|
7 Saudis among militants killed by drones in Yemen
[Al Ahram] At least seven suspected snuffies from Soddy Arabia...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... were among the alleged al-Qaeda members killed in Yemen in a recent wave of U.S. drone strikes, senior Yemeni officials said Friday, suggesting that Saudis are increasingly crossing the border to carry funds or seek terrorist training. With several U.S. diplomatic posts closed temporarily in Africa and the Middle East this week amid a global alert about terrorism, Washington evacuated most of its personnel from Lahore, Pakistain's second-largest city. The U.S., along with Britannia, also flew diplomatic staff out of Yemen's capital of Sanaa this week. Since July 27, drone attacks in Yemen's southern and central provinces have killed a total of 34 snuffies suspected of being members of the country's al-Qaeda branch, known as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, security officials have said. On Thursday alone, the officials said U.S. drones conducted three The drone strikes occurred in areas where the terrorist group enjoys protection from anti-government tribes or hides in mountainous areas. The terror network bolstered its operations in Yemen more than a decade after key Saudi operatives fled here following a major crackdown in their homeland. The drone strikes and a U.S.-backed offensive that began in June 2012 have driven snuffies from territory they had seized a year earlier, during Yemen's political turmoil amid the Arab Spring. The senior Yemeni officials who said the seven Saudis were among the victims of the drone attacks said intelligence suggested the foreigners had crossed the border between the neighboring countries to either ferry in money to the terror group or to train in al-Qaeda camps. "Al-Qaeda is especially recruiting tech-savvy and well-educated Saudis," one of the security bigshots said. He added that the terror group also is bringing in Paks, who are explosives experts. He cited Ragaa Bin Ali a Pak bomb maker who was killed in a drone strike. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Saudi political analyst Anwar Eshki said the kingdom is aware of Saudis crossing into Yemen. "The kingdom is tracking down those people ... but there are hundreds of organizations and groups that work on recruiting them," he said. One suspected Saudi krazed killer was among seven who were killed by a drone in the southern city of Shabwa. Four other Saudis were maimed in the same attack, according to a senior local government official who also spoke anonymously because he was not allowed to talk to news hounds. While the United States acknowledges its drone program in Yemen, it does not talk about individual strikes. The program is run by the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command and the CIA, with the military flying its drones out of Djibouti, and the CIA out of a base in Saudi Arabia. Asked at a White House news conference about the drone strikes, U.S. President Barack Obama Why can't I just eat my waffle?... said: "I will not have a discussion about operational issues." Posted by: Fred 2013-08-10 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=373670 |