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| Arabia | |
| Yemen rebels ask AL to intervene in conflict with govt | |
| 2009-11-17 | |
"Heavy fighting was taking place in the middle of the day on the Malahidh front after the army took total control of Jebel Khazaen," in the north of the region, army spokesman Askar Zuail told AFP. Malahidh, in the west of hilly Saada province, stronghold of the rebellion, has been a key battleground since the army launched its "Operation Scorched Earth" against the rebels on August 11. The region borders Saudi Arabia, whose forces have been shelling and bombing rebel positions in on Jebel al-Dukhan mountain since November 4, after rebels killed a border guard and occupied two small villages inside Saudi territory the previous day. The Yemeni side of 2,000-metre Jebel al-Dukhan is within the Malahidh district. The rebels, also known as Huthis, called for the Arab League to intervene to stop "Saudi aggression" in an open letter to to Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa posted on their website on Monday. The letter denied the rebels are linked to any outside party or entity, a reference to accusations by Yemen that the Huthis are supported by Iran. The insurgents called on the Arab League "to carry out an on-the-spot investigation" and "to support a national dialogue within an Arab framework between the rebels and the Yemen authorities." In a separate statement, rebel leader Yahya Huthi praised Iran for condemning "Saudi aggression" on Yemen, and thanked Iran for its stance, which was "absent from many of our Arab brothers." Sources in the Saudi military told AFP on Monday that Huthis were hiding in some Saudi villages that have been evacuated in Hurrath and Khubah provinces. The Saudi military has shelled some of these areas, military sources said. UN children's organisation UNICEF said last week that the Saudis had evacuated 240 villages and closed 50 schools as the fighting spilled over the border from Yemen. The Yemeni Defence Ministry said on Monday said that the army regained control of several hills in the Gharaz area southeast of Saada and cleared them landmines. Three rebels who were trying to infiltrate Saudi Arabia were arrested by the Yemeni army in an operation in Saada, around 240 kilometers north of Sanaa, and two were arrested in a separate military operation in Aleb, a frontier post north of Saada, the ministry said on its website. The Yemeni army spokesman said intermittent "minor clashes" have taken place in Harf Sufian province, adjoining Saada. A Saudi cleric on Monday accused Houthi rebels of working with Iran to try to spread Shiism. "Iranian cooperation with Houthi rebels in Yemen is a collusion for sin and aggression," Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz al-Sheikh said in remarks published on Monday. "Houthi infiltrators entered our territories, so ... it is obvious that they should be fought since the kingdom here is defending itself," Sheikh said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Uh, uh, the US GOVT-STATE of ALABAMA??? Gut nuthin. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-11-17 21:36 |