Sunday 29 April 2012

AQAP military commander, Al Raymi, released 73 soldiers 

By Nasser Arrabyee,29/04/2012

Kasem  Al Raymi, AQAP military commander, and Tarek Al Fadhli, attended the speech ceremony  in which a total of 73  soldiers and 13 other men were released by Al Qaeda without anything releasing of Al Qaeda detainees. 

Some of the detainees' families and journalists, and human rights activists from Hood and Al Karama organizations,  and the cleric Awadh Ba Najjar were in the ceremony. 

The 13 others were local people detained by Al Qaeda in different times for allegedly cooperating with the government and the army.

Kasem Al Raymi, AQAQ military commander, was masked while he was speaking to journalists and right activists.

A masked man came with tens of bodyguards around him, and sat next to the leaders of Ansar Al Ashariah, like Jalal Beleidi, and Tarek Al Fadhli, said journalists who attended the ceremony.  Kasme Al Raymi was the only one masked, said the journalists. 

"The local people of Jaar told us, the masked man was Kasem Al Raymi," said Anis Mansour, one of the journalist who attended.

"We released the detainees today, although our detainees are still languishing in the prisons of the Sanaa government," said a statement distributed to journalists. 

The release came in respect to the mediation intercession  of some clerics who came to us like Shiekh Awadh Ba Najjar, and those who came with him of the journalists and human rights, the statement said. 

" Our battle is with America and the Crusaders, so do not be tools in their hands against Islam and Muslims and, and do not be obstacles in the road of  the establishment of the rule of Allah," said the statement, addressing the released soldiers and the Yemeni army in general. 

" The US ambassador in Sanaa is the real ruler in Yemen, and he interferes even in your salaries and and appointments of your commanders," the statement said.  

" The Sanaa government will never ever care for you, and the issue of 73 detainees is good evidence that it never cares for you, it only implements the orders and wishes of America and its ambassador in Sanaa," said the statement, addressing the army. 

"You are victims for the American policies, it's Zionism- Crusade policy, so do not lose your religion and your lives for very few in return " said the statement.  

Thursday 26 April 2012

$20 million for terror-related mosque in Yemen

By Nasser Arrabyee,26/04/2012


The recently formed government of Yemen has a plan to spend 20 million dollars for building a mosque inside a religious and fundamentalist university owned and run by an extremist cleric accused of supporting global terrorism.

Last week, the minister of finance Sakhr Al Wajeh, approved an amount of 1 million dollars ( 200 million Yemeni Rials) as the first payment for  building the first stage of the mosque of Al-Eman university of Sheikh Abdul Majid Al Zandani.

 The first  stage will cost 5 million dollars (1 billion YR), and the overall cost of the whole mosques in all stages will be 20 million dollars (4 billion YR), according to documents at the ministry of finance.

When he was an opposition figure, the minister of finance was one of the most critical members  of Parliament of the government's expenditures far from urgent needs of the poor people. 

Al Wajeeh is also the chairman of the Yemeni parliamentarians against corruption (Yemen PAC).

A lot of Yemenis got angry for spending this much money from very poor budget on a mosque while Yemen   has more than enough mosques, but has very few schools and hospitals.

The government which is chaired by the Islamist-dominated coalition,(JMP), justifies spending this much money on Al Zandani's mosque, by saying  it was  the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh who approved the budget of the mosque when he visited Al Eman university during his elections campaign in 2006.

But the political analyst Faisal Al Sufi,said the new government should have corrected Saleh's mistakes not do even worse and worse mistakes.

"I was expecting that this new government would turn Al Eman university into a normal scientific university concerned with strategic studies about development and combating terrorism," said Al Sufi.

"The biggest mistake  taken by Saleh was that he supported Al Zandani and his university,and now the new government needs to correct this mistake not to develop it," Al Sufi added.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Young man kills five terrorists in Lawdar

By Nasser Arrabyee,25/04/2012

At least five terrorists were killed  close to the southern town of Lawdar when a local young  man  stormed a position controlled by Al Qaeda, local sources said on Wednesday.

"Mohammed Meftah, a young man from the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees in Lawdar, was martyred today after he stormed a position nearby Lawdar and killed five terrorists at least," said the sources.

Earlier in the day, 8 terrorists were killed in the Mount of Umm Hydan in Lawdar, where troops and loyal tribsmen , known as anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, are insisting on cleansing the town neighboring places from terrorists.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Al Qaeda turns to kidnapping business 

By Nasser Arrabyee, 24/04/2012

Al Qaeda in Yemen has turned to kidnapping business to make money for fighting back the Yemeni troops and loyal tribesmen who now  launch what seems to be an unprecedented war with direct and indirect support from US and Saudi Arabia.

Al Qaeda demands millions and millions of dollars for releasing the  four hostages it kidnapped so far including a Swiss woman, French man and Saudi diplomat, and Yemeni high ranking army officer.

The tribal mediator  who met the Swiss woman hostage told the Weekly that Al Qaeda kidnappers want a lot of money for releasing the Swiss English teacher who was kidnapped in the middle of March from the western province of Hodeidah. Now she is somewhere in Shabwah province, about 1000 km away from where she was kidnapped.

" I met the Swiss hostage, and  I have a video clip for her talking in my mobile, she is fine," said the tribal mediator who preferred not to be named now as negations are not over yet. 

For the Swiss woman, we told the kidnappers (Al Qaeda) to reduce the amount of money a little bit. " I suggested a reasonable amount of money and sent them SMS and they replied that they will call me on April 24th,," the tribal mediator said.

"It's a matter of time, we almost agreed on everything to have the Saudi and Swiss hostages released," said the tribal mediator.

The kidnappers want ransom for the Swiss woman and ransom and other things for the Saudi diplomat.

For the Saudi diplomat, the kidnappers want nine women to be released from the Saudi prisons and they want tribal leaders from Yemen and Saudi Arabia to guarantee their release. And they want money also. 

"We are now negotiating only about the money they want as a ransom, the amount they  want is still very high, but there is  initial agreement to make the amount reasonable,  as they told me," the tribal mediator said. The mediator refused to say how much Al Qaeda want as ransom for each hostage, but hinted to millions of dollars. No negotiations yet about the French hostage, said the tribal leader from Shabwah.

The  Saudi diplomat was kidnaped from the southern coastal city of Aden late last March, and the French ICRC worker was kidnapped earlier this week from the western province of Hodeidah. And last week, Al Qaeda kidnapped a high ranking army officer from Al Baidha province in he south east of the country.  

Although the tribal mediator expected Al Qaeda to release the Saudi diplomat and the Swiss woman teacher on Tuesday April 24 after having all their conditions met, but six terrorists were killed including three leaders by a US drone attack in the same province of Shabwah shortly before or after he was talking to the Weekly on Monday, April 23.

 Ali Saeed bin Sumal, and Ibn Al Ahwal were among the six terrorists killed when  a US drone bombed a car moving in Wadi Abdan, Al Matla'a, district of Nesab of Shabwah province on Monday, April 23.

This big incident may delay the release of the Saudi and Swiss hostages who are being held in the same province of Shabwah. On Sunday April 22, the financial and logistic official of Al Qaeda in Yemen, Mohammed  Saeed Al Omdah, was killed with two others by a US drone attack  in the desert province of Mareb. Al Omdah (nicknamed  Abu Ghareeb Al Taizi)  is ranked  the 4th in the list of the most wanted Yemeni terrorists  for US. 

Just one day after killing of Al Omdah in Mareb and six others in Shabwah, the  FBI director Robert Muller  met the Yemeni President Hadi and other intelligence officials  for discussing the results of  two fruitful  drone attacks and further more cooperation in future. 

However, motorcycles seem to be the weapon in the hands of Al Qaeda in Yemen to retaliate the drone attacks. On Tuesday, April 24, the director of the intelligence in the southern province of Lahj, Abdul Qader Al Shami, was seriously injured with his son and his driver when two Al Qaeda operatives riding a motorcycle bombed his armored car which was completely burnt in Aitha area in the high way between Aden and Lahj. 

One of the attackers was injured and arrested by the bodyguards of Al Shami, according to one of the bodyguards. 

Earlier this week, a top leader of Al Qaeda said Al Qaeda would continue fighting until the "rule of God" is established. 

Fahd Al Qusu said  the new President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi is a doll and his  troops  are still killing Mujahideen.

"So,  we will not stop Jihad, until Islamic Shariah becomes the ruler," said Al Qusu in a press interview. 

Al Qusu, who is wanted for the CIA for involving in the USS Cole bombing in 2000 in Aden harbor, said that the tribesmen who are fighting them now in Lawdar are only "mercenaries". 

" It is the mercenaries of the Lawdar committees who started the war against our Mujahideen," Said Al Qusu in an obvious reference to the Anti-Al Qaeda popular committees in Lawdar, where fierce battles have been going on for about one month now. 

The Al Qaeda senior leader denied the reports about hundreds of Al Qaeda fighters were killed during the ongoing war in Lawdar over the few last weeks.

"Only 11 Mujahideen won the martyrdom, some of them are from Mujahideen of Lawdar," he said.

6 terrorists killed in Monday's air strike, official says

By Nasser Arrabyee,24/04/2012

A total of 6 terrorists were killed including three leading members of Al Qaeda in the air strike of Monday in Abdan area of Shabwah, a security official said in a statement published Tuesday in the government-run media.

The official also said that 52 terrorists were killed over the last two days in Shabwah and Abyan.

On Monday, local sources said at least two terrorists were killed and two others injured when a US drone struck a group of terrorists in the southern province of Shabwah.

Ali Saeed bin Sumal, and Ibn Al Ahwal, from Wakar tribe of Al Awlaki were killed and two others injured when a US drone bombed Wadi Abdan, Al Matla'a, district of Nesab, of Shabwah province, said one of the tribal leaders of Awlaki tribe.

One of the eyewitnesses said the group were in a land cruiser car  "Saloon", which was completely damaged. 

Monday 23 April 2012

Al Qaeda may release the Saudi and Swiss hostages April 24, tribal mediator says

 

Al Qaeda finances its operations from ransoms 

By Nasser Arrabyee,23/04/2012

Al Qaeda may release the Saudi diplomat and the Swiss woman teacher tomorrow Tuesday April 24, said a tribal leader involved the mediation.
 
"It's a matter of time, we almost agreed on everything to have the Saudi and Swiss hostages released," said the tribal leader who preferred not to be named now because negations are still going on.

The kidnappers want ransom for the Swiss woman and ransom and money for the Saudi diplomat.

For the Swiss woman, we told the kidnappers (Al Qaeda) reduce the amount a little bit. " I suggested a reasonable amount of money and sent them SMS and they relied that they will call me tomorrow," the tribal mediator said.

" I met the Swiss hostage, and  I have a video clip for her talking in mobile, she is fine," He said.

For the Saudi diplomat, the kidnappers want nine women to be released from the Saudi prisons and they want tribal leaders from Yemen and Saudi Arabia to guarantee their release. And they want money also. 

"We are now negotiating only about the money they want as a ransom, the amount want is still very high, but there initial agreement to make amount reasonable by tomorrow as they told me," the tribal mediator said. 

Apparently, Al Qaeda in Yemen seems to be financing its operations from the kidnappings and the ransoms it asks for.  Al Qaeda now is holding at least four high profile hostages. The Swiss woman who was kidnapped in the middle of March from the western province of Hodeidah, and Saudi diplomat who was kidnaped from southern coastal city of Aden late last March, and the French ICRC worker who kidnapped earlier this week from the western province of Hodeidah. And last Al Qaeda kidnapped high ranking officer from Al Baidha province in he south east of the country.  

US drone kills two terrorists south of Yemen

By Nasser Arrabyee,23/04/2012

At least two terrorists were killed and two others injured when a US drone struck a group of terrorists in the southern province of Shabwah, said local sources late Monday.

Ali Saeed bin Sumal, and Ibn Al Ahwal, from Wakar tribe of Al Awlaki were killed and two others injured when a US drone bombed Wadi Abdan, Al Matla'a, district of Nesab, of Shabwah province, said one of the tribal leaders of Awlaki tribe.

One of the eyewitnesses said the group were in a land cruiser car  "Saloon", which was completely damaged. 

Sunday 22 April 2012

16 terrorists killed in air strikes and shelling 

By Nasser Arrabyee,22/04/2012


A total of 16 terrorists were killed in two different operations in the southern province of Abyan and the eastern province of Mareb, said local and official sources late Sunday.

13 terrorists were killed in artillery shelling on positions of Al Qaeda in the area of Al Kahraba south east of Lawdar, in Abyan province where battles have been going on since earlier this month between troops and loyal tribesmen on one hand and Al Qaeda terrorists on the other. 

At least three terrorists when a fighter jet bombed three cars in the desert area of Al Sandah, Waddi Abeidah of Mareb province. The sources said two cars were completely  destroyed and the third was able to escape. 

The Yemeni government is currently  deploying more troops to safeguard the oil and gas installations in the province of Mareb and Shabwah and Hudhrmout before decisive attacks on the hideouts of terrorists in Jaar, Zinjubar , Abyan ( Abyan), and Azzan and Al Huta in Shabwah, according to military sources. 

Saturday 21 April 2012

Jehadist Tarik Al Fadhli receives death threat for fighting with Al Qaeda

By Nasser Arrabyee,21/04/2012


A senior Jehadist said he received death threats after statements to media that he and his sons are fighting with Al Qaeda.

Tarek Al Fadhli said he received the death threat in SMS to his mobile from unknown person calling himself " chief of intelligence center of Yemen".  The number he received is 734 469 720, as he said late Saturday, April 21,2012.

A copy of the SMS  was re-sent to Nasser Arrabyee website, from Tarik Al Fadhli. The SMS was addressed to Salem Qatan, the newly appointed commander of the southern military region.
The SMS said Al Qaeda wants to destroy our country, what should we do to face these enemies. The leadership should implement military operations as soon as possible.
European have to help us military technology. The full name of name of Tarik Al Fadhli was not mentioned. It was mentioned only as Tarik.

Tarik must stop killing people in Lawdar, which is my heart.
In short period, army will attack Zinjubar, Jaar and Azzan quickly willing God.
Terrorists are going to escape and Tarik will die then all problems will be finished.. 
Sender is chief of intelligence center of Yemen.

The SMS was sent in English (broken) and the full text was as follows as sent:

Dear officer SALM_QATAN  .
How are you?
Where are you now?
Al_qaedah regulation wants to destroy our country.
What is our task to face these enemies .
The head quarter has to excute military operation on thier zones as soon as they can.
Europeans have to help us in military technology controling to closing and shooting all fire zones.
Tariq must stop to kill people in LAWDER which is my heart.
In short period army will attack Zangabar , Gaar and Azzan quickly willing GOD.
Teriorisms are going to escape and Tariq will be die then all proplems are finished...
Sender is cheif of intelligence center of YEMEN.


Two days ago, Tarek Al Fadhli, a Jihadist senior leader who was close to  Osama  Bin Laden before he returned to Yemen early 1990s, said for the first time that he and all his sons are fighting with Al Qaeda.

" When my sons saw what happened to me and to house in Zinjubar, they joined Ansar Al Shariah and now they are fighting with them and  I am proud of them,"  Al Fadhli told the journalist Anis Mansour this week.

 He mentioned Mohammed and Jalal Al Deen of his sons who have been in the battles in Zinjubar and Lawdar.

Al Fadhli is based now in Shukrah, about 50 km east of Zinjubar, after his luxurious palace was destroyed in Zinjubar after Al Qaeda took control over the city last May. 

With his four wives and dozens of children Al Fadhli now, believes that Shukrah is far from the government troops which are based at the outskirts of Zinjubar, about 60 km away. 

The defected general Ali Muhsen is married to the sister of Al Fadhli.

Yemeni former President warns of new crisis from bias against his supporters 

 

By Nasser Arrabyee,21/04/2012

The  Yemeni former President Ali Abdullah Saleh warned from a new crisis in Yemen if the gulf-brokered deal is implemented with bias against his relatives and his party and its supporters.

" Yemen will witness a new crisis if the GCC Initiative is implemented with selectivity that serves a party against another," Saleh said in a graduation ceremony held in his house in Sanaa Saturday for a group of students who graduated  from Media College.

Saleh said he  willingly renounced  the power and now he is in opposition.
" Now we are in opposition, but there are still exaggerations from all parties, the dialogue should be the essence of the national reconciliation," he said.

He called all good people from all parties to think seriously of building Yemen.

He said there should not be any dialogue with Al Qaeda. " The dialogue with Al Qaeda should be with weapons, because they are terrorists who destroyed Yemen, " he said. 

"They wanted Saleh to be out of power, now he is out of power, a unity government has been formed, early elections were held according to the GCC Initiative, which was signed in Riyadh," he said.

"The Arab Spring was just an imitation of the West, now it's over and the result from it was only destruction and sabotage," he said.

Saleh and his supporters demand the new President to sack the defected general Ali Muhsen so that the army can be reunified under one leadership.

Al Qaeda top leader: Nothing changed in Yemen, and we fight for the rule of God

By Nasser Arrabyee,19/04/2012A
top leader of Al Qaeda said Thursday they would continue fighting to restore
"their" revolution that was hijacked by the political parties."The
situation in Yemen has not changed, it is still as it was,...the parties
hijacked the revolution of the Muslim people against the tyrant," said Fahd Al
Qusu, one of the top leaders of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular
AQAP).The new President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi is still a doll and the
same troops are still killing Mujahideen, he said. "So, for us, we will
not stop Jihad, until Islamic Shariah becomes the ruler," said Al Qusu in an
interview conducted with by the Aden-based journalist Anis Mansour, who sent
some quotes to 'Nasser Arrabyee' website.Al Qusu, who is wanted for the
CIA for involving in the USS Cole bombing in 2000 in Aden harbor, said that the
tribesmen who are fighting them now in Lawdar are only "mercenaries". "
It is the mercenaries of the Lawdar committees who started the war against our
Mujahideen," Said Al Qusu in an obvious reference to the Anti-Al Qaeda popular
committees in Lawdar, where fierce battles have been going on for about one
month now.

Friday 20 April 2012

Fighting against terrorists intensifies south of Yemen .

By Nasser Arrabyee, 20/04/2012 A total of 14 terrorists from Al Qaeda were killed in two airstrikes against two hideouts in Ameen area south of Lawdar in the southern province of Abyan, said military and local sources on Friday. The government and loyal tribesmen battles against Al Qaeda terrorists have intensified over the last two weeks. Troops from 39 armored brigade and 25 mechanized brigade advanced Thursday and Friday to the northern outskirts of Zinjubar, the capital of Abyan, which was declared a Taliban-style Islamic Emirate in June last year. The troops controlled the area of Ba Jedar, where buildings of local government and the abandoned  Palace of jihadist  Tarik Al Fadhli, the sources said Friday.  The fighter jets also bombed groups of terrorists who were based in the colleague of education inside the city of Zinjubar. About 18 of terrorists were killed in the two operations in Zinjubar.  To this regard, a spokesman of the Anti-Al Qaeda popular committees in Lawdar, Ali Ahmed Abdu, estimated those killed from Al Qaeda side over the last two weeks at 300 men. And from the tribesman side, 42 people were killed including 10 children and 4 women and 148 people were injured.  The spokesman also said that four people from Lawdar are still missing.  However, a top leader of Al Qaeda said 11 men from their fighters were killed during all the battles which started on April 9, 2012 in Lawdar.

Thursday 19 April 2012

Al Qaeda top leader: Nothing changed in Yemen, and we fight for the rule of God

By Nasser Arrabyee,19/04/2012


A top leader of Al Qaeda said Thursday they would continue fighting to restore "their" revolution that was hijacked by the political parties.

"The situation in Yemen has not changed, it is still as it was,...the parties hijacked the revolution of the Muslim people against the tyrant," said Fahd Al Qusu, one of the top leaders of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular AQAP).

The new President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi is still a doll and the same troops  are still killing Mujahideen, he said. 

"So, for us, we will not stop Jihad, until Islamic Shariah becomes the ruler," said Al Qusu in an interview conducted with by the Aden-based journalist Anis Mansour, who sent some quotes to 'Nasser Arrabyee' website.

Al Qusu, who is wanted for the CIA for involving in the USS Cole bombing in 2000 in Aden harbor, said that the tribesmen who are fighting them now in Lawdar are only "mercenaries". 

" It is the mercenaries of the Lawdar committees who started the war against our Mujahideen," Said Al Qusu in an obvious reference to the Anti-Al Qaeda popular committees in Lawdar, where fierce battles have been going on for about one month now. 

The Al Qaeda senior leader denied the reports about hundreds of Al Qaeda fighters were killed during the ongoing war in Lawdar over the few last weeks.

"Only 11 Mujahideen won the martyrdom, some of them are from Mujahideen of Lawdar," he said. 

Meanwhile, Tarek Al Fadhli, a Jihadist senior leader who was close to  Osama  Bin Laden before he returned to Yemen early 1990s, said for the first time that he and all his sons are fighting with Al Qaeda.

" When my sons saw what happened to me and to house in Zinjubar, they joined Ansar Al Shariah and now they are fighting with them and  I am proud of them,"  Al Fadhli told the journalist Anis Mansour this week.

 He mentioned Mohammed and Jalal Al Deen of his sons who have been in the battles in Zinjubar and Lawdar.

Al Fadhli is based now in Shukrah, about 50 km east of Zinjubar, after his luxurious palace was destroyed in Zinjubar after Al Qaeda took control over the city last May. 

With his four wives and dozens of children Al Fadhli now, believes that Shukrah is far from the government troops which are based at the outskirts of Zinjubar, about 60 km away. 

The defected general Ali Muhsen is married to the sister of Al Fadhli.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Mareb Governor : My tribesmen will not keep silent if accept the decree 

By Nasser Arrabyee,19/04/2012

The  sacked governor of Mareb Naji Al Zayedi said he is not refusing the presidential decree of President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi who appointed a new governor for Mareb earlier this month.

He said Marb is very special province where gas, electricity, and oil pipelines can  be damaged by any angry tribesmen.

" I would like to cooperate with his excellency President Hadi but the decree would not be in the interest of stability and security of Mareb," said Al Zayedi in an interview with Yemen Observer and 'Nasser Arrabyee' website.

Al Zayedi was sacked earlier this month and replaced by a tribal leader from Mareb, Sultan Al Eradah, but handover has not taken place  between the new and the old governor.

Al Zayedi survived many assassination attempts this year and last year and he accused the Islamist party, Islah, in the province of Mareb, of masterminding the assassination attempts. 

" The decree came in the advantage of those who assaulted me many times, do they want us to do same things,  we are ready and able to do the same assaults against those who are behind the decree," he said " but we still do not want to build not to destroy."

"My tribe and my people will not keep silent even if I accepted the decree and handed over the power to new governor who is my friend and respect him," he said as points to tens of tribesmen sitting in his big room in his luxurious house in the capital Sanaa on Monday April 16, 2012.

" I told the new governor over phone, at least  their will be road blocks for 14 months,  the same period during which  we suffered from road blocks from tribesmen who were against us," Al Zayedi said. 

Al Zayedi is from Jehm tribe and the newly appointed governor Sultan Al Eradah is from Abeidah tribe.

Al Zayedi said the solution is that all tribal leaders of Mareb should meet somewhere in Sanaa and agree or refuse the decree, and if they agree he would   be the first to congratulate.

He said the Islah (Islamists party) supporters are not enough for the new governor to achieve the security and stability in this sensitive province.
"Every tribesman knows very well what he can do and what he controls," he said.

About Al Qaeda in Mareb, Al Zayedi said before the crisis of 2011, the estimates of those who belonged to Al Qaeda from Mareb were not more than 30, but now they are hundreds although Mareb is less than other provinces as he said. " Al Qaeda recruited the children of poor families," he said. 

General Ahmed Saleh vows to continue protection of Yemen and its new leader Hadi

By Nasser Arrabyee,19/04/2012

The general Ahmed Saleh said his army would protect the constitutional legitimacy under the leadership of the new elected President Hadi from gamblers and greedy for the power.

He his army protected Yemen from sliding into a devastating civil war during the crisis that was made by his father's opponents who failed to take power by force.

 He accused military and tribal defectors of trying to dominate the "youth", in a clear reference to the defected general Ali Muhsen and the billionaire tribal leader Hamid Al Ahmar who led the protests against the former President Ali Abudullah Saleh last year but failed to take power by force.


"If it hadn't been for the legendary steadfastness of the people and the army and the civil institutions, Yemen would have witnessed a devastating civil war,"said thevgeneral Ahmed Saleh who was speaking to thousands of commanders of his army on Monday, April 17, for the first time since the political crisis started early last year.

"We embodied, in all our works, the sublime meanings of our military   honor, values, and principles," he said.

The general Ahmed Saleh confirmed that his army would continue now protection of the nation and its historic and smart leader, President Hadi.

Highlights of the speech:

The elections of His Excellency, President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi embodied the meanings of the peaceful and smooth transfer of power. And it was wonderful example for the Yemeni democracy which was established by the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. More importantly, the elections were clear expression of the constitutional legitimacy which we protected in compliance with the constitution and our job. We embodied, in all our works, the sublime meanings of our military   honor, values, and principles. 

The society knows very well that we were always doing our duties without bias. As soon as His Excellency President Hadi, was elected, we immediately announced our loyalty to the new political leadership and we will continue doing our duties and commitments.And in this decisive stage of our history, we will provide all sacrifices and efforts.

We will protect the constitutional legitimacy from malignancy of gamblers, and those who stupidly  commit suicide with their greediness for power. 


However, our hope in the ability and wisdom of His Excellency Marshal Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, who has the support of the Gulf and international communities, and also in the awakening of the majority of the parties, for moving towards the future, and building the new Yemen that every Yemeni wants. 

The Yemeni State suffered from the same group that dominated the " Youth" who had legitimate demands which were included in many official programs and plans, and the political leadership accepted these demands from the first moment, and promised even more and more within a  declared program. But this group blocked the road of the Stare and the Youth and dragged Yemen into the crisis. 

If it hadn't been for the legendary steadfastness of the people and the army and the civil institutions, Yemen would have witnessed a devastating civil war.

Brothers,
His Excellency President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi,will lead the coming stage strongly and firmly and with the smartness of the great and historic leaders, and our national duty requires us to protect our nation and our leader, and we must do our best, with every possible strength, to preserve and confirm peace so that all Yemenis can realize their hopes, hope of renaissance, development and progress.

The speech in full 

Speech of General Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, Commander  of the Repulican Gaurd Forces, Commander of Special Forces in the consultative meeting with the leadership of the Repulican Guards and Special Forces, 17/04/2012.

Greeting of soldiery, responsibility, and achievement,
Greeting of high patriotic spirit, with which you do your  commitments, to please Allah, and serve your nation,

This meeting is being held in extremely complicated circumstances not only in our country but also in the whole Arab region.

And Yemen is suffering from economic, administrative, and security challenges after one year of a crisis that nealy put the country in a disaster if it were not for the sincere efforts of the political leadership which worked as one team under the leadership of the new Presidnet of the Republic, Marshal Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi since he was still the deputy of the founder of the Yemeni modern, unified, and democratic State, Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh, in cooperation of the regional and international community for efforts of the settlement and the signing of the GCC Initiative between the parties. 


I would highly appreciate everything you have provided and are still providing , your  commitments to constitutional tasks with your brothers of the commrades of weapons in all units of of the armed forces and security, who did the best examples of sacrifice, steadfastness, and patience for protecting the national system of the Republic of Yemen, which stipulates that no legitimacy but the legitimacy of ballot box of elections, and rule of majority, which is determined and defined by the legal ways known in all over the world.

Your steadfastness was protecting the steadfastness of the overwhelming majority of our brothers in all insitutions of the State, and majority of citizens who kept praying to Allah Almighty to avoid Yemen the problems.

You all  played the most important role in protecting the institutions of the State and its capital from collapsing into chaos under the directives of the former supreme commander of the armed forces, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the directives of the current supreme commander Marshal Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi who took leadership since the moment of the terrorist attack on the mosque of the Presidential House, and he became the President of the Republic and supreme commander of the armed forces since he took the power  in an unprecedented ceremony over the history of Yemen.

While the armed forces and security pay everyday the price of their confrontation with Al Qaeda and extremism and terrorism, the political parties are still unable until today, unfortunately, to realize the need of the armed forces for standing against challenges, the most dangerous of which is the terrorist activity in the Arabian and Red Seas.

I would confirm to you all that we are capable to face the impossible for our  nation, and for protecting the Republic, Unity, and Freedom, and we trust a lot in our people and our political leadership, and that future is being tissued every day with hope, work, patience, and solid will. The Yemeni people will never ever be defeated whatsoever the difficulties and challenges are.

Brothers,
We are optimistic and confident that we are able to face all problems and fix all mistakes and forget  the past, and he who reads the history of our great republic, he he would find that threats and dangers only strengthened the Yemenis more and more. 

The glory of Yemenis is always to face and overcome the challenges whatever they were, with spirit of heroism and defiance.And with wisdom and reason they always tissue and build the life with tireless efforts to make themselves a success, and they draw in the pages of history their luck in dignity, justice and freedom.

Brothers,
What is required of everyone of us  is to stand with pride and we must defeat the fear and doubt, illusion, and accusations,and we should exerrt efforts and provide sacrifices to achieve the goals of Yemenis with the spirit of harmony and brotherhood. 

Time has come to leave alone the split and divisions  and to  build a new strategy which meets the ambitions of the people for change and building and achaiveing the change.  Our national duty is to build a historic and national bloc  to protect the future. Yemen is our glory for which we should provide sacrifices and there is no impossible if there is strong and  unified will heading to the fututre.

Brothers,
In this turning point of history, we should continue in our steadfastness as free and noble people, in front of spoil of greediness and selfishness and worrisome and confused ambitions which nearly led us to split and divisions, and some are still spoiling with the lands and human.

Brothers,
We have been patient, and we bore, and we bet only on the nation during this crisis and  we stood before all malignant attempts which targeted its security and stability and tried to destroy all its great achievements.

And the political settlement and compromise which resulted from the GCC Initiative and its implementation plan,was only the fruits of our great efforts and this was a realistic product to rescue Yemen and get it out from the schemes of chaos, destruction, and sabotage.

Brothers,
Today, we face great challenges and dangers, terrorism and conspiracy are still standing, our national economy is suffering, and obstacles in front of the settlement are being made by people who can not leave the past. I would confirm to you that the wheel of transformations is moving forward in the direction of fututre, and the deluded people  will not be able to obstruct it. 

The building of the modern state, state of the law and order is the essential introduction to move forward to the future. And we will not be able to to move to the future without unifying our efforts and positions and without building the bridges of confidence and without restoring the  humanitarian meaning of brotherhood. With these things we will be able to unify our word for establishing freedom and justice.

Brothers,
The elections of His Excellency, President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi embodied the meanings of the peaceful and smooth transfer of power. And it was wonderful example for the Yemeni democracy which was established by the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. More importantly, the elections were clear expression of the constitutional legitimacy which we protected in compliance with the constitution and our job. We embodied, in all our works, the sublime meanings of our military   honor, values, and principles. 

The society knows very well that we were always doing our duties without bias. As soon as His Excellency President Hadi, was elected, we immediately announced our loyalty to the new political leadership and we will continue doing our duties and commitments.And in this decisive stage of our history, we will provide all sacrifices and efforts.

We will protect the constitutional legitimacy from malignancy of gamblers, and those who stupidly  commit suicide with their greediness for power. 

However, our hope in the ability and wisdom of His Excellency Marshal Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, who has the support of the Gulf and international communities, and also in the awakening of the majority of the parties, for moving towards the future, and building the new Yemen that every Yemeni wants.

The Yemeni State suffered from the same group that dominated the " Youth" who had legitimate demands which were included in many official programs and plans, and the political leadership accepted these demands from the first moment, and promised even more and more within a  declared program. But this group blocked the road of the Stare and the Youth and dragged Yemen into the crisis. 

If it hadn't been for the legendary steadfastness of the people and the army and the civil institutions, Yemen would have witnessed a devastating civil war.

Brothers,
His Excellency President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi,will lead the coming stage strongly and firmly and with the smartness of the great and historic leaders, and our national duty requires us to protect our nation and our leader, and we must do our best, with every possible strength, to preserve and confirm peace so that all Yemenis can realize their hopes, hope of renaissance, development and progress.

Long life Yemen, long life Yemen, free, and defiant, victory for all freedom fighters, and defeat for cowards.

May Allah Almighty bless you and help you for the interest of the nation and people.
And peace be upon you all. 

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Ghost of war looms in Yemen as politicians fail

By Nasser Arrabyee, 17/04/2012

An all-out civil war is still possible in Yemen despite the new elected President.

The only thing that prevented the war so far was a Saudi-sponsored deal supported by the US that led to a peaceful transition of power (Any war in Yemen now  will be in the advantage of Al Qaeda, this will certainly affect the Saudi Arabia and US).

The deal, GCC Initiative, formed a unity government with the former President Ali Abduallah Saleh's party having 50 per cent of the ministers of this government. 

The deal gave Saleh   and senior members of his regime immunity from any future prosecution,  and even more Saleh was allowed to continue  practice politics  as the head of his party which turned to opposition now.

The war might erupt any time if the new elected President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi failed to implement the deal which is supposed to govern everything until  February 2014 when a free and fair presidential elections are supposed to be held. 

If Saleh's party, the General People's Congress, is marginalized in any way, this would mean the failure that would lead for sure to the civil war. At least half of the 24 million population support Saleh's party which has the overwhelming majority in Parliament and 17 ministers of the 34-member cabinet. The new elected President Hadi is still the secretary general of this semi-secular party.

The former President Saleh warned of any failure in implementation of the GCC deal or any marginalization of his party. " If the GCC Initiative is not implemented as agreed, then no one would surrender himself to death," Saleh told thousands of young people from his party who marched to his house on Monday April 17,2012.  Saleh was clearly referring to himself and his party and supporters who will not keep silent if marginalized. Saleh's son and nephews are still the top leaders of the majority of army and security. 

The failure may happen from two things: either by marginalizing Saleh's party by firing its members from the important positions of the State one by one,or by amending the GCC deal in a way that would not give Saleh's party 50 per cent in every thing and that would not give immunity to the Saleh and his aides. 

For instance,Naji Al Zaydi, governor of Mareb, was sacked by the new President Hadi, earlier this month, but he is still holding his position under the protection of his tribesmen. Al Zaydi is saying he is now preventing a possible war between his tribesmen and the  tribesmen loyal to the newly appointed governor Sultan Al Eradah. 

" I am not refusing the presidential decree and I am not sticking to the power,but I am sure this decree will not work , and I told the new governor who is my friend and the President himself,"  Al Zaydi told the weekly.

 The new governor Sultan Al Eradah is from Mareb also and his supporters are from the Islamist party, Islah. Al Zaydi whose supporters are from Saleh's party, survived many assassination attempts this year and last year and he accused the Islamist party of having  planned and implemented those attempts. 

" Even if I accepted the decree, my tribesmen would not accept and would do  the same things that were done to us at least, against those who were behind assaults against us," Al Zaydi said as he points to tens of gunmen sitting in his big room in his luxurious house in the capital Sanaa on Monday, April 16,2012.

Saleh's party wants the new elected President to fire the defected General Ali Muhsen, after he sacked many military officials loyal to Saleh including two relatives, to keep the balance between the conflicting parties. The general Muhsen supported the Islamist party Islah which was mainly behind the last year's protests which led to elections of the new President Hadi.

Al Qaeda is always the biggest beneficiary from any chaos in Yemen. It's recruiting and and expanding to control Yemen and turn it into " Islamic State" and use it as a launch pad to strike Saudi Arabia and US. 

Four soldiers were killed and 10 others injured south of the country  in a suicide attacker from Al Qaeda that threatened Monday to implement 10 suicide bombings, said local sources late Tuesday.

The suicide bomber, who was killed in the operation, was driving his car bomb in the area of Tharah north of Lawdar, before he exploded himself and his car in the military check point of the 26 brigade in the district of Mukairas, at the border of Abyan with Al Baidha province, killing four soldiers and injuring 10 others including four passersby.

Earlier on Monday, Al Qaeda vowed to implement 10 suicide bombings over the  few coming days in the  southern province of Abyan, where fierce battles have been going on two weeks now between Al Qaeda and local tribesmen supportedvby the government troops.

In the area of Al Ain, close to Lawdar, in Abyan province, Al Qaeda performed the prayer of  dead for 10 live young people, in a clear message that these 10 people have decided to kill themselves in suicide operations " Marytrdom" operations against the troops and tribesmen of the so-called anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, said the sources who saw the sermons of the prayer.

The dead prayer usually takes place when someone is dead, but today it took place while the 10 young people are still alive but Al Qaeda claimed they had decided to be "Martyrs", and they asked for this prayer because their bodies are likely not to be found for prayers and burials.

Meanwhile, and in a signal of defiance, the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees have started to distribute shrouds to their fighters , in a signal that they are ready to die for their villages and lands and they will never ever let the terrorists to occupy their villages.

" If Al Qaeda has 10 suicide bombers, for us, all our fighters are ready now to die for the sake of our properties and honors, and this is why everybody of us now has his own shroud as a part of the war stuff," said Hussein, O, a leader of the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees.

Al Qaeda has been holding two hostages in the southern  province of Shabwah, which is neighboring to Abyan. The first hostage is Swiss woman who was kidnapped from the Western province of Hodeidah last month, and the second hostage is Saudi diplomat kidnapped from the southern city of Aden early late last month. Al Qaeda is demanding release of prisoners from Saudi and Yemeni prisons. 

Al Qaeda implemented the first suicide attack, out of the 10 suicide bombings  it threatened to do, three killed, four injured 

By Nasser Arrabyee, 17/04/2012


Two soldiers were killed and four others injured in a suicide attack by car bomb by Al Qaeda that threatened yesterday to implement 10 suicide bombing, said local sources late Tuesday.

The suicide bomber, who was killed in the operation, was driving his car bomb in the area of Tharah north of Lawdar, before he exploded himself and his car in the military check point of the 26 brigade in the district of Mukairas, at the border of Abyan with Al Baidha province, killing two soldiers and injuring four others.

Earlier on Monday, Al Qaeda vowed to implement 10 suicide bombings over the  few coming days in the  southern province of Abyan, where fierce battles have been going on two weeks now between Al Qaeda and local tribesmen supportedvby the government troops.

In the area of Al Ain, close to Lawdar, in Abyan province, Al Qaeda performed the prayer of  dead for 10 live young people, in a clear message that these 10 people have decided to kill themselves in suicide operations " Marytrdom" operations against the troops and tribesmen of the so-called anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, said the sources who saw the sermons of the prayer.

The dead prayer usually takes place when someone is dead, but today it took place while the 10 young people are still alive but Al Qaeda claimed they had decided to be "Martyrs", and they asked for this prayer because their bodies are likely not to be found for prayers and burials.

Meanwhile, and in a signal of defiance, the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees have started to distribute shrouds to their fighters , in a signal that they are ready to die for their villages and lands and they will never ever let the terrorists to occupy their villages.

" If Al Qaeda has 10 suicide bombers, for us, all our fighters are ready now to die for the sake of our properties and honors, and this is why everybody of us now has his own shroud as a part of the war stuff," said Hussein, O, a leader of the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees.

Monday 16 April 2012

Al Qaeda threatens with 10 suicide bombers, and tribesmen determined to be or not to be

By Nasser Arrabyee,16/04/2012


Propaganda war with Al Qaeda in Lawdar

Al Qaeda vowed to implement 10 suicide bombings over the  few coming days in the  southern province of Abyan, where fierce battles have been going on two weeks now between Al Qaeda and local tribesmen supportedvby the government troops, said local sources Monday.

In the area of Al Ain, close to Lawdar, in Abyan province, Al Qaeda performed the prayer of  dead for 10 live young people, in a clear message that these 10 people have decided to kill themselves in suicide operations " Marytrdom" operations against the troops and tribesmen of the so-called anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, said the sources who saw the sermons of the prayer.

The dead prayer usually takes place when someone is dead, but today it took place while the 10 young people are still alive but Al Qaeda claimed they had decided to be "Martyrs", and they asked for this prayer because their bodies are likely not to be found for prayers and burials.

Meanwhile, and in a signal of defiance, the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees have started to distribute shrouds to their fighters , in a signal that they are ready to die for their villages and lands and they will never ever let the terrorists to occupy their villages.

" If Al Qaeda has 10 suicide bombers, for us, all our fighters are ready now to die for the sake of our properties and honors, and this is why everybody of us now has his own shroud as a part of the war stuff," said Hussein, O, a leader of the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees.

Friday 13 April 2012

Two Al Qaeda leaders arrested, 28 killed

By Nasser Arrabyee,13/04/2012

Two Al Qaeda leaders were arrested after fierce clashes between Al Qaeda and government troops and loyal tribesmen killed 28 of Al Qaeda fighters and 7 of the tribesmen in Zarah area south east of Lawdar, said tribal sources on Friday.

The two leaders arrested were identified by the tribal sources as Abdul Raof Nasaib, from Lawdar, and Jalal Al Saifi, who was working with Abu Ali Al Harithi, Al Qaeda leader who assassinated by a US drone attack in Mareb in 2002.

Air strikes were implemented late after noon Friday on two areas in the neighboring district of Modyah in the southern province of Abyan, local sources from Modyah said Friday.

Two air strikes were implemented on Al Areedh and Surat Al Mashaik, about 20 km east of Modyah town, the sources said without giving any more details about damages or casualties. These two areas were locally known as Al Qaeda hideouts, the sources said.

In a statement attributed to Al Qaeda in Abyan (Ansar Al Shariah), 7 tribesmen were killed today Friday, and 30 of them were killed yesterday in the clashes around Lawdar.

The recently appointed governor of Abyan Jamal Al Akel, visited the military and security and tribal  leaders in Modyah. The official praised victories achieved against Al Qaeda by the troops and tribesmen. Jamal Al Akel said the confrontations must continue to eradicate the terrorists from  whole Abyan.

Thursday 12 April 2012

 Special forces sent for combing Al Qaeda hideouts

By Nasser Arrabyee,12/04/2012

Counter-terrorism units from Republican Guards and Central Security were sent to southern and eastern provinces where Al Qaeda fighters are in fierce confrontations with troops and loyal tribesmen, said informed sources on Thursday.

The sources said the President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi gave directives to the minister of defense to sent special forces from the counter-terrorism units of the Republican Guards and Central Security.

The two commanders of the eastern and southern regions were also instructed by the President to support the special forces to make their task successful in eradicating the terrorism. 

On Wednesday, two Al Qaeda leaders with 10 other fighters were killed in an operation launched by government troops and loyal tribesmen to drive away Al Qaeda terrorists from the circumference of the town of Lawdar, according to  military and tribal sources.

The Al Qaeda leaders Emad Al Munshabi and Daradish Ahmed Mohamed Taher, we're killed at extreme of Lawdar where sewage is collected, the tribal sources said.

At least 10 Al Qaeda fighters including Saudis, Somalis, and Pakistanis, were  killed today when the army drove away the terrorists from the area of Yasuf at the circumference of Lawdar, said the military sources.

A total of 15 tribesmen from the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees were killed in the battles today including the top leader of the committees, Mohammed Jabil Sheikh. 


Al Qaeda beheaded a woman for not being a good Muslim in the south eastern town of Rada'a, said local sources on Wednesday.

Al Qaeda fighters stormed the house of Mrs AlSharifa Amer, in Bani Zeyad, Rada'a, and slaughtered her and took the head and hang it in front of the house  of Mohammed Mohammed Al Awbali.  Mrs Amer is locally known as a popular doctor who treats sick people by herbs . 

The sources said that Al Qaeda considered the woman as an enemy of Allah  for being a  "trickster".

The sources added that the head of the woman then was taken by the government troops deployed in the area and put it in the refrigerator of the hospital of Rada'a.

The head of woman was hanged in the front of the house Al Awbali as a clear message that he is the next one. Mohammed Al Awbali is a very famous popular doctor by herbs in Yemen and general and Rada'a in particular.

The house of Awbali was shelled last January when Al Qaeda (deceivingly call themselves Ansar Al Sharia meaning supporters of Sharia), took control over Rada'a city under the leadership of the slain leader Tarik Al Dhahab.

Meanwhile, one the top leader of the anti-AlQaeda popular committees, Mohammed Jebel Shiekh, and of his body guards were killed morning Wednesday the on going fierce battles of Lawdar in the southern province of Abyan. 

About 140 people from troops of 111 brigade, and anti-AlQaeda  popular committees, and Al Qaeda fighters were killed over the last two days in the battles around the town of Lawdar.

New Bolder  Decrees Expected, Yemen's New  Leader Under Test

By Nasser Arrabyee, 12/04/2012

The defected general Ali Muhsen is to promote to deputy of the supreme commander of the armed forces during the coming 24 hours, said sources close to the Presidential Office on Thursday.

The general Ahmed Saeed Bin Braik will be appointed as the commander of the northern western  military region. 

 The first armored division will be merged into the 310 armored brigade. Then, the general Al Dhahri Al Shadadi will be appointed as the commander of 310 brigade. 

These decrees will enhance the last weeks's decrees  and reunite the army before the comprehensive national dialogue starts, the sources said.


The power of the  new President of Yemen Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi is now on a  real test. Earlier this week he took a number of bold decisions on the way of reforming army,security and local governments. 

The decisions fired senior officials loyal to the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh including some of his relatives. 

Mohammed Saleh Al Ahmar (half brother), commander of the  air forces, who was one of those officials changed by Hadi's decrees, set three conditions to be met before he hands the main base of the   air forces  which happened to be adjacent to the country's main airport of Sanaa, the capital. 

The commander Saleh's main condition as stated by his assistant, Abdullah Al Basha, was that the defected general Ali Muhsen, should  be fired before him or simultaneously with him. 

Before he defected to the Islamist opposition in March last year, the defected general Ali Muhsen was alwayse the second powerful man in the former regime. Now general Muhsen and the tribal leader Hamid Al Ahmar and their party, Islah, the Yemen brotherhood, are doing their best to replace their historic ally, Ali Abdullah Saleh. 

And now with Saleh already gone from power, general Muhsen, and tribal leader Hamid Al Ahmar, the billionaire who orchestrated the anti-Saleh uprising, are using all their power to have the new President Hadi fire the commander of the main army, Republican Guards, Ahmed Ali, son of Saleh, and keep general Muhsen in his position or even promote him because he supported the "revolution". 

Everybody in Yemen knows that the  most difficult decisions for the new President are not taken yet. All decisions taken so far, despite being bold, were only to pave the way for firing the defected general Ali Muhsen.

 Likewise, everybody knows that the 72-year old  defected general Ali Muhsen,would refuse any presidential  decision sacking him without firing the son, Ahmed, before him or simultaneously with him.

Although the US-backed and  Saudi-sponsored deal of peaceful  power transition did not put any condition that the new president should fire relatives of Saleh from army and security, general Muhsen and his tribal and Islamist allies insist on firing the son and nephews.

The President Hadi is facing a great pressure from  the former president Saleh's party, which forms 50% of the new  unity government on one hand, and from the international community especially the Americans, to fire general Ali Muhsen from his position as a commander of the first armored division. Internally, Saleh's supporters and party  consider  general Ali Muhsen the main part of the crisis, saying he should have been fired immediately after Saleh handed the power to the elected president Hadi in February 25,2012.


And US and the international community want  general Muhsen be fired for his historic links with extremist Islamist groups like Al Qaeda and Jihadists. 

General Muhsen is married to the sister of Tarek Al Fadhli, one of the Jihadist leaders , based in Abyan now, who worked for Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan for years in late 1980s.

 General Muhsen recruited more than 20,000 youngmen mostly from  the Sanaa-based Al Eman Islamic University during the period from  January 2011 to January 2012.  

Al Eman university is run by the extremist cleric Abdul Majid Al Zandani, who is officially accused by US and UN of supporting global terrorism.


The US spent millions and millions of dollars on training and equipping the Republican Guards, under the  38-year  Ahmed Ali (son) and Counter-terrorism Unit, under Yahya Saleh (nephew) and the National Security Agency, under Ammar Saleh (nephew). All these three professional commanders have been supposedly cooperating with US in the war against Al Qaeda.

Army of  Saleh's son, 'under command' of new President and former president     returns to sporting, socializing, and writing memoirs


This week, the  Republican Guards, the highly qualified and well-equipped army, said it would always be supportive to new elected President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi.

An official statemen said the RG would always be under the commands of the President Hadi to implement the whole deal of the transitional period.

The statement accused media loyal to defected military and tribal leaders of launching media campaigns to deform the image of the RG calling    the national unity government to review the media policy to serve the supreme national interests.

On his part, the former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh has turned to social ,cultural and sporting activities after he became a  normal citizen.

 In his modest house in the middle of the capital Sanaa, Saleh receives hundreds and sometimes thousands of his supporters and lovers and he happily goes to some important social occasions like weddings or paying tributes to those who lose dears.

On Thursday April 5,2012, for instance,Saleh attended a wedding ceremony that was held in his own village, Sanhan, where more than 40,000 tribesmen  were receiving him with traditional greeting  chants as a part of respecting the  honor guest.

In Wadi Jabara, in Sanahan, about 40 km to the east of the capital Sanaa,  thousands of gunmen were firing to the air when Saleh arrived to congratulate the three bridegrooms, sons of the tribal Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hunaish. Firing to air is a part of the traditional welcoming in such occasions.

In the cultural side, Saleh now is writing his memoirs under the title "My Story With Snakes" in a very obvious reference to his famous quotes " Ruling Yemen Is Like Dancing On The Heads Of Snakes."
In the book, Saleh will write the untold stories with the biggest " Snakes" who were with him all over his 33-year reign. 

The focus will be on the "Snakes" who tried to bite him but failed to kill him, according to some of those around Saleh,in a clear reference to those who were behind the assassination attempt on June 3,2011.

Saleh would tell the story he, as an orphan and son of a less than normal man, took power in 1978, and what was the role of his closest allies like general Ali Muhsen and tribal leader Abdullah Al Ahmar and his sons, who betrayed him at the end of the day by trying to ride the wave of the so-called Arab Spring. 

The book will be of two parts: the first part will end up with Saleh officially handing power and the flag of united Yemen to the new elected President in an unprecedented ceremony and with Saleh leaving the Presidential Palace while national anathem was being played.
 
The second part will be written only when Saleh quits as a head of his party,the People's General Congress, which was founded by Saleh in 24 of August, 1982.

For sporting activity, Saleh will return to his favorite club, Ahli Taiz Club, one of the largest and most important football clubs, which he was the honorary president in 1976 and 1977. Saleh would attend the important matches between Ahil Taiz and Shab Sanaa teams when he was the military commander of Taiz from 1975-1978. 

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Yemen's New  Leader Under Test

By Nasser Arrabyee,11/04/2012

The power of the  new President of Yemen Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi is now on a  real test. Earlier this week he took a number of bold decisions on the way of reforming army,security and local governments. 

The decisions fired senior officials loyal to the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh including some of his relatives. 

Mohammed Saleh Al Ahmar (half brother), commander of the  air forces, who was one of those officials changed by Hadi's decrees, set three conditions to be met before he hands the main base of the   air forces  which happened to be adjacent to the country's main airport of Sanaa, the capital. 

The commander Saleh's main condition as stated by his assistant, Abdullah Al Basha, was that the defected general Ali Muhsen, should  be fired before him or simultaneously with him. 

Before he defected to the Islamist opposition in March last year, the defected general Ali Muhsen was alwayse the second powerful man in the former regime. Now general Muhsen and the tribal leader Hamid Al Ahmar and their party, Islah, the Yemen brotherhood, are doing their best to replace their historic ally, Ali Abdullah Saleh. 

And now with Saleh already gone from power, general Muhsen, and tribal leader Hamid Al Ahmar, the billionaire who orchestrated the anti-Saleh uprising, are using all their power to have the new President Hadi fire the commander of the main army, Republican Guards, Ahmed Ali, son of Saleh, and keep general Muhsen in his position or even promote him because he supported the "revolution". 

Everybody in Yemen knows that the  most difficult decisions for the new President are not taken yet. All decisions taken so far, despite being bold, were only to pave the way for firing the defected general Ali Muhsen.

 Likewise, everybody knows that the 72-year old  defected general Ali Muhsen,would refuse any presidential  decision sacking him without firing the son, Ahmed, before him or simultaneously with him.

Although the US-backed and  Saudi-sponsored deal of peaceful  power transition did not put any condition that the new president should fire relatives of Saleh from army and security, general Muhsen and his tribal and Islamist allies insist on firing the son and nephews.

The President Hadi is facing a great pressure from  the former president Saleh's party, which forms 50% of the new  unity government on one hand, and from the international community especially the Americans, to fire general Ali Muhsen from his position as a commander of the first armored division. Internally, Saleh's supporters and party  consider  general Ali Muhsen the main part of the crisis, saying he should have been fired immediately after Saleh handed the power to the elected president Hadi in February 25,2012.


And US and the international community want  general Muhsen be fired for his historic links with extremist Islamist groups like Al Qaeda and Jihadists. 

General Muhsen is married to the sister of Tarek Al Fadhli, one of the Jihadist leaders , based in Abyan now, who worked for Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan for years in late 1980s.

 General Muhsen recruited more than 20,000 youngmen mostly from  the Sanaa-based Al Eman Islamic University during the period from  January 2011 to January 2012.  

Al Eman university is run by the extremist cleric Abdul Majid Al Zandani, who is officially accused by US and UN of supporting global terrorism.


The US spent millions and millions of dollars on training and equipping the Republican Guards, under the  38-year  Ahmed Ali (son) and Counter-terrorism Unit, under Yahya Saleh (nephew) and the National Security Agency, under Ammar Saleh (nephew). All these three professional commanders have been supposedly cooperating with US in the war against Al Qaeda.

Army of  Saleh's son, 'under command' of new President and former president     returns to sporting, socializing, and writing memoirs


This week, the  Republican Guards, the highly qualified and well-equipped army, said it would always be supportive to new elected President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi.

An official statemen said the RG would always be under the commands of the President Hadi to implement the whole deal of the transitional period.

The statement accused media loyal to defected military and tribal leaders of launching media campaigns to deform the image of the RG calling    the national unity government to review the media policy to serve the supreme national interests.

On his part, the former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh has turned to social ,cultural and sporting activities after he became a  normal citizen.

 In his modest house in the middle of the capital Sanaa, Saleh receives hundreds and sometimes thousands of his supporters and lovers and he happily goes to some important social occasions like weddings or paying tributes to those who lose dears.

On Thursday April 5,2012, for instance,Saleh attended a wedding ceremony that was held in his own village, Sanhan, where more than 40,000 tribesmen  were receiving him with traditional greeting  chants as a part of respecting the  honor guest.

In Wadi Jabara, in Sanahan, about 40 km to the east of the capital Sanaa,  thousands of gunmen were firing to the air when Saleh arrived to congratulate the three bridegrooms, sons of the tribal Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hunaish. Firing to air is a part of the traditional welcoming in such occasions.

In the cultural side, Saleh now is writing his memoirs under the title "My Story With Snakes" in a very obvious reference to his famous quotes " Ruling Yemen Is Like Dancing On The Heads Of Snakes."
In the book, Saleh will write the untold stories with the biggest " Snakes" who were with him all over his 33-year reign. 

The focus will be on the "Snakes" who tried to bite him but failed to kill him, according to some of those around Saleh,in a clear reference to those who were behind the assassination attempt on June 3,2011.

Saleh would tell the story he, as an orphan and son of a less than normal man, took power in 1978, and what was the role of his closest allies like general Ali Muhsen and tribal leader Abdullah Al Ahmar and his sons, who betrayed him at the end of the day by trying to ride the wave of the so-called Arab Spring. 

The book will be of two parts: the first part will end up with Saleh officially handing power and the flag of united Yemen to the new elected President in an unprecedented ceremony and with Saleh leaving the Presidential Palace while national anathem was being played.
 
The second part will be written only when Saleh quits as a head of his party,the People's General Congress, which was founded by Saleh in 24 of August, 1982.

For sporting activity, Saleh will return to his favorite club, Ahli Taiz Club, one of the largest and most important football clubs, which he was the honorary president in 1976 and 1977. Saleh would attend the important matches between Ahil Taiz and Shab Sanaa teams when he was the military commander of Taiz from 1975-1978. 

 25 men including two Al Qaeda and one tribal leaders killed 

By Nasser Arrabyee,11/04/2012

Two Al Qaeda leaders with 10 other fighters were killed in an operation launched by government troops and loyal tribesmen to drive away Al Qaeda terrorists from the circumference of the town of Lawdar, said military and tribal sources late Wednesday.

The Al Qaeda leaders Emad Al Munshabi and Daradish Ahmed Mohamed Taher, we're killed at extreme of Lawdar where sewage is collected, the tribal sources said.

At least 10 Al Qaeda fighters including Saudis, Somalis, and Pakistanis, were  killed today when the army drove away the terrorists from the area of Yasuf at the circumference of Lawdar, said the military sources.

A total of 15 tribesmen from the anti-Al Qaeda popular committees were killed in the battles today including the top leader of the committees, Mohammed Jabil Sheikh. 


Al Qaeda beheaded a woman for not being a good Muslim in the south eastern town of Rada'a, said local sources on Wednesday.

Al Qaeda fighters stormed the house of Mrs AlSharifa Amer, in Bani Zeyad, Rada'a, and slaughtered her and took the head and hang it in front of the house  of Mohammed Mohammed Al Awbali.  Mrs Amer is locally known as a popular doctor who treats sick people by herbs . 

The sources said that Al Qaeda considered the woman as an enemy of Allah  for being a  "trickster".

The sources added that the head of the woman then was taken by the government troops deployed in the area and put it in the refrigerator of the hospital of Rada'a.

The head of woman was hanged in the front of the house Al Awbali as a clear message that he is the next one. Mohammed Al Awbali is a very famous popular doctor by herbs in Yemen and general and Rada'a in particular.

The house of Awbali was shelled last January when Al Qaeda (deceivingly call themselves Ansar Al Sharia meaning supporters of Sharia), took control over Rada'a city under the leadership of the slain leader Tarik Al Dhahab.

Meanwhile, one the top leader of the anti-AlQaeda popular committees, Mohammed Jebel Shiekh, and of his body guards were killed morning Wednesday the on going fierce battles of Lawdar in the southern province of Abyan. 

About 140 people from troops of 111 brigade, and anti-AlQaeda  popular committees, and Al Qaeda fighters were killed over the last two days in the battles around the town of Lawdar.

Al Qaeda beheads a woman and hangs the head to warn another possible victim

By Nasser Arrabyee,11/04/2012

Al Qaeda beheaded a woman for not being a good Muslim in the south eastern town of Rada'a, said local sources on Wednesday.

Al Qaeda fighters stormed the house of Mrs AlSharifa Amer, in Bani Zeyad, Rada'a, and slaughtered her and took the head and hang it in front of the house  of Mohammed Mohammed Al Awbali.  Mrs Amer is locally known as a popular doctor who treats sick people by herbs . 

The sources said that Al Qaeda considered the woman as an enemy of Allah  for being a  "trickster".

The sources added that the head of the woman then was taken by the government troops deployed in the area and put it in the refrigerator of the hospital of Rada'a.

The head of woman was hanged in the front of the house Al Awbali as a clear message that he is the next one. Mohammed Al Awbali is a very famous popular doctor by herbs in Yemen and general and Rada'a in particular.

The house of Awbali was shelled last January when Al Qaeda (deceivingly call themselves Ansar Al Sharia meaning supporters of Sharia), took control over Rada'a city under the leadership of the slain leader Tarik Al Dhahab.

Meanwhile, one the top leader of the anti-AlQaeda popular committees, Mohammed Jebel Shiekh, and of his body guards were killed morning Wednesday the on going fierce battles of Lawdar in the southern province of Abyan. 

About 140 people from troops of 111 brigade, and anti-AlQaeda  popular committees, and Al Qaeda fighters were killed over the last two days in the battles around the town of Lawdar.

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Al Qaeda kills nine soldiers, air strikes try to rescue Lawdar 

By Nasser Arrabyee, 10/04/21012

A total of nine soldiers were killed and three others injured when a group of  Al Qaeda terrorists attacked a military check point in the far eastern province of Hudhrmout, security sources said Tuesday.

At the dawn of today Tuesday, the Al Qaeda terrorists surprisingly attacked the check point of Sheeka area, in Al Aber in the easter border of Saudi Arabia killing nine soldiers and injuring three others, destroying an armed vehicle and plundered all medium and small size weapons and escaped away, said the sources. 

The Yemeni air force launched early morning Tuesday a number of air strikes in an attempt to prevent Al Qaeda fighters from entering the town of Lawdar in the province of Abyan. Local sources said that the air strikes were implemented against Al Ayn, Amyn, and Sharyrah areas at the circumference of Lawdar. 

On Monday, Al Qaeda controlled almost all the circumference of the southern town of Lawdar after about 43 operatives, soldiers, and tribesmen were killed in fierce clashes with government troops and loyal tribesmen, said local sources late Monday. 

The battles to control Lawdar are under the leadership of Jalal Bileidi, Emir of Al Qaeda in Zinjubar, and Hussein Al Jadani, Emir of Al Qaeda ( deceivingly calledc Ansar Asharia).

The troops of the brigade 111 returned to its barracks when they did not find any support from the air force, and Al Qaeda fighters advanced to Mount Yasof, east of Lawdar, and Mount Jara west of Lawdar, the sources said. 

Early morning Monday, Al Qaeda attacked Lawdar from three directions but failed to take control  over the town because the troops of brigade 111 and tribesmen, known as anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, drove them away killing more than 18 terrorists. but later in the after noon, Al Qaeda fighters attacked again and forced the troops to with draw from the area of Kahraba at the outskirts of Lawdar killing more than 20 soldiers and more 6 tribesmen, the sources added. 

Monday 9 April 2012

Al Qaeda almost re-controls town in south Yemen, 43 killed

By Nasser Arrabyee,09/04/2012

Al Qaeda has controlled almost all the circumference of the southern town of Lawdar after about 43 operatives, soldiers, and tribesmen were killed in fierce clashes with government troops and loyal tribesmen, said local sources late Monday.

The troops of the brigade 111 returned to its barracks when they did not find any support from the air force, and Al Qaeda fighters advanced to Mount Yasof, east of Lawdar, and Mount Jara west of Lawdar, the sources said. 

Early morning Monday, Al Qaeda attacked Lawdar from three directions but failed to take control  over the town because the troops of brigade 111 and tribesmen, known as anti-Al Qaeda popular committees, drove them away killing more than 18 terrorists. but later in the after noon, Al Qaeda fighters attacked again and forced the troops to with draw from the area of Kahraba at the outskirts of Lawdar killing more than 20 soldiers and more 6 tribesmen, the sources added. 

Army of  Saleh's son, 'under command of new President', and former president     returns to sporting, socializing, and writing memoirs.

By Nasser Arrabyee,09/04/2012


The Yemeni  highly qualified and well-equipped army said it would always be supportive to new elected President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi.

In an official statement, the Republican Guards, under the leadership of the son of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, said it would always be under the commands of the President Hadi to implement the whole deal of the transitional period.

The statement accused media loyal to defected military and tribal leaders of launching campaigns to deform the image of the Republican guards calling    the national unity government to review the media policy to serve the supreme national interests.

On his part, the former President  of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh has returned  to  his social ,cultural and sporting activities after he became a  normal citizen.

 In his modest house in the middle of the capital Sanaa, Saleh receives hundreds and sometimes thousands of his supporters and lovers and he happily goes to some important social occasions like weddings or paying tributes to those who lose dears.

On Thursday April 5,2012, for instance,Saleh attended a wedding ceremony that was held in his own village, Sanhan, where more than 40,000 tribesmen  were receiving him with traditional greeting  chants as a part of respecting the  honor guest.

In Wadi Jabara, in Sanahan, about 40 km to the east of the capital Sanaa, about thousands of gunmen were firing to the air when Saleh arrived to congratulate the three bridegrooms, sons of the tribal Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hunaish. Firing to air is a part of the traditional welcoming in such occasions.

In the cultural side, Saleh now is writing his memoirs under the title "My Story With Snakes" in a very obvious reference to his famous quotes " Ruling Yemen Is Like Dancing On The Heads Of Snakes."
In the book, Saleh will write the untold stories with the biggest " Snakes" who were with him all over his 33-year reign. 

The focus will be on the "Snakes" who tried to bite him but failed to kill him, according to some of those around Saleh,in a clear reference to those who were behind the assassination attempt on June 3,2011.

Saleh would tell the story he, as an orphan and son of a less than normal man, took power in 1978, and what was the role of his closest allies like general Ali Muhsen and tribal leader Abdullah Al Ahmar and his sons, who betrayed him at the end of the day by trying to ride the wave of the so-called Arab Spring. 

The book will be of two parts: the first part will end up with Saleh officially handing power and the flag of united Yemen to the new elected President in an unprecedented ceremony and with Saleh leaving the Presidential Palace while national anathem was being played.
 
The second part will be written only when Saleh quits as a head of his party,the People's General Congress, which was founded by Saleh in 24 of August, 1982.

For sporting activity,Saleh will return to his favorite club, Ahli Taiz Club, one of the largest and most important football clubs, which he was the honorary president in 1976 and 1977. Saleh would attend the important matches between Ahil Taiz and Shab Sanaa teams when he was the military commander of Taiz from 1975-1978. 

The statement of the Republican Guards

The office of the commander of the Republican Guards regrets for the continuation of the campaign against the "Guards". The campaign has been targeting the the Republican Guards along with the Armed Forces within the plan of those who wanted to overthrow the legitimacy and control the State and its institutions.

And we even regret more to see some of the official media whether the public or those talking in the name of the armed forces, to see them publishing lies and allegations without any respecting to the law.

The national unity government should review the media policy to make it keep abreast with  the significance of the stage and its sensitivity, to enhance the spirit of the national harmony.

With regard to the decrees taken by the supreme commander , the Republican Guards, since established, discuss the issues with the leaders of the State, in legal ways, and never discuss in media, or with partisan or political motivations.

The honor of the military law,loyalty to the constitution and law and the national legitimacy are always the determinants of our positions.

As the Guards were always supportive to the legitimacy under the leadership of marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh, founder of the modern State of Yemen, they (guards) will be also supportive to the legitimacy in the reign of the new President His Excellency marshal Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, for implementing the GCC Initiative which was made for the national compromise. 

We work within the armed forces which was and still is protecting Yemen, lands, and humans, regardless of those few who exploited their military positions for their political and ideological trends violating the national goals which govern the performance of the army.

25 killed in clashes with Al Qaeda 

Source: Reuters,09/04/2012

* Fighting erupts when militants attack military camp

* Warplanes bomb checkpoint held by al Qaeda militants (Adds more security developments)

ADEN- At least 25 people were killed on Monday when fighters from an al Qaeda-linked group attacked a military camp near the southern Yemen city of Lawdar, residents and local officials said.

The fighting erupted when fighters from Ansar al-Sharia launched a dawn attack on the camp, which is in Abyan province, about 120 km (75 miles) from the southern port city of Aden.

The group seized control of a significant amount of territory in Abyan during the turmoil that led to the replacement of President Ali Abdullah Saleh by his deputy, a deal that Saudi Arabia and Washington hope will prevent al Qaeda from getting a foothold near key oil shipping routes.

The conflict with Islamists in the south is only one of several challenges facing the new president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who took office vowing to fight al Qaeda, only to have more than 100 soldiers killed in a series of attacks in his first days in power.

Fifteen fighters were killed in Monday's clash with the army and five when warplanes bombed a checkpoint they were holding, officials and residents said. Four soldiers and one tribesman fighting alongside them were also killed.

A military official said the army drove the fighters away from the area around the camp. The militants said in an emailed statement that none of their fighters was killed in the clash, and threatened to attack Lawdar.

Mohammed Nasser, a resident of Lawdar, speaking by telephone with the sound of artillery and small arms fire audible, said the fighting lasted three hours.

"It is not the first attempt (by the group) to take control, but it's the biggest attack yet," he said. A local official said tribal militiamen joined the fighting alongside the military, and that at least 10 soldiers and tribesmen were wounded.

Washington, which has pursued a campaign of assassination by drone and missile against alleged al Qaeda targets in Yemen, wants Hadi to reunify a military that split between Saleh's foes and allies last year, and focus it on "counter-terrorism".

Yemen's main airport in the capital, Sanaa, was paralysed for a day after Hadi sacked the air force commander, a relative of Saleh, on Friday, and pro-Saleh officers responded by blockading the airport with vehicles.

A government official said they backed down only after warnings from the United States and the Gulf countries which crafted the deal that made Hadi president. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Joseph Logan and Mahmoud Habboush; editing by Tim Pearce)

Friday 6 April 2012

Two Al Qaeda suicide bombers kill themselves in south Yemen  

No stability with Al Qaeda

By Nasser Arrabyee,06/04/2012 

Two suicide bombers killed themselves when they tried to bomb the headquarters of Yemeni intelligence in the  southern coastal city of Aden, said an official statement early Friday.

The two  bombers, believed to be Al Qaeda members, were riding a motor cycle nearby the intelligence building in Al Mansoura area in Aden. 

One of them was identified as Fawaz Al Subaihi while investigations are going to identify the other and reveal more details about the suicide bombing that resulted in no causalities or damages other than the two  bombers and their motorcycle. 

Yemen  now is witnessing unprecedented confrontations between the government troops, supported mainly by American and Saudi governments, and Al Qaeda fighters who exploited the chaos and unrest of the political crisis which started early 2011with the so-called Arab Spring Wave.

The ministry of interior confirmed on Friday previous reports that more than 100 terrorists were killed in the southern province of Abyan  and areas around it only over the last two days.

Al Qaeda was was the biggest beneficiary of Yemen's unrest during 2011. Now, with Yemen returning gradually to normal with regional and international support, Al Qaeda has become  the biggest target  to destroy as a condition Yemen's stability. 

More than 40 Al Qaeda fighters were killed on Tuesday April 3, 2012,  when Yemeni forces restored a military position controlled earlier in the week by Al Qaeda militants in the southern province of Lahj. 

About 50 soldiers were killed, 23 of them were executed after being arrested, when Al Qaeda surprisingly attacked the military position of Al Haroor, between the Al Qaeda-declared Islamic Emirate of Jaar and the province of Lahj, the closer to Aden, capital of the south.  

In an  obvious retaliation for killing four senior operatives in their hiding place of Shabwah by a US drone attack last Friday March 30, 2012, Al Qaeda implemented at least six  terrorist operations in  Shabwah , Lahj, Sayoun and Mukalla.

And according to security sources,  Al Qaeda is even more trying  to implement terrorist operations against senior military and security officials and government and western interests  in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

With these terrorist attacks increasing  in Yemen, the US Ambassodor in Sanaa Gerald Feiestein repeatedly accused the  spiritual leader of the largest Islamist party,  extremist cleric Abdul Majid Al Zandani of supporting terrorism.

However, Al Zandani's party, Islah, defended his leader in an officials statement on Sunday April 1st, 2012,  saying the accusations were based on  wrong information given to US administration by the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime. 

Last week, Ambassodor Feierstein said in press statements  that US and international community are concerned from Al Zandani and his followers and his supporters. 

Al Zandani's party, Islah, now  leads the political  coalition which rules Yemen  after Saleh is gone.

The coalition, locally known as Joint Meeting Parties (JMPs), includes four other main parties , Socialists and Nasserites ( Arab-pan nationalists), two small Islamic Shiite parties.

Some leaders of Islah party like Al Zanafani,  and majority of it's members always say that Al Qaeda is not existing at all in Yemen and it is only "President" Saleh who makes it to get money from America and the west.

 This position has not changed after Saleh  is gone from the power. Some leaders and members of Islah say clearly in all meetings and arguments:  there are  people who  claim to be Al Qaeda but they are  in fact only working with Ali Abdullah Saleh, and there are  people who are doing Jihad which is the  " essence of Islam", and those must be supported by every Muslim.

 Those are not Al Qaeda but they are  Mujahideen. Those people, who call Al Qaeda Mujahideen,started to demand  the new President Abdul Rabu Mansour Hadi to stop any cooperation with the Americans that would violate the "Yemeni sovereignty", in a very obvious reference to the cooperation between Yemen and US to fight terrorism.

Al Zandani now  is hiding in his tribal area Arhab,35 km north of Sanaa international airpot.

Local  sources from Arhab said that the tribal leader Mansour Al Hanek is now leading groups of militants against a number of check points in Arhab and Nehm.

 Al Hanek is leading member in the Islamist party, Islah, and a number of his relatives were killed in Arhab and Zinjubar as Al Qaeda members.

The last one was the middle level leader of Al Qaeda Mohammed Al Hanek who was killed last month in Zinjubar, the capital of the southern province of Abyan, an Al Qaeda-declared Islamic Emirate. 

The sources told the weekly if the militants succeed in removing and controlling the military check points, then they would start to attack the main military camps like Assama and 63 brigades, and this will enable them to control the international airport of Sana’a and all eastern and northern exits and entrances. 

The sources also said that Al Qaeda and tribal militants under the leadership of Al Hanek continued shelling on Monday from the hill of Wasel to the military camps of the republican guards in Arhab, 35 km north of the airport of Sana’a. 

The trenches and barricades are being belt everywhere nowadays in preparation for a big battle against the government troops in the areas of Arhab and Nehm where about 4 brigades have been positioning since early 1980s, the sources added.

The minister of defense, Mohammed Nasser Ahmed said on Sunday in the Parliament he would resign within two weeks if the security and military tension is not calmed down  inside and outside Sana’a. 

The minister of defense has no real power as long as the army is split between the defected general Ali Muhsen and the son of the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who leads the republican guards, the most highly trained and qualified army, which represents more than two thirds of the army. 

Al Qaeda and defected troops and tribesmen loyal to the Islamist party, Islah, continued to attack the military camps positioned in northern and eastern outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said a statement by tribal leaders on Monday.

“Those who repeatedly attack the military camps in Arhab and Nehm areas are the defected troops of the first armored division, Al Qaeda fighters, and a few number of mercenary tribesmen from Arhab and Nehm ,” said the statement which was sent to local media in the name of the tribal leaders of Arhab and Nehm.

Earlier in the week, a similar statement also in the name of other tribal leaders of Arhab and Nehm, was issued to deny any presence of Al Qaeda in these two areas. 

The statement said it was only the republican guards troops who were shelling the areas of Arhab and Nehm for about one year now only because the tribesmen in these areas supported the uprising against the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. 


Three  Philipinos men were released on Wednesday April 4, 2012,  after two weeks in the hands of tribal captors,

Earlier in the week, the  men from Philippines kidnapped two weeks ago in eastern Yemen appealed Tuesday to the Yemeni and Philippinos governments to rescue their lives from death.

The 40-year old Gonet Alcantara, one of the three hostages, told the Weekly  over phone from somewhere in Mareb where they have been held for two weeks now, “the captors keep telling us, if their demands are not met, they will kill us.” 

“So we want the Yemeni government and our government to do every thing to rescue our lives from death,” said Alcantara, the oldest of the three hostages. 

“The captors are very serious, and our situation is very bad now.”

Gonet Alcantara, and his colleagues, Roque Soriano,36, and Fredrick Dadives,25, were working with the Sana’a-based company, Yemen Catering International (YCI). 

The three of them were kidnapped in Mareb two weeks ago while in their way to the far eastern city of Mukalla, the capital of Hudhrmout. 

The kidnapper, the tribal leader Ali Hussein Al Zaydi, is demanding the release of two men: his son and another one from the same tribe who are in the prison of the government in Sana’a. 

“Our people :Abdul Ghani Ali Hussein Al Zaydi, and Khaled Al Kebsi, were put in prison by the security director of Sana’a (Rezk Al Jawfi) one month ago without any reason,” said Adul Azeez Al Zaydi, a relative of the captor, in an interview with the Weekly.

“The three hostages will be released unharmed when our men are released,” he said. 

“Putting our men in prison was unfair, if this kidnapping was unfair,” Addul Azeez Al Zaydi added. 

The hostages complained from deterioration of their health.

“We have been here for 14 days now without any shower or any change of our clothes,” said Gonet Alcantara.
“The three of us are in one small room, very hot, without electricity, and we cannot go outside at all,” he added.

 

 

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Three philipinos released unharmed in Yemen after two weeks in hands of captors

Sources : AFP,04/04/2013

SANAA: Yemeni tribesmen have released three Filipino sailors kidnapped more than two weeks ago east of Sanaa, a security official said on Wednesday.

"The three Filipinos have been released, thanks to a tribal mediation, and without answering the demands of the kidnappers," said the official requesting anonymity.

The kidnappers had demanded the release of one of their own from jail.

"They are on their way to Sanaa, under protection, and will be handed over to the embassy of their country," said the official.

The three were kidnapped on March 20 in the central province of Marib as they travelled to the far-eastern Mahrah province from which they were to embark on their ship.

The kidnappers belong to the Bani Jabr tribe and are demanding the release of a relative, who is in prison in Sanaa for a "serious criminal offence," according to a then interior ministry statement.

More than 200 people have been abducted in Yemen over the past 15 years, many of them by members of the country's powerful tribes who use them as bargaining chips with the authorities.

Almost all of those kidnapped were later freed unharmed.

The three Filipinos were kidnapped few days after a Swiss woman teaching at a foreign language institute in the Red Sea port of Hodeida was abducted by gunmen from her home on March 14 and moved to the eastern province of Shabwa, according to the interior ministry.

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Three Philippines hostages in Yemen: Rescue us from death

By Nasser Arrabyee,03/04/2012

Three men from Philippines kidnapped two weeks ago in eastern Yemen appealed Tuesday to the Yemeni and Philippinos governments to rescue their lives from death.

The 40-year old Gonet Alcantara, one of the three hostages, told Nasser Arrabyee Website over phone from somewhere in Mareb where they have been held for two weeks now, “the captors keep telling us, if their demands are not met, they will kill us.”

“So we want the Yemeni government and our government to do every thing to rescue our lives from death,” said Alcantara, the oldest of the three hostages.
“The captors are very serious, and our situation is very bad now.”

Gonet Alcantara, and his colleagues, Roque Soriano,36, and Fredrick Dadives,25, were working with the Sana’a-based company, Yemen Catering International (YCI). The three of them were kidnapped in Mareb two weeks ago while in their way to the far eastern city of Mukalla, the capital of Hudhrmout.

The kidnapper, the tribal leader Ali Hussein Al Zaydi, is demanding the release of two men: his son and another one from the same tribe who are in the prison of the government in Sana’a.

“Our people :Abdul Ghani Ali Hussein Al Zaydi, and Khaled Al Kebsi, were put in prison by the security director of Sana’a (Rezk Al Jawfi) one month ago without any reason,” said Adul Azeez Al Zaydi, a relative of the captor, in an interview with Nasser Arrabyee.

“The three hostages will be released unharmed when our men are released,” he said.
“Putting our men in prison was unfair, if this kidnapping was unfair,” Addul Azeez Al Zaydi added.

The hostages complained from deterioration of their health.
“We have been here for 14 days now without any shower or any change of our clothes,” said Gonet Alcantara.
“The three of us are in one small room, very hot, without electricity, and we cannot go outside at all,” he added.

Monday 2 April 2012

Tribesmen split over presence of Al Qaeda in Arhab, northern outskirt of Yemeni capital Sana’a

By Nasser Arrabyee,02/04/2012

Al Qaeda and defected troops and tribesmen loyal to the Islamist party, Islah, continued to attack the military camps positioned in northern and eastern outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said a statement by tribal leaders on Monday.

“Those who repeatedly attack the military camps in Arhab and Nehm areas are the defected troops of the first armored division, Al Qaeda fighters, and a few number of mercenary tribesmen from Arhab and Nehm ,” said the statement which was sent to local media in the name of the tribal leaders of Arhab and Nehm.

Earlier in the week, a similar statement also in the name of other tribal leaders of Arhab and Nehm, was issued to deny any presence of Al Qaeda in these two areas. The statement said it was only the republican guards troops who were shelling the areas of Arhab and Nehm for about one year now only because the tribesmen in these areas supported the uprising against the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
However, on Monday another group of tribal leaders from Arhab and Nehm denied that statement as untrue and baseless saying it was only fabricated by mercenary local tribesmen loyal to Al Qaeda, and the defected general Ali Muhsen.

In this regard, local sources from Arhab said that the tribal leader Mansour Al Hanek is now leading groups of militants against a number of check points in Arhab and Nehm. Al Hanek is leading member in the Islamist party, Islah, and a number of his relatives were killed in Arhab and Zinjubar as Al Qaeda members.

The last one was the middle level leader of Al Qaeda Mohammed Al Hanek who was killed last month in Zinjubar, the capital of the southern province of Abyan.
The sources said if the militants succeed in removing and controlling the military check points, then they would start to attack the main military camps like Assama and 63 brigades, and this will enable them to control the international airport of Sana’a and all eastern and northern exits and entrances.

The sources also said that Al Qaeda and tribal militants under the leadership of Al Hanek continued shelling on Monday from the hill of Wasel to the military camps of the republican guards in Arhab, 35 km north of the airport of Sana’a.

The trenches and barricades are being belt everywhere nowadays in preparation for a big battle against the government troops in the areas of Arhab and Nehm where about 4 brigades have been positioning since early 1980s, the sources added.

The minister of defense, Mohammed Nasser Ahmed said on Sunday in the Parliament he would resign within two weeks if the security and military tension is not removed from inside and outside Sana’a.

The minister of defense has no real power as long as the army is split between the defected general Ali Muhsen and the son of the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who leads the republican guards, the most highly trained and qualified army, which represents more than two thirds of the army.

In the southern city of Aden, Al Qaeda failed to storm the central prison of Al Mansora where Al Qaeda wanted to release a number of prisoners. The security forces foiled their attempt.