At least three people were killed and 20 others were injured when violence broke out between tribesmen from the Al-Awadh of Al-Baydha governorate and tribesmen from the Sanhan tribe in Bait Zabatan on the outskirts of SanaÂ’a city last Thursday, March 1. The fighting reportedly began as tribesmen from Al-Awadh set up barracks on the mountain of Ayban, the highest mountain to the west of SanaÂ’a, above the Bait Zabatan area, after the mediation between them and the tribes of Sanhan failed to solve a land dispute between them. Much controversy has been swirling as to the exact details of the dispute and the ensuing violence. While both sides agree that the cause of the dispute was a disagreement over property, each side has been telling a different story about the killing of Taha al-Awadhi, as well as about his age. The Al-Awadh tribesmen alleged that Taha, 14, was killed when some guards of Taha al-Musali, an influential sheikh from Sanhan, tried to kidnap the boy near his house in SanaÂ’a. They said that when the guards of al-Musali tried to kidnap Taha, he managed to pull a dagger from one of them to defend himself.
His brother then reported to their father that some tribesmen from Sanhan were trying to kidnap Taha. When the father arrived to rescue his son, the guards of al-Musali killed the kid and fired at his father, severely injuring his legs. They also alleged that the dispute was about a piece of property that is owned by Sheikh al-Awadhi, and that Taha al-Musali forged a document to claim that this property was his own. Attempts were made at mediation. An arbitration committee composed of sheikhs from both sides asked the tribesmen to bring their documentations and deposits of YR 5 million each, to be awarded to the side that proved their case was correct.
But when al-Musali realized that the arbitration would not be in his favor, he resorted to kidnapping Taha al-Awadhi to pressure his father, said the al-Awadhi. Sources from the Sanhan tribe totally denied these allegations. They claimed that Taha al-Awadhi was not a kid, but an adult who took part in the fights. They also said that some militants from the al-Awadh tribe had tried to kidnap al-Musali from a steam bath in SanaÂ’a. A source from the Sanhan tribe said that a number of militants, including al-Awadhi, kept following Taha al-Musali via his cell phone, until they found him in the steam bath.
They attempted to take him from the bath, but al-MusaliÂ’s guards were in a car outside and followed the men inside. Fire was exchanged outside the bath, and al-Musali was injured. He has been hospitalized, suffering from three bullets in his shoulders and back. The source did not deny that Taha al-Awadhi was killed and his father injured, but he totally denied the story of the attempt to kidnap Taha.
The source also said that the property in question was owned by Sheikh al-Musali, who had a conflict with another person from his tribe about this property. He added that the rival of al-Musali went to al-Awadh, and pledged to give them half of the property if they could snatch it from al-Musali. Al-Awadhi, said the source, was well known for interfering in the disputes over properties in different parts of SanaÂ’a, and his tribesmen usually are paid to fight on behalf others to snatch properties from others by force.
Sanhan sources agreed that both sides had accepted arbitration composed of sheikhs from both sides to solve the problem, and that both sides brought their documentations to the arbitration committee before the violence erupted. However, they alleged that when al-Awadhi realized that the case would not be resolved his favor, he resorted to kidnapping Shikh al-Musali.