Yemen president shuts down local TV channel over coverage of protest

Yemen President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi made a brazen move on June 11 when his forces stormed studio of al-Yemen al-Youm TV channel and confiscated all equipment, shutting down its  coverage.

Al-Yemen al-Youm, one of the most popular local TV channels owned by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, has been covering popular outrage over acute fuel, electricity and water shortage in the capital and across the country. The channel capitalized on the public outrage of Hadi government inability to deliver basic services to attract more supporters for the next race for presidency, in which Saleh’s party still maintains a considerable amount of loyalty in Yemen.

The state run daily al-Thawra ran a brief statement about the closedown.

“The channel was shutdown yesterday [June 11] after it had crossed all red lines, and become a destructive tool that opposes the will of the Yemeni people for change and building a modern civil state based on equality, justice, democracy and good governance,” said the statement published in the last page of Thursday issue, June 12, 2014. It also said the channel didn’t  have a license.

Al-Yemen al-Youm posted on its YouTube channel a six-minute footage showing Hadi’s presidential guards taking equipment and furniture from the channel studio.

Update-2: Quick review of Yemen cabinet change

Update on affiliations of two of the nominees (Ahmed Ubaid alFadhli and Hussam alSharjabi) can be below in Bold.

President Abdu Rabu Mansoor Hadi made a change in his controversial government today after popular outrage over lack of basic services( including but not limited to fuel, electricity, water) have reached its peak in capital Sana’a.

Based on a press statement listing new members in the government, next to each appointee is a quick review (in brackets) of their political affiliation.

-Ahmed Ubaid Ben Daghr (PHD), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Telecommunications and InformationTechnology (a leading member of General People Congress, GPC , former president Saleh’s party.Ben Daghr retains his post as minister of telecommunications & Technology. New post is deputy prime minister.)

-Abdullah Mohsen alAkwa, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Electricity.(An Islah member replacing an Islah nominee Saleh Sumay’a. Had no previous post in this government).

-Nasr Taha, Minister of Information. (An Islah affiliate replacing Islah nominee Alamrani. Taha was Executive Director of the Presidential Office).

-Ahmed AbdulQader Shayeh, Minister of Oil and Minerals. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi. Shayeh replaced a recently GPC nominee Bahah).

-Mohammed Mansour Zemam, Minister of Finance. (A GPC affiliate, replacing an Islah nominee Sakhr al-Wajeeh).

Ahmed Awadh Bin Mubarak (PHD), Executive Director of the Presidential Office. (Close to Hadi, replacing Taha who was appointed minister of  Information).

Mansour Ali alButani (PHD), General Secretary of the Presidency. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi).

-Dr Abu Bakr alQirbi, Member of the Shura Council. (A GPC member & former minister of foreign affairs. A Shura Council post is considered more of sacking than a new appointment.)

-Jamal al-Salal, Minister of Foreign Affairs. (A relative of first republican president upon 1962 coup. Not much of Salal is known but said to be a Hadi associate).

-Ahmed Ubaid alFadhli, Member of the Shura Council. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi) Muhammed al-Basha, of the Yemen Embassy in Washington, said that alFadhli is a GPC member.

-Hussam al-Sharjabi, Vice Minister of Finance.  (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi). Atiaf Alwazeer, an active blogger who tweets at @WomanfromYemen , pointed that while it’s true that Husam al-Sharjabi is close to Hadi, but he can’t be described as a pro Hirak affiliate. Al-Sharjabi, as advised by both ‏@AbdulazizSaqqaf and @WomanfromYemen, is the head of @WatanParty.

-Fouad alHemyari, Vice Minister of Information. (An Islah member. Not much is known about al-Hemyari but He’s well known for his Friday’s preaches during 2011 uprising).

-Sakhr alWajeeh, Governor of Hodaidah. (An Islah nominee and former Finance minister.)

Update-1: Quick review of Yemen cabinet change

– Update on affiliation on one of the nominee can be seen in about the tenth paragraph, highlighted in bold.

President Abdu Rabu Mansoor Hadi made a change in his controversial government today after popular outrage over lack of basic services( including but not limited to fuel, electricity, water) have reached its peak in capital Sana’a.

Based on a press statement listing new members in the government, next to each appointee is a quick review (in brackets) of their political affiliation.

-Ahmed Ubaid Ben Daghr (PHD), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Telecommunications and InformationTechnology (a leading member of General People Congress, GPC , former president Saleh’s party.Ben Daghr retains his post as minister of telecommunications & Technology. New post is deputy prime minister.)

-Abdullah Mohsen alAkwa, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Electricity.(An Islah member replacing an Islah nominee Saleh Sumay’a. Had no previous post in this government).

-Nasr Taha, Minister of Information. (An Islah affiliate replacing Islah nominee Alamrani. Taha was Executive Director of the Presidential Office).

-Ahmed AbdulQader Shayeh, Minister of Oil and Minerals. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi. Shayeh replaced a recently GPC nominee Bahah).

-Mohammed Mansour Zemam, Minister of Finance. (A GPC affiliate, replacing an Islah nominee Sakhr al-Wajeeh).

Ahmed Awadh Bin Mubarak (PHD), Executive Director of the Presidential Office. (Close to Hadi, replacing Taha who was appointed minister of  Information).

Mansour Ali alButani (PHD), General Secretary of the Presidency. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi).

-Dr Abu Bakr alQirbi, Member of the Shura Council. (A GPC member & former minister of foreign affairs. A Shura Council post is considered more of sacking than a new appointment.)

-Jamal al-Salal, Minister of Foreign Affairs. (A relative of first republican president upon 1962 coup. Not much of Salal is known but said to be a Hadi associate).

-Ahmed Ubaid alFadhli, Member of the Shura Council. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi)

–Hussam alSharjabi, Vice Minister of Finance.  (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi). Atiaf Alwazeer, an active blogger who tweets at @WomanfromYemen , pointed that while it’s true that Husam al-Sharjabi is close to Hadi, but he can’t be described as a pro Hirak affiliate.

-Fouad alHemyari, Vice Minister of Information. (An Islah member. Not much is known about al-Hemyari but He’s well known for his Friday’s preaches during 2011 uprising).

-Sakhr alWajeeh, Governor of Hodaidah. (An Islah nominee and former Finance minister.)

Quick review of Yemen cabinet change

President Abdu Rabu Mansoor Hadi made a change in his controversial government today after popular outrage over lack of basic services( including but not limited to fuel, electricity, water) have reached its peak in capital Sana’a.

Based on a press statement listing new members in the government, next to each appointee is a quick review (in brackets) of their political affiliation.

-Ahmed Ubaid Ben Daghr (PHD), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Telecommunications and InformationTechnology (a leading member of General People Congress, GPC , former president Saleh’s party.Ben Daghr retains his post as minister of telecommunications & Technology. New post is deputy prime minister.)

-Abdullah Mohsen alAkwa, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Electricity.(An Islah member replacing an Islah nominee Saleh Sumay’a. Had no previous post in this government).

-Nasr Taha, Minister of Information. (An Islah affiliate replacing Islah nominee Alamrani. Taha was Executive Director of the Presidential Office).

-Ahmed AbdulQader Shayeh, Minister of Oil and Minerals. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi. Shayeh replaced a recently GPC nominee Bahah).

-Mohammed Mansour Zemam, Minister of Finance. (A GPC affiliate, replacing an Islah nominee Sakhr al-Wajeeh).

Ahmed Awadh Bin Mubarak (PHD), Executive Director of the Presidential Office. (Close to Hadi, replacing Taha who was appointed minister of  Information).

Mansour Ali alButani (PHD), General Secretary of the Presidency. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi).

-Dr Abu Bakr alQirbi, Member of the Shura Council. (A GPC member & former minister of foreign affairs. A Shura Council post is considered more of sacking than a new appointment.)

-Jamal al-Salal, Minister of Foreign Affairs. (A relative of first republican president upon 1962 coup. Not much of Salal is known but said to be a Hadi associate).

-Ahmed Ubaid alFadhli, Member of the Shura Council. (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi)

-Hussam alSharjabi, Vice Minister of Finance.  (Said to be an affiliate of Hirak, close to Hadi).

-Fouad alHemyari, Vice Minister of Information. (An Islah member. Not much is known about al-Hemyari but He’s well known for his Friday’s preaches during 2011 uprising).

-Sakhr alWajeeh, Governor of Hodaidah. (An Islah nominee and former Finance minister.)

What it took Martha Gellhorn Prize winner to cover the troubled region of Yemen

What readers of the good news coming last night from Martha Gellhorn Prize are not aware of what it took journalist Iona Craig to win such a prestigious prize. It was kind of her to give me a credit for accompanying her to the troubled region of Hadramout but it wasn’t me who took the trouble and risk.

 

 
It was in the middle of chaos in Hadramout when Iona asked me to go with her to the most troubled region in eastern Yemen amid an ongoing military offensive against what the military then dubbed “the dangerous leader of al-Qaeda in Ghail Bawazeer”. That announcement went viral in local and international media. However, for Iona Craig, a rebellious reporter and ever the challenger of the government’s declared “victories”, it rang a bell with similar announcements where such propaganda turned out later to be “official drivel”.

 

In one of Mukalla City hotel, Iona disguises herself in the black balto as a traditional Yemeni woman. Photo Credit: Shuaib Almosawa

I crossed out the risk calculation of going there for I’ve always appreciated her keenness for such an excellent investigative journalism. Indeed, it was riskier for her despite efforts to disguise in the black balto as a traditional Yemeni woman. It worked well for the first couple of days until we travelled some 300 kms to Sayoon. Intelligence officials, out of their abundance of caution, tracked the ‘foreign journalist’ to the town’s hotel upon arrival and gently asked to accompany her during her stay in Sayoon. When she said ‘no need’, a phone call later to the hotel made it clear it was a must and that the intelligence services were already on the way to the hotel.

 

 
As a security officer in Sayoon said later, that abundance of caution was in practical terms a deportation of the foreign journalist. If caught, I wasn’t sure what I might have faced, but not less than a charge of facilitating a foreign spy.

 

 

I also appreciate honesty but sometimes it costs you a lot. That was the case when Iona insisted we have to pay the hotel for the two hour stay before we decided to run away back to Mukalla. While packing up, I was arguing with her that paying the hotel guy would definitely lead to our apprehension by the intelligence agencies when the hotel manager would be compelled to inform of our departure. The ruse was to tell the receptionist that we were leaving for dinner and to get money from ‘the nearest’ money transfer service. Iona insisted the money be left in the room and that the hotel staff would see it after our departure. But this left the risk of the staff going immediately to the room and discovering our ‘plot’ and thus report it to the intelligence agencies, meaning we could be stopped in one of the checkpoints along the 300+km drive back to Mukalla. I convinced her finally that they wouldn’t let us go unless we paid, regardless of any story we come up with. As we anticipated, he did ask as we told him we were going out for dinner and we immediately paid him. We also ‘urged’ him to clean any mess before we come back in an hour maximum. It was around 9 pm when we left Sayoon, panicked we could be caught anytime down the road. We arrived in Mukalla at dawn, safe but exhausted.

 

 

 

I woke up at noon to see the many calls from Sayoon’s intelligence officer asking whether we were still in that hotel or have moved elsewhere in the town. They were still willing to provide their help. Only then did I know that our plot worked!
It was an exciting experience that was worth a try. It was risky. For the potential publications interested in the coverage , the highest rate Iona told me about was $150. She had spent almost $1000.

 

 

 

Back to Sana’a a few days later, I told her that the great job she did must be rewarded sometime soon. And here we are with the good news: Iona won The Martha Gellhorn Prize for 2014.

It was so kind of Iona to give me such a credit that it wouldn’t have been possible for the prize if it wasn’t for me. In fact, it could have been possible from my point of view. She had made it alone to the most dangerous strongholds of al-Qaeda in Abyan some years before. It was indeed as announced by the Gellhorn judges: “Iona Craig receives the prize in 2014 for her courageous, insightful and humane reporting from Yemen — journalism exemplifying that of Martha Gellhorn herself”.
Again, congratulations to the courageous Iona and hope for more recognition of her excellent work from Yemen.

Official: Four ‘northerners’ killed in ongoing violence South Yemen

Four people were killed in South Yemen and clashes between government officials and locals have erupted in more than one place. Based on a security officer at the Ministry of Interior, a number of violent events occurred in a couple of areas in South Yemen as a part of the ongoing disobedience that took into effect today. The disobedience was called for by southerners to protest Government’s killing of a powerful tribal leader in December 2, 2013. People in South Yemen have already grievances against the central government and killing the tribal sheikh was the last straw. Haykal Bafana’s twitter account and blog provide a background and detailed analysis of the issue.

Hadramout, Sayoon

–          Al-Kathiri tribe stormed General Security HQ and Investigation Department. Kathiri forced security personnel out. No causalities reported.

–          Clashes between tribes and security/military troops in a couple of nearby places.

Aden

–          Armed clashes between security and southerners in Dar Sa’ad, Sheikh Othman, al-Mua’la, al-Mansoora, and al-Tawahi. Causalities not yet known.

–          In al-Mansoora, protesters set on fire main building of Islah Party, the most powerful Islamist party leading the Government now.

Al-Dhale’

–          Four ‘northerners’ were killed by protesters in al-Muraisi farm.

–          Protesters stormed the province HQ.

–          Flag of Former South Yemen were raised in schools and other government buildings.

–          Protesters restored demarcation of former South-North boundary at Sanah area.

–          Protesters blocked Sana’a-Aden main road.

 

The security officer, who spoke annonimously, said there were no updtes in other places that also witneseed the uprising. The information above couldn’t be verified from another source.

US drone strike kills 12 Yemeni people official said to be al-Qaeda

A US drone strike hit at least 12 people a local official said they were al-Qaeda members including ‘two operatives’ in a southeast province of Yemen this evening.

The local official in al-Baitha’a province said that a US drone hit a place harboring some 12 al-Qaeda members in Iyal Ammer, a militant hotbed area bordering Marib province. The official who works in al-Baitha’a security, said that two al-Qaeda members have already been identified as : Nayef Ali Al-Ahraq, 37, and Muhammed Ali Al-Amiri, 30. Both members are from Al-Baitha’a province and they have been brought to a local hospital, said the official who preferred not to be named.

He said that it’s not clear yet how many were killed but that all 12 were either killed or injured.

local news websites said that the drone strike hit a wedding convoy and not al-Qaeda. Barakish net, a local website, quoted local sources as saying that the drone hit a car among a wedding convoy, killing 10 people and injuring few others. Some of the 10 killed people are believed to be al-Qaeda members but that others aren’t, said the website. However, the security official said that all of them were “[al-Qaeda] fighters”. Both accounts couldn’t be verified immediately.

US Drone strike kills three people Yemeni locals said to be ‘militants’

A US drone strike killed Monday afternoon three people local officials believed they were al-Qaeda members but didn’t identify any.

The drone strike hit the “suspects’” car in Qatn district of Hadramout, Yemen’s largest province where militants that government say to be al-Qaeda operatives have been battling with local government in more than one front.

Local website Barakishnet and Almasdaronline quoted local sources as saying that three suspected al-Qaeda people were killed by a drone strike Monday afternoon. They didn’t identify the killed people.

Riyadh Al Jahwari, the director of Qatn district, talked to Gulf News correspondent that a drone  strike hit three people he described to be “suspected al-Qaida militants”. Al Jahwari said that Qatn hospital received the three dead bodies but he didn’t identify them. AP also had similar account.

A security official in Sana’a told me that a drone strike killed three people believed to be al-Qaeda militants. “One of them [three people killed] is Abdullah Bin Hamood al-Saiari, a big al-Qaeda leader,” said the official, quoting a local man from Qatn district as saying. He didn’t identify the other two people. The information about the identity of one of the three people killed couldn’t be verified immediately.

The Yemeni government rarely give details about drone strike operations in the country.

The US has increased its drone campaign against militants in Yemen with president Abdu Rabu Mansoor Hadi’s full consent. Hadi described the drone strike to have a zero margin of error. The recent drone strikes have killed senior al-Qaeda operatives but have also killed civilians. Since last August, the drone strikes have targeted low level al-Qaeda suspects and in one occasion have targeted civilians, according to locals and security officials.

Initial results of Yemen campaign against bearing arms

Initial results of Govt. campaign against bearing arms showed that over thirty AK-47 and about 12 guns have been confiscated at checkpoints around the capital Sana’a in the last two days.

The Supreme Security Committee (SSC) had agreed on this campaign to take unlicensed arms and prevent ‘manifestation of weapon’ across the country. The campaign was effective from last Saturday.

A security officer with knowledge about the first report (not yet in public domain) about the situation in capital Sana’a said that all arms confiscated so far had either official license or their bearers were soldiers in the army but weren’t in uniforms when they were arrested. In this case, the arms bearers will later get their arms back after they pledge not to carry them while off duty.

Only one case that was illegal , the officer said, was when police at a checkpoint in Hasaba district stopped on last Saturday a bunch of militias loyal to both Al Ahmar family (of Hashid confederation ) and Al Shayef (of Bakil confederation). The police had taken the militias’ arms but they were given back after police got ‘a phone call from senior security officials’.

The officer said that there were other cases in which the police didn’t deal with. Those were the widespread pick-ups loaded with heavy armed tribesmen roaming around the capital on a regular basis.

Yemen has an estimated 60 million firearms in private hands, roughly three for every citizen.

According to the latest news by the official Saba News Agency, Minister of Interior was briefed yesterday on the implementation of the campaign. It said that the campaign “aims to enhance security and stability, to maintain public order and social peace in the various governorates of the Republic through confronting all crimes and carrying and possession of weapon related issues.” The Objectives aren’t yet finished: “…and to prevent using vehicles in carrying out terrorist and subversive crimes and to reduce traffic accidents and arrest wanted people.”

 

Yemen has witnessed the largest security breakdown over the last two years. Over 200 of security and military officers have been assassinated. Burglary, carjacking, mugging, and kidnapping of foreigners have increased dramatically.

 

Quick look at AQAP recent statement

Al-Qaeda offshoot in Yemen, know as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), released a statement earlier today to deny its role in a recent public bombing that generated a public outrage against the militant group. Two impoverished explosive devices (IED) went off last Thursday in a busy market in the capital Sana’a. Two people were killed and a dozen were injured. The outrage against AQAP was pervasive across Yemeni social media platforms.

The following was the main points AQAP statement highlighted:

·         1- We categorically deny any involvement in the Thursday bombing.

·       2-   We reaffirm that we are only at war with the Crusaders (America & its allies) along with whoever cooperates or collaborates with it (Govts that pledged war on terror).

·       3-   We condemn killing any Muslim whose blood is forbidden to shed (the implied exception here are those Muslims who pledged war on terror).

·         4- We caution all Muslims that such public bombing bears the hallmarks of American Govt that aims to distort the image of Jihad and Jihadists. The kind of such bombings are everywhere in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. 

 A quick look at the short statement shows the AQAP is monitoring social media very well and began realizing their reputation, put out by its pundits as sympathizers as the defender of the nation against the West, is at stake.

Another thing, which is alarming, the public souks across Yemen will likely witness more and more IEDs going off, with the perpetrator now already known: the American and its puppets. 

Over the past three years, more than two hundreds of Yemeni police and military officers have been assassinated by masked men the Govt. believed to be of the militant AQAP. Recently, the series of assassination has run rife, creating the largest part of the public anger. AQAP’s recent statement, however didn’t touch on that.

The statement, which seemed to have been prepared in a haste to alleviate the public anger, was written by inexperience sympathizer who, unlike slain cleric Anwar Alawlaki and other AQAP’s clerics, lacks a great deal of Sharia jurisprudence as well as justification skills.

Another last thing this statement and few others show is that the AQAP’s media men responsible for distribution the group’s materials were likely killed and its mailing list thus was lost. Since last year, particularly when the group was forced out of its stronghold in Abyan and Shabwa, the group has been largely dependent on one local writer who posted this (and all other recent) statement(s) through his Facebook page. A previous FB account of that same writer was closed down by Facebook administration for posting militant content.  

That was a quick look and should not be counted on. Yet, for an in depth analysis, readers should check the following experts in the militant group:

Gregory Johnson, author of The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda and the America’s War in Arabia. You can also follow him at: @gregorydjohnsen .

Jihadica, a website analyzing the militant group’s.

Suspected al-Qaeda members ambush military near gas facilities

Suspected al-Qaeda members killed six Yemeni soldiers and a civilian near gas facilities east Yemen, said a security official.

The suspected al-Qaeda members ambushed a military checkpoint on Sunday early morning in Rathoom area of Shabwa province by launching a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at the checkpoint at dawn, killing six soldiers while sleeping, said the official who asked to remain anonymous.

The checkpoint is set up along the coastal line road that leads to the gas facilities in Belhaf district of Shabwa province, 474 kms to the east of capital Sana’a.

One civilian was also killed while passing by the checkpoint. One soldier is still missing, said the official.

Names of the ambushed soldiers:

• Abu Bakr Saeed al-Ashram
• Jabr Ali Muhammed al-Mursi, Yareem district, Ibb province
• Hashim Muhammed al-Humair, al-Odain, Ibb province
• Abdullah al-Hasani, Raima province

 

The identities of the remaining soldiers killed, along with the civilian’s, have not been known yet, said the official.

The official said that the suspected al-Qaeda members ran away after the attack and didn’t try to proceed towards the gas facilities. 

Official: Drone strike kills three Qaeda in Yemen, including Zawahiri’s close man

A drone strike killed three suspected al-Qaeda members including a leading figure in late afternoon east Yemen, a security official said.

The drone strike attacked a car carrying three members of al-Qaeda in Hadramout province, the security official said, requesting to remain anonymous.

The security official, citing security accounts in Mukalla city of Hadramout, said that one of the killed members was identified as Jamal Abdullah Saleh al-Nahdi. The other two members could not be recognized as they were charred, he said.

Al-Nahdi, the official said, is “described as a leading al-Qaeda figure who had been in the government top wanted list since 2007. “He is also known to have been one of the close men of al-Zawahiri [Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of the global al-Qaeda network],” said the official.

The US government has increased its drone campaign against suspected al-Qaeda members in southern and eastern parts of the country, marking today’s strike the seventh in less than a month, said Mohammed Albasha, Spokesperson of Yemen Embassy in Washington D.C.

The information on the identity and background of the Al-Nahdi described by the official as the “leading figure” could not immediately be verified from another source. Run-state media usually give more details next day of the attacks.

Aden Al-Ghad, a local news site, had reported at 6 pm today about the drone strike. It said that two suspected al-Qaeda members were killed in the attack, giving no further details about the identities.

Al-Basha described the recent campaign against al-Qaeda as “the most intense Counter Terrorism campaign against al-Qaeda … Ever”.

Update 1: Security official: Drone strikes kill AQAP suspects east Yemen

Update: Government confirmation- see last paragraph

Three suspected al-Qaeda members were killed midnight when drone strikes targeted their cars in two different locations east Yemen, said a security official.

The US drone launched three strikes at two cars carrying the suspects in Marib province, 173 to the east of the capital Sana’a. One car was hit in the center of Wadi Abeeda, and the other car was hit in an area called Al-Sandah, the security official said, requesting anonymity.

Local media had reported the drone strikes but gave no further details.

The main target of the strikes, he said, was a leading al-Qaeda figure called Qayed Salim al-Marwani, who was not in both cars destroyed but his three sons were.

The official identified the three people killed as Abdullah, al-Hasan, and al-Hussain, all sons of al-Marwani.

Information of the identities of those killed could not be immediately verified from another source.

Today, news website of Yemen’s Interior Ministry said that yesterday’s “air strike” in Marib killed three brothers, “all terrorists of al-Qaeda group”. It identified the names as Abdullah, al-Hasan, and al-Hussain, “all sons of al-Marwani”.

Security official: Drone strikes kill AQAP suspects east Yemen

Three suspected al-Qaeda members were killed midnight when drone strikes targeted their cars in two different locations east Yemen, said a security official.

The US drone launched three strikes at two cars carrying the suspects in Marib province, 173 to the east of the capital Sana’a. One car was hit in the center of Wadi Abeeda, and the other car was hit in an area called Al-Sandah, the security official said, requesting anonymity.

Local media had reported the drone strikes but gave no further details.

The main target of the strikes, he said, was a leading al-Qaeda figure called Qayed Salim al-Marwani, who was not in both cars destroyed but his three sons were.

The official identified the three people killed as Abdullah, al-Hasan, and al-Hussain, all sons of al-Marwani.

Information of the identities of those killed could not be immediately verified from another source.

Official: Drone kills al-Qaeda suspects said to reinforce colleagues in Marib

A dozen of al-Qaeda suspects were killed two hours ago in south Yemen when US drones fired multiple strikes against two cars believed to have been carrying al-Qaeda suspects in Shabwa province, said a security officer in Shabwa .

The strikes came 24 hours after similar attacks killed four al-Qaeda suspects in neighboring Marib province. A security officer in Shabwa said that locals informed him that multiple of apparent drone strikes attacked two cars carrying al-Qaeda members in an area called Markha al-Sufla, some 250 kms away from the main central security headquarters. A local news site had reported the drone attack.

The locals said that the cars were likely loaded with ammunition that caused repeated explosion at the attack scene, said the officer, who refused to be identified.

The locals said that the drones are still hovering over the car wreck, giving no exact number of causalities as they couldn’t near the place.

The officer said that the suspects were believed to reinforce their comrades in neighboring Marib province, in which military has been shelling al-Qaeda hideouts after they downed a military helicopter last Tuesday afternoon, killing commander of a military brigade based there.

Yemenis opinion on spotting the surveillance plane & use of drone in Yemen

 This opinion poll shows Yemenis opinion in particular about the surveillance plane spotting yesterday morning and also the use of drones inside Yemen in general. 

When interviewing a random selection of Yemenis this evening in Capital Sana’a, here are key issues to keep in mind.

• Most of them, apparently from all walks of life,  didn’t know about the surveillance plane
• Most of them were educated and did not know there was a kind of mutual agreement between US and Yemeni governments regarding the use of drones inside Yemen.

 

Opinion Poll:

Hamood Muhammed al-Hamdani, 60, qat seller. Said he didn’t know about the surveillance plane nor had he heard about it.

Muhammed, the Qat seller in Hadda

When briefed about it, he said: “Aha, Abdu Rabo [president Hadi] brought that with him [from the United States], didn’t he? Khalas, we are so that Americanized that they’ve colonized us.”

Majid, 72, Grocery cashier, Ibb: He said he heard the buzz of the plane but didn’t know it was an American aircraft nor had he heard about it.

Majid, grocery cashier

“Didn’t our president go there to get aids? So, that’s a fair quid pro quo.”

Saqr Adel Ezzaddin, 18, student, from Ibb: He didn’t know or hear about it.

Saqr Adel Ezzaddin,

“It’s something our nation should be proud of. If using it is safer, then welcome. If poses danger on our country, like our planes falling from the sky, then we don’t want it.”

A grocery store worker, said he has no idea what is being talked about?

Zayed Sultan Abdurrahim, 33, from Taiz, a grocery cashier: Like most interviewees, he didn’t know about it.

Zayed Sultan Abdurrahim,

When asked ‘what do you think about using the US unmanned piloted planes inside Yemen?’ he said: “it’s not a big deal, just get them pilots,” he said with a serious look then smiled.

“Well, no one would accept that. It’s about sovereignty and what’s a country for if it can’t guarantee that.

Waleed Ahmed Yaeesh, 35, from Sana’a Old City, a taxi driver:

He didn’t know about it. “Ask me about large amounts of traffic in malls and at roundabouts, something about Eid treats….”

Waleed Ahmed Yaeesh

Then when asked about using drones in general, he said: “We should call that a scoundrel’s act. Because it’s merely a bad thing. We are too much disturbed by [feeding] our stomachs [to be targeted with drones.”

Wael Sadeq al-Aqeeli, 24, a taxi driver from Amran: “Did it really happen? We were sleeping at that time. But if it did, that constitutes an infringement of sovereignty. I learned about it from Facebook this afternoon. I read some posts in that regards.”

Raef Al-Faqih, 18, student from Taiz: He didn’t know either.

Raef Al-Faqih

“They [Americans] should not have any power; it’s our country because if they do, we would soon be forgotten like the Palestinians.

Hatem Murshid al-Hamdani, 18, a student from Hamdan: He said he heard the buzz and suspected something really bad would happen but didn’t know it was a US plane. “They do really terrify people. They make them believe that there are al-Qaeda elements in the city. So, you don’t really feel safe. I do fear al-Qaeda, Houthis, etc.”

Muhammed Muhammed Al-Dhibyani, 30, pharmacist from Dhuhr Anes, Dhamar: Didn’t know as others.

“It’s a big mistake [to allow use of US drone in Yemen]. It indicates that our state is so weak. If they really want to target anyone [inside Yemen], we have got a government that should at least be consulted.” When told there is a kind of cooperation, he said: “Well, then our government is corrupt.”

Lateefah Almosawa, 40, mother of 4 children, from Ibb:  “We suspected the continuous buzz then my husband told me ‘that must be a drone’. The buzz was horrific. We slept and woke up on that same buzz. I felt really upset that America has all that interference over Yemen [with the drone] staying that long without a respect for Yemen’s sovereignty. Even if the government is that submissive, why the people keep quiet? At least they got to do something. I turned to Mohammed [her son] to express his contempt over Facebook.

Husn Almosawa (mom  🙂 ), 60, mother of 12: I was terrified and thought it would strike anytime. They should not interfere in our business even though we have got a president that is a sheep.

On kidnapped Dutch couple and ‘remnants of the regime’

After video plea of kidnapped Dutch couple was released two weeks ago, we have heard many sloppy accounts of their release and whereabouts.

The recent one, carried out by Almasdar Online, claimed that Judith Spiegel and her Husband (I wonder why the hostages and not the kidnappers are the one asking for the ransom) asked $ 10 million in ransom. Also, the story paid an effort to rule out any involvement of the al-Qaeda group and blamed ‘remnants of the regime’ inside the National Security Bureau (NSB) for non-cooperation, a charge the Dutch Govt. was also accused of.

It’s too early to blame anyone. For the sake of our friends’ release, we all got to be patient and let the diplomats sort this out.

Yemen Saleh continues to snake-dancing game

Portrait of Saleh wearing traditional Tuza, a dagger similar to Jambiya yet worn mainly by judges and dignitaries during the Imamate period

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh changed his profile photo with a portrait of him wearing traditional Tuza, a dagger similar to Jambiya yet worn mainly by judges and dignitaries during the Imamate period.

The portrait reinforced fear of his Islamist foes that he’s forging an alliance with the Houthi group, an Imamate’s descendants of Shiite movement that has gained significant support during popular uprising that broke out in 2011.

The Houthi group has been in sporadic sectarian conflicts with affiliates of Islah part, which has claimed lives of dozens of people over the last two years.

Though Saleh’s party shared half the government portfolios as a part of the GCC deal signed in December 23, 2011, it has lost the upper hand over the decision making to the opposition coalition led by the Islamist party, Islah.

Now, Houthis have accuse Islah of having marginalized them despite making up one of the main group of the coalition against Saleh in the beginning of the uprising, which succeeded in forcing Saleh out after 33year in power.

With both Saleh and Houthis having one rival in common, their alliance would be of a major concern for Islah, considered a branch of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood now fighting to get its deposed president back to power.

Saleh, known as a master of political manipulator, once described ruling Yemen as ‘dancing on the heads of snakes’, and many analysts speculate that his new alliance with Houthis is part of the snake-dancing to stage a comeback.

Dozens injured and two killed in land dispute

Dozens were injured and few were killed in an exchange of fire this Friday afternoon between armed groups in Hadda area over a land dispute.

Eyewitnesses in Faj Attan area said that armed tribesmen of Sheikh Ju’abul Toaiman from Marib province and armed men from Faj Attan area in Hadda exchanged fire after Friday prayer when the latter prayed in the disputed land.

Two hours now of a heavy and random shooting and police hasn’t showed up.

Residents in the neighborhood said ambulances came to the clash scene to hospitalize a dozen who fell killed and injured. Other eyewitnesses said that two of Shiekh Toaiman were killed. They gave no accurate number of the causalities.

Houthis resume participation in Yemen dialogue after demands met

The Houthi group’s delegates to the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) resumed today a their participation that was postponed last Sunday over security crackdown on a protest march in the capital.

Around five hundreds of protesters, led by the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen, marched on June 9 towards National Security Bureau (NSB) to demand release of their fellow members they say were detained before and during 2011 uprising. The NSB fired

at the protest, killed 13, injured over 100, and detained dozens, which led the group to postpone their participation in the NDC.

The group’s spokesperson, Ali Al-Bukhaiti, said in a statement posted in his Facebook page that delegates resumed their participation in NDC after the government met ‘most of the points we raised in the… statement”.

Al-Bukhaiti said that the government implemented the following points:

–          A ‘group’ of those detained in the NSB were released. (It was not clear which ones were released: those held before or after June 9 protest)

–          President Hadi ordered hospitalizing the injured at the state’s expense in hospitals the group would choose

–          Hadi pledged to consider those killed in June 9 protest ‘martyrs’ along the same lines as Herak ‘Southern Movement’ and 2011 popular protest

–          President Hadi ordered a probe into the June 9 protest where Houthis would be represented

Al-Bukhaiti said that there were still few issues that were not addressed. “Yet, we have the right to postpone our participation again if the government doesn’t not meet the rest of the points raised in the statement we issued, or procrastinate implementing what it has committed to do,” said al-Bukhaiti.