Al-Alimi: All Sa’ada seized by army [Archives:2007/1054/Front Page]
Mohammed bin Sallam
SA'ADA, May 27 ) Yemeni Interior Minister Rashad Al-Alimi assures that the security situation in Sa'ada governorate is under control and that the Yemeni army has seized all districts except Ghamer, Qataber and Razih, which it hasn't entered yet because the armed forces don't want to shed civilian blood.
In a Thursday press conference at the Yemeni Cabinet headquarters in Sana'a, Al-Alimi noted that Houthi loyalists are using civilians as shields, adding that army and security forces eventually will enter those areas in a manner they deem suitable.
He went on to report that Yemeni security forces managed to foil several explosives implanted in areas of Sana'a, stressing that Houthis have sent numerous elements to the capital city to carry out terrorist acts, the most recent of which was a bomb explosion near the Defense Ministry, causing serious injury to two children. One later died and the other still is being treated.Shiite
Al-Alimi accused international parties of supporting Houthis. “Iran has exploited its official media, including Tehran Radio and Al-Aalam [The World) channel, to support Houthis,” he alleged.
He also hinted that parties he described as “covert” in Iran worked to stage a demonstration in front of the Yemeni Embassy in Tehran to protest the Sa'ada war. He wishes Iran's official stance would become practice and called on Iranians to be keen on the bilateral relations between both countries.
“We aren't against Shi'ites, who are an Islamic sect, but we don't want sectarianism to be a cause of political deterioration and a means of terrorism,” Al-Alimi clarified.
As to relations with Libya, he pointed out that Yemen and Libya enjoy strong relations at the highest levels; however, he accused some citizens and personalities of traveling to Libya under different names in order to receive large sums of money, wishing that such sums would be exploited in Yemen's interest.
As with Iran, Al-Alimi demanded Libya take a clear stance on the Sa'ada events and stop interfering in Yemen's domestic affairs. He noted that Libya previously has received Member of Parliament Yahya Al-Houthi and other Yemeni personalities in the name of “supporting Al-Beit” (those claiming to be the Prophet Mohammed's descendants).
Regarding opposition parties' stance on the Sa'ada events, Al-Alimi declared that such parties have their own stance on the events and the Interior Ministry respect their stance, indicating that the parties agree with it about those raising arms against the state. He also called on the opposition parties to dialogue, saying, “We've moved from the fighting phase to the dialogue phase.”
Al-Alimi denied any Arab mediation in the Sa'ada events, as well as the existence of foreign elements fighting with Houthis. However, he confirmed that Yemeni army forces have arrested Iranian elements linked to drug gangs, some with Houthi links.
“What's sorrowful is that some local media outlets are justifying Houthi actions by publishing their news on the front pages,” Al-Alimi noted.
He went on to say that it's become clear that Houthis are smuggling drugs to Saudi Arabia, with the profits from such trade being used to finance their criminal acts in Sa'ada.
Via photographs and video, Al-Alimi displayed a large quantity of drugs seized in Amran governorate late last week as they headed to Sa'ada. Nearly the same quantity was seized earlier in Sa'ada and Hajjah.
“Over the past six months, we've noticed that the drug trade has increased as Houthis seized several Sa'ada districts, especially those areas situated on the Yemeni-Saudi border,” Al-Alimi indicated.
Iran denies Al-Alimi's accusations
Replying to Al-Alimi's charges, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Husseini expressed his surprise at the statements by the interior minister, who previously demanded Iran cease support Houthi loyalists are receiving from within Iran.
“Such statements don't match up with the true nature of Yemeni-Iranian relations, especially as the two nations enjoy positive relations,” Husseini said, adding, “The Yemeni interior minister's statements are irresponsible.”
In official statements reported by Iran's Irna News Agency, Husseini emphasized that his country has always stood by its Yemeni brothers, highlighting its support of Yemen's reunification as an example of Iran's attitude. He hopes Yemenis will work to resolve their problems through wisdom rather than accusing or holding others accountable.
Husseini concluded that while Yemen is an important nation in the Islamic world, the Sa'ada events are part of Yemen's domestic problems. He hopes the situation is resolved peacefully within the framework of Yemeni national unity, stressing that his country is ready to render any type of assistance to the Yemeni government.
Muqtada Al-Sadr criticized
Numerous Yemeni politicians denounced Shi'ite leader Muqtada Al-Sadr's comments in his first appearance since early 2007, noting that his interference in Yemeni affairs is unjustifiable.
In his first public appearance, Al-Sadr, leader of Iraq's Al-Mahdi Shiite Army, alleged that U.S. and Yemeni forces are widely violating human rights against Houthi loyalists, calling on the U.N., the Arab League and the Islamic Conference Organization to intervene and stop such violations, maintaining that both the U.S. and Yemen are using banned weapons.
Likewise, in a meeting with Al-Jazeera satellite channel at the end of the last week, Hassan Al-Zarkawi, director of the Beirut-based Al-Sadr office, denounced what he described as injustices against Houthi followers in Yemen, assuring that the Sadr sect supports Houthi rebels in Sa'ada.
Battlefield confrontations
Both tribal and media sources report that Yemeni army forces waged a fierce offensive last Saturday on some areas of Al-Saifi in Sahar district where Houthi loyalists are positioned.
Similarly, the army waged an attack using mortars and Katyusha missiles on Houthis positioned in the highlands overlooking Mashraqah area in an effort to seize the mountains overlooking Al-Nadhir city.
Furthermore, battles continue in some areas of Sahar district, including Al-Saifi and areas north of Al-Talh, as well as Bani Mu'ath. The confrontations left dozens killed and injured on both warring sides.
Dhahian city also witnessed fierce confrontations, especially in its southern parts, as army forces attempt to seize the city; however they haven't occupied it up until now. It's the 30th attack within the framework of such attacks during the past four months. Sources also indicate that confrontations continue in Nashour, Haydan, Ghamer and other Sa'ada districts.
The recent religious scholars mediation committee failed to stop the war just hours after they arrived in Sa'ada. The committee's role, as advocated by its head Hamoud Al-Hitar, was simply to inform Houthis of the resolutions and recommendations from the conference, which called on Houthis to lay down their arms and surrender to the authorities.
The crisis intensified upon the Joint Meeting Parties' refusal to join the dialogue conducted by Yemen authorities to discuss the Sa'ada situation.
“We boycotted the Yemeni Cabinet's dialogue regarding the Sa'ada events because the government wasn't serious about finding a solution,” said Mohammed Al-Sabri, spokesman for the JMP Higher Council.
In a statement, Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi declared they are for dialogue, they accept peaceful solutions and are keen to prevent bloodshed, maintaining that Houthis were forced to fight in self-defense.
He added, “Our demands are clear and have been known to the mediation committees since the first Sa'ada war,” indicating that his group's demands were delivered to the Qatari mediation and they are awaiting a reply.
Al-Houthi assured that his group sent a letter to the scholars committee indicating their readiness to stop the war and begin dialoging.
In a letter sent to President Ali Abdullah Saleh during the 17th anniversary celebration of Yemeni reunification, Northwestern Military Division leaders vowed to fight Houthis to the end.
Observers commented on the letter, saying, “The Northwestern Military Division under Brig. Ali Muhsen Al-Ahmar, commander of the First Armored Brigade, doesn't support suspending the war, so the military option is the solution.”
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al-Attayah accused superpowers of changing the political atmosphere in the area to that of a struggle. “Some superpowers have contributed in making the political atmosphere become dominated by tension and worry,” he hinted.
When asked about Gulf countries' stance on the Sa'ada crisis, Al-Attayah noted that they reject interference by any party in Yemen's domestic affairs.
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