants of the Saleh regime seek to make Radaa Islamic emirate.”

al Tagheer, link

alSahwa: Alsahwah.net- Forces of the Republican Guard bombarded on Saturday villages of Nihm, outskirt of Sana’a, using medium and heavy weapons, indicating that bombardment was arbitrary and intensive.

Local sources told Alsahwah.net that the forces used gun machines from mountains nearby to the villages, pointing out that no casualties fell.

Forces of the Republican Guard headed by Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, son of the outgoing Yemeni president shelled on Tuesday killed four civilians including child in Bani Dihrah, a village of Arhab district, some 30 kilometers north of Sana’a.

For its part, Hood Organization for Human Rights and Freedoms affirmed that it received on Tuesday the corpses of the four killed civilians.

Hood said that forces of the Republican Guard rejected to allow human rights organizations to take the bodies of five civilians who were killed five months ago.

On Sunday, the Republican Guards bombarded villages of Bani Jarmooz and Bait Dihrah, using mortars and machine guns against civilians wounding several and damaging many properties.

Related: The international community leveled no sanctions on the Saleh regime whatsoever, no ban on weapons sales, no freezing of funds. Russia is still providing weapons, likely via a deniable proxy. Yemen owes Russia, its largest bilateral creditor, about six billion from prior weapons sales.

Alsahwah.net- A Russian-made ship loaded with heavy weapons including air-fighters, tanks and ammunition arrived in Hodeidah port on Thursday, sources of the port revealed.

The sources said the weapons are to be distributed to those military camps that are still loyal to the outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Hundreds of protesters headed the port, demanding the port officials to uncover the sorts of these weapons and its producing country.

They affirmed that they would provide a notification for the Attorney General, demanding all local and international organizations to work to uncover those states that are involved in providing the regime with weapons to kill protesters.

Alsahwah.net – Three protesters and two policemen were killed, and 20 others were wounded on Friday as security forces used live ammunition against supporters of the Southern Movement.

Medics said that 26 protesters were taken to receive treatment.

Thousands of the Southern Movement’s followers protested on Friday to mark the annual anniversary of the civil war erupted in 1986 between fictions of the ruling regime then.

Witnesses said forces of the Central Security used gas bombs, live ammunition to disperse the protesters.

Press reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying that snipers shot fire on the protesters from the back of security forces.

Yemeni human rights organizations and political parties have called to swiftly identify those responsible for the killing of protesters and bring them to justice.

9/23/11 HRF: Cables released by Wikileaks reveal that Slobodan Tesic, a Serbian arms dealer, contracted in 2009 to sell $95 million worth of sniper rifles, antiaircraft guns, and other arms and ammunition to the Yemen Ministry of Defense. As scores of unarmed protestors continue to be killed by the Yemeni government in renewed violence this week, possibly by these same weapons, Human Rights First renews its call for the United States to actively pressure the networks that enable brutal violence against civilians and grave human rights abuses.

Tesic has previously been connected with weapon sales in Liberia, Libya, Iraq, and elsewhere. He is subject to a U.N. travel ban for violating an arms embargo in Liberia. In 2002, he shipped “enough bullets to kill the entire population of Liberia,” enabling the former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s alleged war crimes. The arms dealer is also connected with weapon sales to Iraq and to terrorist regimes. Despite Tesic’s clear embargo violation and connection with atrocities, he was able to work with the Albanian Ministry of Defense to bring weapons into Libya in 2010, and contract with the Yemeni government in 2009. The influx and proliferation of weapons in the region has helped fuel significant violence against civilians and other human rights abuses.

News Yemen

The official media said he was killed at the hands of the protesters

Family of the martyr Jaradi: we were able to extract his body from the Republican and mediated by the government offered us 2 million riyals 29/10/2011

Said the old family of the martyr Mohammad Jaradi The government offered 2 million riyals for the funeral of their parents in their backs on the seventy-screen TV to accuse the band of Yemen murder.

And subjected to gunshot Jaradi in the eye during the suppression by the security forces

and opposition Blatjh of a demonstration area Iilathaoualmadi bottom.
Family and that martyr’s widow said yesterday in Sana’a NewsYemen The central security forces abducted his body during the massacre committed by the bottom, and took him to the Republican Hospital.

She added that after the massacre has been continued through the mobile phone and emails were received by a woman, as a soldier in the belief the Central Security, and did not show her that he was martyred, but after several contacts at the hospital told her that the republic.

Said his son, the martyr that the government offered 2 million riyals for the funeral of their parents in the seventy-backs on the screen space of Yemen to accuse the band with his murder, but they refused.

The wife of the martyr that the hospital administration refused to remove his body until Wednesday, after the mediation and were able to transfer to a hospital in the sciences.

The wife of the martyr was surprised what she called a slut and the official media (the space of Yemen and Saba), through its exploitation of the martyr and image display, and bring the women lamenting the murder and that of the population of the bottom.

The wife said, “We are not a resident of the bottom, and live in Tunis Street for years,” and my husband went out that day to participate in the demonstration.

She said that her husband was involved in the demonstrations demanding the departure of the benefit system since the launch of the youth revolution.

Damage not caused by shelling, four jets damaged and possible inside job, airport receiving.

National

Another military official, who also requested anonymity, said the blast on Sunday night inside the military base could be a signal of division in the air force led by Mohammed Saleh Al Ahmar, the half brother of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Mr Saleh, in power for 33 years, has refused to heed regional and international calls to step down, and his military forces have launched a brutal crackdown on protesters that has left hundreds dead and thousands more wounded.

The blast came amid reports that Mr Saleh’s forces were bringing weapons to the military base….On Sunday, thousands of Yemeni youths protested at the port in Hodiedah, where opposition party media claim the rockets were brought in to arm the jets. In a statement, the protesters condemned turning the port into a gateway for arms that will be used against the people of Yemen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15515532

Yemen has shut its international airport in the capital Sanaa after explosions were reported at an adjacent air force base.

A number of blasts were heard at the al-Daylami base, prompting flights to be rerouted from Sanaa International Airport to Aden.

Sanaa has been wracked by fighting between forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his opponents.

Tens of thousands protest regularly for an end to his 33-year rule.
Transfer of power

Residents and witnesses said at least one shell had hit the air base.

One aviation official told Agence France-Presse news agency: “There were four explosions at the air force base alongside the international airport and two fighter jets went up in flames.”

No-one has yet said they carried out any attack and no casualties have been reported.

Flights have been diverted to Aden in the south of the country.

Clashes continue between pro- and anti-Saleh factions.

Reuters news agency quoted tribal sources as saying four people were killed by army shelling in the Arhab area, north of the capital, overnight.

The UN Security Council has called on President Saleh to step down immediately and has condemned excessive force against protesters, hundreds of whom have died since the unrest began in January.

Mr Saleh has so far failed to implement a political solution based on a plan put forward by the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), which urges him to transfer power to his deputy.

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville, Location: Geneva, Subject: Yemen

We condemn in the strongest terms the reported killing of a number of largely peaceful protestors in Sana’a and Taiz as a result of the indiscriminate use of force by Yemeni security forces since Saturday (15 October). Hundreds were reportedly injured by this disproportionate use of force against unarmed protestors.

We are extremely concerned that security forces continue to use excessive force in a climate of complete impunity for crimes resulting in heavy loss of life and injury, despite repeated pledges by the Government to the contrary. We reiterate our call for an international, independent, transparent investigation, for accountability and for justice. Those responsible for the hundreds of killings since the protest movement began in Yemen more than 8 months ago must be prosecuted, regardless of rank or title.

We also call on the Government’s armed opponents to remove weapons from public spaces used by peaceful protestors, and to stop launching armed attacks from densely populated areas.

We are also troubled that the living conditions for residents of Sana’a and Taiz have continued to worsen, hitting the poorest households most.

In response to a question on possible provision of prosecutorial immunity in the GCC deal:

We cannot comment on the specifics of the proposed deal. However, international law prohibits the use of amnesties that prevent the prosecution of individuals for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or gross violations of human rights – so that would apply in this situation as in any other.

ENDS