Tense battle erupts over mosque control [Archives:2003/682/Local News]
October 30 2003
Minister of Awqaf and Irshad, Dr. Hamood Iyad, in a press statement published last Thursday said that acts of overtaking of lands for the mosques had been occurring of late.
Trusted sources of the Yemen Times said that the ministry is trying to retrieve those lands in its policy of fighting terrorism.
The attacking of mosques and overtaking of lands has killed people, such as last Sunday when the governor of Marib tried to enforce the ministry’s law that prevents use of speakers.
The Reform Party, which controls many of Yemen’s mosques, condemned such violent acts especially in Dhamar and denounced the arrests during prayers, and the attempt of transferring the issue into a political one.
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