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| Arabia |
| Fresh clashes in northern Yemen |
| 2014-01-21 |
| [Yemen Post] Tribal sources confirmed early on Monday morning that despite a truce, Salafis and Houthis gunnies clashed overnight in the Amran province, a stronghold of the powerful al-Ahmar family. Located directly north of the capital, Sana'a, Amran represents a key strategic military position since its control would mean direct access to Sana'a central government and thus the political and institutional heart of Yemen. When earlier this month Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is "God is Great, Death to America", Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews" ... gunnies advanced against their politico-religious nemesis within the province, President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi had to intervene by imposing the terms of a ceasefire. Keen to defuse the situation he ordered both factions to withdraw their men and for Salafi gunnies to vacate Dammaj, where tensions first erupted late last October. With tensions flaring up again, tribal sources revealed that an estimated 12 people (eight Houthis and four Sunni rustics) were killing late on Sunday, warning that the truce was on very shaky ground should nothing be done to calm the situation. According to local reports it seems that Houthi gunnies would have attempted to seize control over a mountain, prompting the fury of local rustics affiliated to al-Ahmar clan, a strong supporter of the Salafi movement in Yemen. Should the truce fail to hold, Yemen would be at risk of further fragmentation and sectarian strife at a time when the impoverished nation should be pulling the curtain on its National Dialogue Conference. To add to Yemen's current political fragility, NDC representatives expressed some last minute reservations toward the text of the final agreement. |
| Posted by:Fred |