As guerrilla raids go on Confrontations between army and al-Houthi supporters resume [Archives:2005/847/Front Page]
Mohammed bin Sallam
SA'ADA- The areas of Nishoor and Al Shafe'a witnessed on Sunday May 29 bloody confrontations between military forces and elements belonging to Aal al-Namri Tribe. Some tribesmen from Aal al-Namri Tribe carried out offensives on military checkpoints leading to several death cases and injuries from both sides, however no accurate numbers of causalities have been mentioned.
Tribal sources in the area confirmed that some Aal al-Namri elements claimed the government to release their tribesmen who have been detained by the authorities since the latest Sa'ada events. Despite intensified troops and air strikes on their villages and houses, Aal al-Namri Tribe pledged to continue its assaults on military sites unless the government meet its demands and release the detainees.
The tribal sources stressed that fear circulates among locals who have just returned to the area of Nishoor after they escaped the fierce military strikes and they do not go outside their homes after 4 pm as they dread any assaults by the army.
Rumors of an increase in the number of al-Houthi supporters in the area of al-Naq'ah, to the south of al-Jawf near the border with Saudi Arabia, circulates among people.
A large number of people expect old cleric Badraddin al-Houthi, 86, and Sheikh Abdullah al-Rizami to still be existing in al-Naq'ah, and this caused concern that confrontations between the army and al-Houthi followers may resume.
On the other hand, two al-Houthi supporters were killed seven days ago in 2-hour clashes with the security forces in al-Akama, Ma'een District, west of the capital.
An official source at the Ministry of Interior announced the security apparatuses arrested the leader of Sana'a Cell, belonging to Badraddin al-Houthi, in the area where fierce clashes took place.
The same source added the leader of Sana'a Cell was captured after the security forces stormed a house in the west parts of the capital used by the cell to plan its operations. In the house was the cell leader and two of his accomplices who were killed in an explosion of a grenade after they failed to throw it at policemen during clashes with security troops.
The source clarified large quantities of grenades, explosives, military uniforms and timers where found inside the house that was stormed by the police.
A report recently issued by the Amnesty International revealed that hundreds of people were killed during clashes in Sa'ada between the government troops and objectors to republican regime, while other hundreds were detained.
The report said: “Most of the people captured in the past years are still detained without any charges or trials, however in rare cases some of the detainees were referred to the court to be tried according to international standards.”
“The situation of human rights in Yemen has deteriorated due to the armed clashes in Sa'ada between the government troops and al-Houthi followers as well as other acts of terrorism exploiting the absence of the law,” added the report.
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