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Republican Guard forces storm Tariq air base in Taiz
 [Yemen Post] Republican Guard troops stormed forcibly on Tuesday Tariq Air Force base in the southern province of Taiz, some 260 kilometers south the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, security officials told Yemen Post. The elite republican guard forces stormed the base after they intensely shelled the areas around the military airport, and set up new checkpoints and military posts in the area, the security official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. The leadership of the elite republican guards wants to keep the dismissed chief in his position, completely ignoring President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi's orders, added the official. The elite Republican Guard, the best equipped and trained military troops in the country, is commanded by former President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it... 's eldest son, Ahmed, who is allegedly trying to ensure that his uncle, Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar, who was dismissed by a presidential decree early in April, keep his post as the chief of the Air Force. This escalation comes a day after al-Dailami air force base in Sana'a witnessed rising tensions due to the sacked commander refusal to listen to the President decrees whereby he was fired. For the first time since the protests against him erupted early this year, al-Ahmar who is also the half brother of Saleh left al-Dailami air base in order to meet with his brother. He was reported to have been rebuked by Saleh for leaving the base and told to return quickly, local media outlets reported. After two weeks of his dismissal, al-Ahmar is still defiant to Hadi and refused to hand over the command of the vital military institution, making Hadi orders he be put before a marshal court. But that is a very unlikely prospect given that most of the military is still run by Saleh's relatives and loyalists. Posted by: Fred 2012-04-18 |
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