Yemeni Conflict: News

Southerners in Yemen rally for secession 20 years after civil war

Thousands of Yemenis rallied in the port city of Mukalla on Sunday to demand statehood for the formerly independent south 20 years after the crushing of a secession bid, AFP reports.

The rally was organised by the hardline wing of the Southern Movement which is clamouring for the renewed independence of the south, 20 years after a civil war ended with its occupation by northern troops.

The separatists rejected plans unveiled in February for six-unit federation in which two regions are planned for the south, one based in Mukalla and the other in the largest southern city, Aden, where a pro-independence rally also took place on Sunday.

The south was independent between the end of British colonial rule in 1967 and its union with the north in 1990.

A secession attempt four years later sparked a brief but bloody civil war that ended with northern forces occupying the region.

"This rally is a message addressed to the world saying that the south is under occupation," said activist Basser Bakazkuz.

In Aden, police prevented protesters from reaching a main square in the city's diplomatic district, witnesses said.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_27/Southerners-in-Yemen-rally-for-secession-20-years-after-civil-war-6355/

Fighting in Yemen displaces 20,000 people: UN

Sana’a, Yemen, 06 June 2014. Naksa Day is the annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people of the displacement that accompanied Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War.

United Nations: The UN and humanitarian organisations in Yemen are concerned about the new displacement of as many as 20,000 people in the country’s northern Amran governorate, due to heavy fighting between government forces and armed rebels in the last two weeks, a UN spokesperson said Friday.

“The [UN] Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that a ceasefire in Amran came into effect two days ago and is reportedly holding,” reports quoted Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesperson, as saying at a daily news briefing here. “But it adds that the main road from the capital Sana’a to Amran remains closed.”

The closure has also interrupted delivery of assistance to another group of 40,000 people who have been displaced since 2011 and reportedly need food, water and healthcare, according to Haq.

“A number of humanitarian partners continue to operate in Amran city, but all operations outside the city have been suspended,” he said. “A needs assessment will be carried out as soon as security conditions allow.”

The Yemeni armed forces Wednesday reached a ceasefire agreement with the Al Houthi rebels in the troubled northern province of Amran. The deal took effect at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday.

It stipulates an end to all military reinforcements from both sides, the deployment of impartial military monitors and the opening of the main road to the capital Sanaa.

Over the past few months, the Al Houthi group has clashed with the army and Sunni tribal fighters in several northern provinces, leaving about 100 people killed.

Main oil export pipeline blown up in Yemen

Tribesmen blew up Yemen's main oil pipeline Saturday, halting deliveries from oilfields in the interior to the Ras Isa export terminal on the Red Sea, provincial and tribal sources said.

The pipeline, which carries some 100,000 barrels of oil per day from fields in the restive eastern province of Marib, has been repeatedly attacked by saboteurs, most recently in May.

The latest attack took place very early Saturday in the Habab district of Marib, which has been prey to violence by armed tribesmen seeking a greater share of oil jobs and revenues, as well as loyalists of Al-Qaeda.

The sabotage forced engineers to shut down the 320-kilometer (200-mile) pipeline to the floating Ras Isa terminal, north of the port city of Hodeida, an official said.

Yemen is a minor producer but relies on oil and gas exports for 90 percent of its foreign currency earnings.

Attacks on infrastructure cost the impoverished country $4.75 billion over the two years from March 2011 to March 2013, according to government figures, AFP reports.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_07_12/Main-oil-export-pipeline-blown-up-in-Yemen-0476/

Three Yemen soldiers, two al Qaeda militants killed in east Yemen

Yemen Government and Rebels Sign Deal to End Fighting

Yemeni president Abdrabuh Mansour Haidi, and representatives of the opposition, including the Houthi Shia rebels, signed on Sunday a peace deal and committed to form a more inclusive government.

The agreement, brokered by the United Nations, came after more than a 100 people died since Thursday during clashes between government forces and the Houthis fighters, known as Ansarullahs, who control several regions in the north.

The Houthis and opposition mass protests started several weeks ago when the government cut fuel subsidies, prompting a hike in prices.

The Houthis, whose stronghold is in the north of the country, used the protests to demand a new and more inclusive government after accusing the current government of favoring Sunnis.

The peace agreement was signed hours after the Shiite rebels took several official buildings in the capital Sanaa such as the defence ministry, the army headquarters, the parliament and the national radio, according to Al-Jazeera. According to the local Saba news agency, rebels are expected to leave the buildings soon.

Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa also resigned hours before the peace deal was announced. This was one of the Houthi’s main goals.

Prior to the announcement of the peace deal, several officials asserted that Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by a Sunni government, deployed warplanes in Sanaa to face Ansarullah fighters, according to PressTV.

The turmoil in Yemen started in 2011, when the Arab Spring protests ended the 33 year government of President Ali Abdullah.

Since then, Yemen has been struggling to create a new, stable and inclusive government in which both Sunnis and Shias participate equally.

Moscow urges political forces in Yemen to consolidate in the face of threat from radicals

According to media reports, an extremist attack in Yemen’s capital city Sana’a claimed the lives of 45 people and 75 people were injured

MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. Moscow worries over extremist attacks in Yemen and urges local political forces to consolidate in the face of growing threat from radicals, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

“With deep concern, we are following the development of the situation in Yemen, where two major terrorist attacks took place on October 9,” the ministry said. “According to media reports, an extremist attack in Yemen’s capital city Sana’a claimed the lives of 45 people and 75 people were injured. About 30 more people fell victim to attacks by Al-Qaeda militants in the country’s southern areas.”

“We are confident that the only way out of the profound political crisis in Yemen lies through attempts to find solutions acceptable for all participants in the political process in the interests of national accord and sustainable development of the country, focusing efforts of the state on acute socio-economic problems and counteracting all kinds of militants,” the ministry stressed. “Along with other participants in international efforts to settle the situation in Yemen, Russia will continue to help friendly Yemen through real steps aimed at solving pressing problems facing that country.

Yemen Houthi Shia rebels join new cabinet

A new cabinet has been formed in Yemen, in an effort to defuse mounting political tensions, state media say.

The 24-strong administration, headed by Prime Minister-Designate Khalid Bahah, includes Shia Houthi rebels who seized the capital Sanaa in September.

Rebel leaders had said they would withdraw their fighters from Sanaa once a cabinet was formed.

The move came as the UN imposed sanctions on Yemen's former president and two leading Houthis.

Members of the Security Council said that ex-President Ali Abdallah Saleh, who stood down in 2012, and the two rebel commanders had threatened the stability of the country.

In a unanimous decision, the 15-member council ordered that the trio be subject to an asset freeze and global travel ban.

Mr Saleh has allied with the Houthis in their bid to seize the capital.

Yemen has faced growing instability since the start of anti-government protests in 2011, which resulted in Mr Saleh standing down in 2012.

Since then ministers have battled a growing al-Qaeda presence, often with the help of US drone strikes.

Friday's announcement of a new cabinet ended two weeks of deadlock among Yemen's political factions.

Under a UN-brokered deal after the Houthis entered Sanaa on 21 September, President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi agreed to form a "technocratic" government and appoint advisers nominated by the rebels and also members of a separatist movement in the south.

Southern separatists have long complained of being marginalised by the central government.

Meanwhile the Houthi rebels, who belong to the minority Zaidi Shia community, have staged periodic uprisings since 2004 to win greater autonomy for their northern heartlands.

Friday's developments came as security forces said they had killed a senior al-Qaeda leader in the south of the country.

Turki al-Assiri, a Saudi national also known as Marwan al-Mekki, was killed on Thursday while trying to resist arrest, officials said.

Al-Assiri was a commander of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a regional affiliate of the fundamentalist group founded by Osama Bin Laden.

Correspondents say his death is a significant blow for the organisation, which had vowed to confront the Houthi rebels after they overran Sanaa.

AQAP said it was behind a suicide bomb attack which struck a rally held by Houthi supporters in the capital on 9 October, killing 47 people.

Yemeni Opposition Leader Criticizes US Interference in Middle East

Houthi politburo leader talks about the fight against US and al-Qaeda in Yemen.

MOSCOW, November 22 (Sputnik) — Saleh al-Sammad, leader of the Houthi politburo in Yemen, has given an interview to RIA Novosti in which he talks about the political ambitions of his movement, and his movement’s opposition to the US and Al-Qaeda in the region.

“After September 11 America started to establish its dictatorship in the region. Our movement sprang up in opposition to that project, which aims to pit peoples against each other, to change their political and cultural identity, and as a consequence, bring in large numbers of troops.”

The Houthi leader also denied rumors of his movement’s association with Iran, denying that Iran has provided his rebel movement with assistance. “Every movement which refuses to bow to US demands is accused of being in co-operation with Iran,” he said.

In September, the UN brokered a power-sharing deal between the Houthi politburo and the Yemeni government, which acceded to the Houthi demand that a new cabinet be formed. The move came after Houthi fighters captured the capital Sanaa, clashing with Al-Qaeda backed Sunni fighters and government troops.

In Friday’s interview, al-Sammad expressed disappointment in the current makeup of the Yemeni government. “There are people in this cabinet who have served in the previous government, against which the people rose up, and also those suspected of corruption. People have gained ministerial posts who do not have the requisite qualifications or experience.” Al-Sammad told of his dissatisfaction that the Houthi politburo had no ministerial portfolios in the government.

Al-Sammad declared that his movement will continue to press for political change to fulfil the demands made by the Houthis, and the promises made in the September agreement, in which he accepted a role as adviser to President.

The Shia Houthis have clashed with Al-Qaeda in Yemen, with recent reports detailing fighting in the city of Radaa, a traditional al-Qaeda stronghold. Al-Jazeera reported on Thursday that the Houthi had taken greater control of the city. “The Houthis say they will continue their fight until al-Qaeda is defeated or evicted from these areas," reported Al-Jazeera.

In Friday’s interview, al-Sammad accused the US of using Al-Qaeda as an expedient to impose its dictatorship on the Yemeni government, and said that the political vacuum created by the extended political standoff during the government’s formation had allowed terrorism to flourish in the country.

yemen is a fucked country, economicaly and military wise, i still hope the shias will take full control, shias a always better then sunni's

I am afraid I have to agree... on the face of it the Shia muslims seem rather more tolerant and moderate.

Hadi reinstates, promotes 8009 officers, soldiers from south

Yemen's Transition President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi approved Law No 3, 2014, on reinstating, promotion and improving the situations of 8009 officers and soldiers from the army and the security services in the south.

The approval occurred when Hadi met with the two committees on land grievances and forced terminations of military and non-military personnel in the south.

The committees submitted detailed reports on their work during the past period including recommendations to address 18,000 cases of property confiscations, 9000 cases of illegal, forced terminations at the defense and interior ministries and the political security apparatus as well as 4500 cases of illegal, forced terminations at non-military institutions.

The committees told the state Saba agency decisions to reinstate, promote and improve the situations of officers and soldiers will be announced in coming days.

At the meeting, Hadi praised the perfect performance of the two committees within the major efforts to resolve the southern issue especially land confiscations and illegal terminations.
The two committees started their jobs in 2012 after Hadi was elected as the president.
Since the former regime was forced to share power with other factions following mass demonstrations in 2011, the Yemeni government has been giving the southern issue, mostly land and job grievances, top priority. Officials from the former regime including senior ones and relatives of the former president Saleh were involved in land confiscations and illegal terminations of military and non-military employees in the south especially after the 1994 civil war.

At the comprehensive national dialog conference last year, the government offered official apologies to the southerners and the Saada people as part of the practical steps to redress them after wars and grievances.

does anyone know the official position of russia in shia insurgency in yemen?

George1 wrote:does anyone know the official position of russia in shia insurgency in yemen?

yeah: internal issue and good luck solving it

Yemeni President Fires Armed Forces Chief of Staff

Yemen: At Least 50 People Killed, Dozens Wounded in Car Bomb Blast

At least 50 people have been killed and more than 50 wounded by a car bomb which exploded outside a police college in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

MOSCOW, January 7 (Sputnik) – At least 50 people have been killed and more than 50 were wounded in a car bomb blast near a police college in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Wednesday, Sky News Arabia reported on Wednesday.

The blast reportedly targeted a Houthi center located near a police academy.

Among the victims are students of the college and many passersby, the police say.

The explosion, was heard across the city and a large plume of smoke was visible in the area of the college.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s bombing. Al-Qaeda has in the past claimed they were behind such attacks.

The situation in Yemen has been unstable following anti-government uprisings that began in 2011. Several insurgent groups are active in the country, including the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the opposing Houthis, a Zaidi Shia group that has organized major rallies and seized control in parts of the country.

Last week, nine Houthis were killed in an explosion in the Yemeni city of Dhamar.

Yemen’s Houthi Militia Say They Abducted Yemeni President's Chief of Staff

Houthis Reportedly Seize Yemeni State News Agency, TV Station

Houthi Militants Seize Yemeni Presidential Palace in Sanaa

Houthi militants seized the Yemeni presidential palace a day after a ceasefire had been reached following violent clashes in the county's capital.

CAIRO, January 20 (Sputnik) – Houthi rebels have managed to seize the presidential palace in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, a military source told Sputnik Tuesday.

The capture comes a day after Houthi rebels and members of the presidential guard reached a ceasefire agreement following unrest in Sanaa. The ceasefire started at 16:30 local time (13:30 GMT) after violent clashes outside the presidential palace earlier Monday.

Confrontation in Yemen started Saturday when presidential chief of staff Ahmed Awad Mubarak and two of his guards were kidnapped. Investigators suspect the Houthis, who had opposed Ahmed Mubarak's nomination for prime minister, to be behind the abduction.

In response to the kidnapping, leaders of Yemen's southern provinces ordered that oil and gas companies in the provinces of Shabwa, Marib, and Hadramaut halt operations.

The Houthis are the main opposition movement in Yemen, and played a major role in ousting the country's former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012. The group staged large-scale protests and occupied a number of cities in 2014, demanding the resignation of the government, which they say is corrupt and has marginalized the Shiite community.

In September 2014, the Houthi insurgency spread over to Yemen's capital Sanaa, and from there militia have advanced into central and western parts of the country.



US Embassy Vehicle Comes Under Fire in Yemen, as Crisis Deepens

On Monday evening, shots were fired at a US embassy vehicle near a checkpoint in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, following a day marked by heavy fighting in the city.

MOSCOW, January 20 (Sputnik) – A US embassy vehicle came under fire at a checkpoint in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, CNN reports.

The incident took place on Monday night. According to embassy officials, unknown gunmen initially fired into the air, before turning their guns on the vehicle, where US diplomats were seated. No injuries were reported, according to News.com.au.

The attack comes in the wake of growing political turmoil and clashes between government and Houthi militants in Yemen. Nine people were killed and 67 others injured during heavy fighting on Monday, before a fragile ceasefire has been reached, CNN says.

Earlier, the US State Department said it had no plans to evacuate the embassy in Sanaa. US military officials said there was no imminent threat to those within the embassy, NBC News reports.

The Houthis are the main opposition movement in Yemen, who played a major role in toppling the country's former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012. The group staged large-scale protests and occupied a number of cities in 2014, demanding the resignation of the government, which they say is corrupt and has marginalized the Shiite community.

In September 2014, the Houthi insurgency spread over to Yemen's capital Sanaa, and from there, the militants have advanced into the central and western parts of the country.

Houthi Rebels to Create Revolution Council to Govern Yemen

Member of the political bureau of the insurgents said that Yemeni Shiite Houthi rebels could create a Revolution Council following a statement of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's resignation.

CAIRO, January 23 (Sputnik) – Yemeni Shiite Houthi rebels could create a Revolution Council following a statement of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's resignation, a member of the political bureau of the insurgents told RIA Novosti.

According to Fadl Mutaa, following the president's resignation, the only thing left to do is "announce the creation of Revolution council of governing the country, which would include all political forces that signed an agreement on peace and cooperation" in September last year.

Mutaa believes that the decision regarding this issue will be made in the next few days, stating that the Houthis do not have an official position regarding it yet. According to Mutaa, it is possible that the head of Yemeni Parliament Yahya Rai could lead the country temporarily before the presidential elections take place.

The resignation of President Hadi came as a shock to Houthis. "This is a surprise, especially in light of the fact that the president gave his agreement to people's demands yesterday, and we, naturally, would want him to fulfill them. All of those resignations [presidential and governmental] indicate that they are not patriots of their country and do not defend its interests, especially in such a difficult situation," Mutaa told RIA Novosti Thursday.

The Yemeni president submitted his resignation earlier Thursday, apologizing to the people of his country. Hadi's resignation letter was submitted an hour after Yemeni resigned, following clashes with Houthi rebels.

The confrontations in Yemen kicked off Saturday, following the abduction of Hadi's chief of staff and two of his guards by the rebels. Clashes between Houthis and governmental forces have been reportedly happening since Monday in the country's capital Sanaa.

Diplomat Says Yemen Faces Security Challenges, Political Resolution Needed

Yemeni Embassy spokesman in Washington DC claims that the security situation in Yemen following the fall of the government is relatively stable, but needs political solution.

WASHINGTON, January 31 (Sputnik) — The security situation in Yemen following the fall of the government is relatively stable, but needs political solution, Yemeni Embassy spokesman in Washington DC Muhammad al-Basha said on Friday.

“There is no security vacuum to the extent that people are reporting at this point,” Basha said during a Wilson Center conference on the recent Houthi takeover of the Yemeni government. “This is not a Sunni-Shia war in Yemen…this is a political crisis with political resolutions, hopefully.”

Parliament Source Reports Houthi Rebels in Yemen Release Captured Presidential Chief of Staff
While arguing that security was being handled largely by popular committees, the military, and tribal leadership, he did describe the conditions on the ground in Yemen as “very disturbing” and “chaotic.”

“AQAP [al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula] is going to have a chance to recruit more,” If the Houthi government opposition group, who recently seized control of the presidential palace in Sanaa and drove President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and much of his cabinet out of power, continue to expand their influence, Basha warned.

He added that Yemen may then face threats from other militants including the Islamic State terrorist group “which is already trying to have a footprint in the country.”

The embassy spokesman has been in discussions with representatives of Yemen’s various factions vying for power following the resignation of President Hadi, all of which have stated an intention to to move for a political resolution. “No one wants to pick up guns and fight,” Basha stated.

By Sunday, the people of Yemen and the international community should have a clearer picture of how the government will function moving forward, the spokesman said. One possible outcome could be a Houthi-brokered Expanded National Congress, to include different factions under one umbrella, he said.

Last week the Yemeni government’s main opposition group, the Houthis, took control of areas in the capital city Sanaa and forced the resignation of President Hadi. The country has since been on an unsure footing regarding the future political control following the removal of the previous, US-backed administration.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150131/1017576724.html#ixzz3QO0EICzl

Yemen's Shiite Rebels Declare Takeover of Country

Is this an Iranian victory in a "proxy war" against S.Arabia?

George1 wrote:Yemen's Shiite Rebels Declare Takeover of Country

Is this an Iranian victory in a "proxy war" against S.Arabia?

It is, and Bahrain is next! Hopefully their regime falls soon.

New Yemen Leader Calls for Unity in Fractured Nation

Yemen's new leader forms a transitional government as the country faces challenges from the US and Gulf monarchies while a conflict with al-Qaeda looms.

Houthi Rebels to Create Revolution Council to Govern Yemen Following President Resignation
Yemen's Shia Houthi militia formed a "security commission" on Saturday, following Friday's takeover of power, AFP reports. Meanwhile, the militia group's leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, announced in a televised speech that all political factions are welcome to partner with the new government, according to Reuters.

"Our hand is extended to every political force in this country. The space is open for partnership, cooperation and brotherhood and now everybody bears their responsibility for building, not destruction," al-Houthi announced in a televised address. "If Al-Qaeda takes control of the country, it will plot against our brothers in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf."

At least 17 people were arrested on Saturday, as protesters demonstrated near the main university in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. A bomb also exploded near the capital, wounding three militia members.

On Friday, the Houthi militia seized power in the country, forming a two-year transitional government. The move followed President Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi's abdication on January 22, after Houthi militia seized the country's capital.

The Arabian Peninsula's Sunni Muslim monarchies, united as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), denounced the Houthi takeover of Yemen' government as a "coup," pledging to take all necessary measures to defend their interests, according to AFP.

"The Houthi coup marks a grave and unacceptable escalation… and endangers the security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen," the GCC announced in a statement.

A US official told AFP that the United States joins the Gulf monarchies in condemning the new government. Previously, following Hadi's resignation, the US announced that it would suspend it's operations aimed at curbing al-Qaeda influence in the country's south.

Yemen's Houthi Militias

The Houthis, also known by their official name, Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), are an Iran-aligned Shia group which has been operating in northern Yemen since 1994. The group seeks to revive the rule of Zaidi Shias, who ruled the north of the country prior to 1962, when the country was known as the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen. Following a coup, the country plunged into a civil war between the Egypt-supported republic and the Saudi Arabia-supported kingdom, which the republic won in 1970.

In 1990, North Yemen, also known as the Yemen Arab Republic, united with South Yemen, a Soviet-aligned former British colony also known as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, forming the Republic of Yemen. In 1994, internal differences and political disarray led to a brief civil war, after southern Yemeni leaders seceded, resulting in the south's defeat.

By 2000 it became apparent that Al-Qaeda fomented its influence in the region, when a suicide attack on the US Navy's USS Cole killed 17 personnel.

In 2004, the group began an armed struggle after the government attempted to arrest the movement's then-leader, the late Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, the current leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's brother.

A Houthi Shiite Yemeni stands guard in front of a building damaged during recent clashes near the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015.

In 2009, the government mounted a military offensive against the group. At the same time, a campaign against perceived al-Qaeda influence was assisted by US drone strikes and intelligence support from the CIA. The drone strikes were subject to controversy as they frequently killed innocent civilians rather than al-Qaeda targets.

In early 2011, internal political and economic tensions exploded into a popular uprising known as the Yemeni revolution, which followed similar protests known as the 2011 Arab Spring. As a result, Abd Rabuh Manur Hadi was elected president in an uncontested election, following the resignation of Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the country since the 1990 unification.

By late 2011, Houthi militias controlled two Yemeni provinces, and expanded their influence through both popular protest and armed struggle, reaching the capital in 2012.

By late 2014, Houthis controlled parts of Yemen's capital and a power-sharing agreement was struck, which failed to materialize, leading to the militias' takeover of government and Hadi's resignation in January 2015.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150207/1017947099.html#ixzz3R63Se7LS

Yemen’s Tribesmen, Houthis Fight It Out in Maarib

Four people died and three others were wounded in Sunday’s clashes between Houthi groups and tribesmen in Yemen’s eastern province of Maarib, the National Yemen reported, citing a local tribal source.

At Least 27 Houthis Dead in Suspected Al-Qaeda Attacks in Yemen
The source, who requested anonymity, said that tribesmen attacked a Houthi checkpoint in the center of the eastern province.

Four people – three Houthi members and a tribesman – were killed in the ensuing clashes, he added.

Three other people were wounded in the clashes, the source said.

The Houthi group, which seized Yemeni capital Sanaa in September of 2014, has so far been unable to control the oil-rich Maarib province.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150308/1019232311.html#ixzz3TtcInWbf

Pentagon Unable to Account for $500 Million in Military Aid to Yemen

The Pentagon has lost track of $500 million worth of United States military aid it supplied to Yemen, raising fears that the weapons, aircraft and equipment has been seized by Iranian-backed rebels or al-Qaeda.

The situation has worsened since last month, when the US closed its embassy in Sanaa, the capital, and withdrew many of its military advisers amid government upheaval in Yemen. The Defense Department is now unable to track small arms, ammunition, night-vision goggles, patrol boats, vehicles and other supplies it donated.

Behind closed doors, Pentagon officials have told Congress members demanding answers that they have little information to go on, and there is little they can do at this point to prevent the arms and equipment from falling into the wrong hands.

“We have to assume it’s completely compromised and gone,” an unnamed legislative aide on Capitol Hill told the Washington Post.

Yemen’s government was toppled in January by Shiite Houthi rebels who receive support from Iran and have strongly criticized US drone strikes in Yemen. The Houthis have taken over many Yemeni military bases in the northern part of the country, while other bases have been overrun by al-Qaeda fighters.

Defense Department now will divert about $125 million in military hardware – including unarmed drones, other aircraft and Jeeps – from Yemen to other countries in the Middle East and Africa, a defense official told the Post.

Officials said the weapons would not have a dramatic impact on military balance in Yemen, which already has the second-highest gun ownership rate in the world, behind the US. Moreover, the US restricted its lethal aid to small firearms and ammunition, denying Yemeni requests for fighter jets and tanks.

In Yemen and elsewhere, the Obama administration’s strategy of training and arming foreign forces has avoided the deployment of large numbers of US troops, but it also has been met with repeated challenges.

Just last year, the president was eager to point to Yemen as proof of the strategy’s success.

Since 2007, Washington has supplied more than $500 million in military aid to Yemen through various Defense Department and State Department programs, the Post reported. The Pentagon and CIA have provided additional assistance through classified programs, making it difficult to know exactly how much Yemen has received in total.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/news/20150318/1019641825.html#ixzz3Uho1gcLF