Contrary to official declarations, Sa’ada war flares [Archives:2007/1055/Front Page]
Mohammed bin Sallam
SA'ADA, May 30 ) Tribal and media sources from Sa'ada reveal that violent confrontations continue to flare between Yemeni army forces and Houthi loyalists in most Sa'ada districts, while official media claim that the army is seizing all of Sa'ada.
Houthis are employing guerilla war tactics in their operations against the army, attacking military camps and barracks for several hours and then moving on to other places.
Sources also mention that Houthis are still seizing four Sa'ada districts, together with numerous strategic high positions, and that the war is still ongoing in Al-Safra district where the fourth Sa'ada war erupted four months ago.
In Al-Salim's Dammaj area, Houthis attacked Akwn Mountain on Monday, taking it back from the army. They also waged an offensive on central Al-Safra district; however, losses among both warring sides weren't reported.
Battles also are being fought on the middle fronts, particularly in Al-Saifi area where Houthis killed Maj. Bakhtan Al-Nimri, deputy general of the 15th Armored Brigade, which seized several areas in Al-Saifi 10 days ago.
Al-Nimri is the fourth high-ranking military leader from the 15th Armored Brigade, part of the First Armored Division led by Gen. Ali Muhsen Al-Ahmar, to be killed by Houthis.
Aleshteraki.net reported on Tuesday that the 15th Armored Brigade led by Brig. Jawas Qasim is first in human losses, with more than 200 soldiers killed and around 400 injured in the past few days.
It went on to say that clashes are ongoing in Razih district southwest of Sa'ada city, particularly in Bani Rabi'ah and Sha'arah Mountains located between Al-Qal'ah and Al-Nadhir cities, and hinted that government forces are advancing slowly in Razih, which is counter to official statements earlier this week. Fierce confrontations also continue in Sahar district's Bani Mu'ath area.
“Last Monday, Houthis waged two offensives on military sites located on Unq Al-Ghazal Mountain near Wadi Nashour in Al-Safra district, but they didn't manage to seize it,” the source said.
In the middle of this week, President Ali Abdullah Saleh told a Gulf newspaper that over the past few days, Yemeni army forces have managed to break into and position themselves on the main strategic mountains overlooking all of the revolt areas, which Houthis themselves also admit. “The area where Houthis are encompassed is just two square kilometers,” Saleh noted.
Yemeni Information Minister Hassan Al-Lawzi stated to the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper that the aggressive acts by Houthis in some Sa'ada districts aim to overthrow the authority via terrorism, violence and destruction instead of resorting to democratic means to express their opinions and access the various state posts.
Al-Lawzi added that the Houthi revolt is an internal issue and among democracy's negative aspects, where some are avid beyond political work. Instead of reaching the authority through democratic means, they are attempting to overthrow the state via violence and terrorism. For example, they attack military caravans and citizens while chanting slogans such as “Death to Israel and America!” because they know the Yemeni public is against the pro-Israeli policies of the United States.
Regarding Iran's role in the Sa'ada events, Al-Lawzi maintained that the Tehran Channel has become a bugle disseminating Houthi lies and further hosting those who defame Yemen's political system and armed forces and are attempting to sow sedition among Yemenis.
He added that the Tehran Channel is a bad channel with bad programming and that it seems the brothers in Iran are being pressured by groups working against the interests of the Arab world and Islam itself.
“When you talk to them [Iranians], they say such groups exist in all countries and that they [Iranians] are keen about Arab-Iranian relations. Further, they say that what's going on isn't in the interest of the two countries' relations and that it's our duty in Yemen to fight those attempting to harm Yemen's political system, while they [Iranians] support some streams against the legitimacy,” Al-Lawzi said.
Yemen's First Deputy Foreign Minister Mohiaddin Al-Dhabi met Tuesday with Mohammed Jalal Fayrouzian, head of the Gulf Department at Iran's Foreign Ministry, to discuss Yemen's accusations regarding Iran's support for Houthi loyalists in Sa'ada. The Yemeni side asked Iran to halt any support provided by Islamic Hawza located in the Iranian city of Qum, in addition to support by Shi'ite parties in some Gulf countries.
Yemen also requested Iran not use its media or satellite channels to discuss the Sa'ada events or portray it as a conflict between Sunnis and Shi'ites.
Official media reported that Fayrouzian, Iran's ambassador to Yemen in 1990, assured his nation's keenness to enhance Yemeni-Iranian relations at all levels, as well as its support for Yemeni unity, security and stability, indicating that Iran's stance on such issues is definitive.
Likewise, Al-Dhabi assured that Yemen is keen to develop its relations with Iran and aspires to overcome any difficulties that may stand in the way.
Aleshteraki.net reported that an Arab satellite channel is investigating allegations that its Sana'a correspondent is receiving money from the Yemeni government in return for presenting the government's view on the Sa'ada war.
It added, “Information leaked by the Yemeni Armed Forces indicates that Yemeni correspondents for some Arab channels have received money in return for not speaking about the war in Sa'ada or for reflecting the state's viewpoint.”
The source maintained that three Yemeni correspondents, including one for a Gulf channel, have received YR 50,000 daily from several military units' financial departments since the war erupted in January.
Yemeni and Arab viewers of satellite channels and media outlets find it strange that the fourth Sa'ada war hasn't received its due coverage; however, journalists allege that Yemeni authorities have prevented them from making field coverage of the war there.
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