As military operations continueSaleh seeks Sa’adah chiefs to settleAl-Houthi’s crisis [Archives:2004/765/Front Page]

Mohammed bin Sallam
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, on August 16th, met with members of Parliament, the Shoura Council, local councils, sheikhs, and men of distinction from Sa'ada: all of whom were summoned to discuss what is happening in Mran, and neighboring areas, due to clashes with the followers of Sheikh Hussein Al-Houthi.
At the meeting, the President confirmed the importance of the restoration of security, and stability to all districts of the Sa'ada province, and pushing forward the process of reconstruction and development.
He also called upon them to aid in putting an end to the problem as soon as possible.
Well-informed sources said on Tuesday 17th August that bloody clashes have been continuing between the military and Al-Houthi's followers in the areas of Mran, Hamdan, Al Shafi'ah, Nashoor, and Al Al-Saifi.
An observer of the events from the city of Sa'ada had said in a telephone conversation with the Yemen Times on Tuesday night, that the military and security forces were intending to launch a fierce attack on Tuesday night against the “Hamdan bin Zaid” area, where the 85-year-old cleric Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi, resides. The military believe the dissident cleric is hiding there. “In addition to cleric Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi, this area is also home to cleric Ahmed Salah Al-Hadi, aged 84, and sheikhs Hassan Saleh Al-Hamzi, and Abdullah Al-Ruzami,” added the source.
The residents of Hamdan bin Zaid had released a statement, appealing to the people of Yemen, the Arabs, the Muslims, party leaderships, and local, regional and international political and human rights organizations, to break their silence and rescue them.
“We appeal to you, with all that is sacred and dear to us, to break your silence, and utter a just word before this authoritative regime which casts its outrageous wrath and malice upon the people of Mran, for over sixty days on behalf of Zionists and Americans,” read the statement.
“They commit crimes that were never committed by the Serbs in Bosnia. Warplanes are still shelling women, old men, and children, and missiles destroy homes upon their dwellers. They use light, heavy and even internationally prohibited weapons, away from the view of the world. No doubt the World's silence is what encourages the arrogant officials in Sana'a to continue butchering innocents,” added the statement.
“Now, we put in front of you an humanitarian catastrophe which is befalling the people of Sa'ada, hoping your consciences will be awakened to perform your duty, and save what may be saved, so that neither God's torture falls on you, nor history curses you, nor this appeal faces the fate of the previous ones,” concluded the statement.
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