 The field commander of Yemeni rebel forces led by Badreddine al-Houthy surrendered to the authorities Thursday as a result of tribal mediation. A military source said Abdullah Razami turned himself in after being escorted to Sanaa by tribal chiefs from the province of Saada, near the Yemeni-Saudi border, a hotbed for the rebels.
| Seems like the closer you get to the Soddy border, the hotter the bed... |
Mediation between the government and the rebels was conducted by several tribesmen, including Abdel Karim al-Houthy, brother of the rebel leader, who met President Ali Abdullah Saleh recently offering to stop attacks against government forces, drop arms, and respect the law and the constitution in return for general amnesty. An official source was quoted by the pro-government daily September 26 as saying Saleh ordered the interior ministry to release rebels who prove they have repented and relinquished arms and shown commitment to respect the law. The rebellion in Saada initially broke out in May 2004 and continued unabated until the killing of former rebel leader Hussein al-Houthy, the son of Badreddine. |