Houthi rebels in Yemen claim to have captured thousands of Saudi troops

(Sept. 28)The Houthis in Yemen who are engaged in a civil war with a coalition led by the Saudis claim they have carried out a successful attack near the southern region of Najran Saudi Arabia.

The Houthi attack

A recent article reports: "The Houthis’ military spokesman said in a statement that three “enemy military brigades had fallen” in the attack, which he said was launched 72 hours ago and supported by the group’s drone, missile and air defense units. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV quoted the spokesman as saying the Iran-aligned movement had captured “thousands” of enemy troops, including many officers and soldiers of the Saudi army, as well as hundreds of armored vehicles. "

The Houthis claim as well that there were senior Saudi officers among those who had been captured. The Houthi spokesperson said that evidence of the captured troops and equipment would be presented in a press conference on Sunday September 29th. The spokesperson also said that the captured troops would be taken to a secret location to avoid them being subject to Saudi airstrikes.

Houthis offered a truce with the Saudis

As a recent report notes: "The Houthis said on Sept. 20 they would halt missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia if the alliance stopped its operations. The coalition has yet to respond to the proposal."

Actually the Saudi response was to continue attacks on the Houthis: "Seven children were among 16 people killed Tuesday, September 24 in twin air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels in southern Yemen, an official and a doctor said.“Sixteen people, including women and children, were killed and nine others injured” in a coalition air raid targeting a residence in Daleh province, the local official told AFP on condition of anonymity.A doctor at Al Thawra hospital in Ibb province where the bodies were taken said seven children and four women were among the dead." So the response of the Saudis at least at first was to ignore the offer and continue attacks.

Saudis say they will accept a "limited cease fire"

In what may be a belated response to the Houthis offer of a cease fire the Saudis have offered their own limited cease fire: "Saudi Arabia has agreed to a limited cease-fire in several areas of Yemen including the capital Sana’a, which is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, as part of broader efforts to end a four-year conflict that has threatened to escalate into regional war.A Yemeni government official and a diplomat said attempts were underway to expand the truce. Saudi officials couldn’t immediately be reached for comment."

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Saudi oil facilities that severely impacted Saudi oil output. However, the US has blamed Iran for the attacks. The Saudis may believe that they have suffered sufficient losses already in the war. They also face conflict with southern separatists supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who have seized control of the port of Aden and adjacent territory. Nevertheless the US has responded to the attack on the oil facilities by sending more troops and military equipment to Saudi Arabia.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

White House falsely accuses Iran of attack on US navy ship off Yemen

(February 2) On Wednesday National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn announced that he had "officially put Iran on notice" after it had carried out a ballistic missile test.

He also used an attack by Houthi rebels, whom Iran supports, on a Saudi naval vessel as a justification for putting Iran on notice. When White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, reported on Flynn' statement he used two "alternative facts" to create fake news about the event:

Sean Spicer asserted at Thursday’s press briefing that Iran had attacked a U.S. naval vessel, as part of his argument defending the administration’s bellicose announcement that Iran is “on notice.”

Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi pictured in September at the United Nations

Timothy A. Clary, AFP/File

However there was no attack on a US vessel but on a Saudi vessel. Iran was not involved but Houthi rebels who are involved in a civil war with the government of president Mansour Hadi supported by a Saudi-led coalition. Iran supports the Houthis. In answer to the question of what "on notice" made Spicer said: “I think General Flynn was really clear yesterday that Iran has violated the Joint Resolution, that Iran’s additional hostile actions that it took against our Navy vessel are ones that we are very clear are not going to sit by and take. I think that we will have further updates for you on those additional actions.”

While Major Garrett of CBS news corrected Spicer noting that it was a Saudi vessel. Spicer responded but almost inaudibly:“Sorry, thank you, yes a Saudi vessel. Yes, that’s right.” He did not correct his statement that it was an Iranian attack. The attack is described in an Al Arabiya article. A Pentagon spokesperson, Christopher Sherwood confirmed that the attack was on a Saudi warship by suspected Houthi rebels--not Iran. Fox News filed a report on the attack that suggested that the real target might have been a US ship. Spicer went further to invent the alternative fact that a US ship had been attacked.

The Intercept reminds readers that the story is like that behind the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The North Vietnamese were accused of attacking two navy destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam. Then-president Lyndon Johnson used these attacks to convince Congress to authorize military action in Vietnam. The second attack used to justify retaliation probably never happened and there was evidence at the time that the US had been firing at false blips on radar caused by weather conditions. There were no Vietnamese ships present. It was basically a manufactured alternative fact.

The US has been on the same side as the Saudis and the US has dispatched ships into the Gulf Area including into the Bab-ed Mandeb strait off the coast of Yemen to help reinforce a Saudi blockade, a blockade that has left up to 14 million people hungry. Rockets fired from Houthi-held territories appeared to be targeting a US warship. In response the Obama administration struck three radar sites in the Houthi-controlled area.

Iran claims that its recent missile tests do not involve any rockets that would carry nuclear warheads but are for self-defense, and as such the tests do not violate any terms of the agreement signed two years ago. Nevertheless the US uses these tests along with alternative facts about a Houthi attack on a Saudi vessel to "put Iran on notice".

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UAE using mercenaries from Colombia to fight in Yemen

The United Arab Emirates(UAE) secretly sent hundreds of mercenaries from Colombia to Yemen to battle against the Houthi rebels who still control much territory in the east and north of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

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The program was originally run by a private company with connections to Erik Prince the founder of Blackwater. Blackwater was involved in a number of incidents in Iraq that outraged the Iraqi government. The UAE says the program is now run by the UAE military. Another 450 Latin American troops including fighters from Panama, Salvador, and Chile are in addition to the Saudis, UAE troops and locals loyal to the government of Mansour Hadi, all fighting against the rebel Houthis. The UAE may worry about losses to its own troops causing difficulties at home. In September one strike by the Houthis killed 45 troops, almost all from the UAE.

Sean McFate, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council:“Mercenaries are an attractive option for rich countries who wish to wage war yet whose citizens may not want to fight.The private military industry is global now.”He said the U.S. had legitimized the practice by relying heavily on contractors in iraq and Afghanistan. There are now 1,800 Latin American soldiers training at a military base in the UAE. Saudi Arabia has already sent hundreds of Sudanese soldiers to Yemen. A recent UN report also claimed that there are 400 Eritrean troops in Yemen. If this is true it could violate a UN resolution restricting Eritrean military activities.

The Colombian recruits get salaries from $2,000 to $3,000 a month. In Colombia they would make about $400 a month. If deployed to Yemen they get a bonus of $1,000 more a week, according to an anonymous former senior Colombian military officer who is involved in the project. The project began five years ago in 2010. The exodus of some of Colombia's best trained soldiers is causing some trouble in the fight against drugs in Colombia. Jaime Ruiz, the president of Colombia's Association of Retired Armed Forces Officials said: “These great offers, with good salaries and insurance, got the attention of our best soldiers.” Often money earned is sent to Colombia to support families of the troops.

There may be peace talks in the near future. Past efforts at peace have failed as the UN and the Hadi government in effect demand the Houthi withdraw from all the areas they have won and lay down their arms. The Saudi-led coalition seems bent on subjecting the Houthis to a humiliating defeat if they can.

Human Rights Watch(HRW) and other human rights groups have been critical of the Saudi-led bombing campaign. HRW claims at least 10 air strikes broke the laws of war killing civilians. Saudi Arabia simply denies such reports. The recent HRW report claims the strikes killed at least 309 civilians and wounded at least 414. They noted that it was an obligation of Saudi Arabia's allies to investigate possible war crimes The report notes: "Human Rights Watch found either no evident military target or that the attack failed to distinguish civilians from military objectives. Human Rights Watch is unaware of any investigations by Saudi Arabia or other coalition members in these or other reported cases."The attacks were on residential houses, market places, a factory, and a civilian prison. In the past, the Saudis also hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital and used cluster bombs in attacks in the north. Many of the weapons including cluster bombs are provided by the United States.

The UN claims about 5,700 people have been killed in the fighting since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began last March. More than 2,600 civilians are among those killed with about two-thirds of the civilian casualties caused by air strikes.

Islamic State affiliate in Yemen claims credit for three attacks in port of Aden

An affiliate of the Islamic State in Yemen claimed credit for several attacks in the port city of Aden that had previously been blamed on Houthi rebels.

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Aden is now occupied by a coalition of Saudi-led troops, including many from the UAE, and local militia who support the internationally-recognized government of president Mansour Hadi. Until recently government officials have been in exile in Ryadh Saudi Arabia but some officials have now returned to set up government operations in Aden which will be designated the capital. Sanaa the former capital is still occupied by the Houthi rebels who have set up their own government. They also control much of the north west of Yemen although the Saudi-led bombing and ground campaign has driven them from several southern provinces.

Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) has been able to control more territory as it has battled the Houthis often with the cooperation of local Sunni tribes who also oppose the Shia Houthis. However, the Houthis have the support of army forces loyal to former president Saleh. As in other countries, some Al Qaeda fighters have switched their allegiance to the Islamic State. In Yemen IS has so far been known mostly for terrorist attacks against the Houthis including attacks on mosques. However, Al Qaeda fought a guerilla war against the Hadi government when it was in power so it is hardly surprising that they should also attack the Saudis and others who support the Hadi government as it tries to re-establish itself in Aden. There are reports that Al Qaeda members received arms during the offensive to drive out the Houthis and they are also said to control part of the port city. Some of these fighters may have joined the Islamic State. AQAP controls a large area east of Aden including Mukalla the capital of Hadramawt province.

The official Saudi Press Agency previously blamed Houthi rebels for the attack. One attack targeted the 239 room Al Qasre Hotel and Resort which officials of the Hadi government are using as headquarters. Two other attacks were launched against locations used by UAE troops.

The IS affiliate in Aden circulated a message claiming responsibility for the attack and providing details. It said that a militant called Abu al-Adani attacked the hotel using a bomb-laden truck. He was followed by another bomber who drove a Humvee packed with explosives. The Central Operations Headquarters of the Saudi and Emirati Forces and the Emirati military administrative headquarters were also targets in separate attacks. The claims have yet to be independently verified. Neither Saudi, Emirati, or Yemeni officials would comment on the claims.

The UAE official news agency did say that the death toll included four soldiers from the UAE, although the Saudis said that one Saudi and three UAE soldiers were killed. Local fighters were also among the dead. The UAE has a large military presence in Yemen with 4,000 ground troops, tanks, armoured vehicles, and attack helicopters. On Sept. 4, 52 UAE soldiers and 10 from Saudi Arabia were killed when the Houthis successfully hit an ammunition depot. The new attacks by IS fighters adds to the already complicated set of combatants in the Yemen civil war that is reported to have killed more than 4,000 people and created a huge humanitarian crisis of displaced persons and a population on the brink of famine. There is no sign of any peace as the Hadi government and its allies appear to believe that they can win militarily.

The war has taken a heavy toll on Yemen. More than 4,000 people have been killed, and the humanitarian crisis has left the impoverished country on the brink of famine.

No peace talks in Yemen as Hadi government refuses to attend

Exiled Yemen president Mansour Hadi and his government announced on Sunday that they will not participate in planned UN peace talks. Hadi insists that Houthis must withdraw from any areas they seized during their offensive, including the capital Sanaa.

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This and other demands are part of a UN resolution passed in April. Hadi has always taken the view that any peace talks should simply discuss ways of implementing the UN demands. Peace talks for Hadi would more appropriately be called "surrender talks." The Houthis have already agreed at least in part with the UN resolution in order to achieve a political solution. UN envoy Ismail Ahmed says the Houthis have accepted most of the UN resolution. Hazsan Zaid, president of the Houthi-allied Haq party, claimed accepting the UN resolution is not the concern but rather the problem is its implementation:The Houthis have accepted to withdraw their forces and hand in the arms they seized, but want to ensure they take place in a manner that doesn't keep Yemen lawless. Withdrawing forces with no replacement for security will allow al Qaeda to take control, as they did in southern provinces."

An earlier statement about the peace talks from the UN also indicated all sides had agreed to abide by a Security Council resolution that among other things called for the Houthis to pull out of major cities as well as return arms seized. Naturally, the Houthis want something in return. The Hadi government and the Saudi coalition seem convinced that they can defeat the Houthis militarily.

There had been no talk of a ceasefire while the peace talks went on this time, and the Saudi coalition appears to be massing forces for a march towards the capital Sanaa. Hadi and the Saudis may be simply reaching for excuses not to join the talks while they press on with the battle or try to force an immediate surrender by the Houthis. Hadi talked of the Houthis being required not only to accept the UN resolution but to agree to its unconditional implementation, better phrased as "unconditional surrender" Latest reports indicate that the Saudi-led offensive has already begun and air attacks on Houthis have intensified.

UN Human Rights chief Zeid al-Hussein called for an independent inquiry into violations of human rights by both sides in the conflict. The Saudi-led coalition has used cluster bombs in northern Yemen, and bombed civilian areas in some cities, as well as targeted port facilities in Hodeida occupied by the Houthis. The port is a key area for UN delivery of aid to Houthi-controlled areas. The Houthis are accused of shelling civilian areas. Al-Hussein claimed that more than 2,000 civilians had been killed and another 4,000 wounded in the conflict. He also said 21 million people or 80 percent of the population needed humanitarian aid.

Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) has been able to turn the conflict to its advantage. It has extended considerably the range of territory it controls and forged close alliances with various Sunni tribal leaders to battle the Houthis. The US has continued sporadic drone attacks on the group but the Saudi coalition forces have not bombed nor even joined battle with AQAP. Apparently, they see the battle against the Houthis as the first order of business. However, once the Houthis are cleared from an area AQAP may advance. It appears to already have control of a part of the port of Aden. The many foreign troops now in Yemen will have problems with the Southern Movement militia as well. They often clashed with the Hadi government when it was in power. Now with the help of the foreign troops they have control of Aden and other parts of the south. They will demand autonomy or even separation of the south as their reward for driving out the Houthis. Even if the Saudis eventually are able to take most of Yemen from the Houthis their problems will be far from over. As indicated in the appended video, earlier the Hadi government had said it would attend the planned peace talks.

Saudis talk peace but are preparing an offensive against Houthi rebels

The Saudi coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen, some time ago decided that the bombing campaign alone was not sufficient to defeat the Houthis. Special forces and military equipment were sent to bolster local militia in Aden.

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The change in tactics has enabled the coalition and allies in Aden to retake the port of Aden and much of the rest of southern Yemen. However, with the recent buildup of troops have come casualties. Both the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and even Bahrain suffered casualties, with sixty killed in one day recently. One report, puts the total number of coalition troops on the ground at 10,000. Yemeni officials report much lower numbers and from only Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. Officials claimed there were at least around 2,000. No doubt the presence of so many foreign troops in Yemen may turn even those opposed to the Houthis against their "liberators" especially given the destruction and civilian casualties caused by the bombing campaign.

Egypt has now sent between 150 and 200 troops to join battle in Yemen. Sudan has committed to sending 6,000 troops according to a source close to the Qatari military. Newly arriving Qatari troops are bringing Apache helicopters, armored vehicles, and rocket launchers. One reportputs the number of Qatari troops at 1,000. Troops appear to be massing in the central province of Marib for a march on the capital Sanaa to the north.

Ex-president Saleh has close ties with the tribal leaders in the area. Authorities are trying to determine how the Houthis managed to get coordinates to a weapons depot that they successfully hit in a rocket attack that killed many coalition troops. The tribal leaders are for the present fighting alongside forces loyal to Hadi and the coalition troops but many in the armed forces are loyal to Saleh who up until now has supported the Houthis. Saleh may perhaps be changing sides for the moment but still helping the Houthis on occasion.

Special UN envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ahmed, announced that the warring parties in Yemen have agreed to take part in peace talks next week. There have never been actual peace talks. The UN has passed a resolution demanding that the Houthis withdraw from all the territories they have seized. In a statement yesterday, Mansour Hadi, the president of the "internationally recognized" government of Yemen now located in Ryadh, Saudi Arabia, said he would attend the talks but that for negotiations to take place the Houthis must pull back from all the areas seized since last year. This would include Sanaa the capital. This is tantamount to a surrender and saves the coalition a bloody fight to regain territory. More than 4,500 people have been killed since the conflict began last March. Many people have been internally displaced while other fled to Djibouti and even Somalia. There is a dire humanitarian crisis with many hungry, depleted medical services and supplies, and diseases spreading. Many of the Arab States see the conflict as a battle with Iran which supports the Houthis.

The situation is more complex than this as the Houthis have support from ex-president Saleh and troops loyal to him and his son. Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) appears to be one of the winners in this battle as it has extended its area of control and alliances with local Sunni leaders. The coalition has not attacked AQAP as long as it has confined its activity to fighting the Houthis but when Hadi was in power the group launched devastating attacks on the government and its military. Another winner will be the southern separatist movement. Their flag can be regularly seen in areas taken from the Houthis and in military convoys. This group will insist on autonomy or even separation of southern Yemen from the north. When Hadi was in power before they often clashed with the armed forces and they reject Hadi's plan to divide Yemen into six federated regions. In this opposition they actually agree with their Houthi opponents. Even should the coalition be successful in retaking the rest of the areas occupied by the Houthi, there is no guarantee of any peace or stable government under a regime headed by Hadi.

Saudis and allies paying steep price for intervention in Yemen

As long as the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen engaged solely in a bombing campaign, they were free of casualties except for a few losses at the southern Saudi border.

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Recently however, the coalition has sent troops to help retake the port of Aden and aid southern militia to clear out other areas in the south. The result was almost inevitable. The coalition is now paying the price in casualties. The first major incident involved the loss of 45 UAE troops, five from Bahrain and 10 more Saudi Arabians killed.

The Houthis fired a missile and scored a hit on a weapons depot in Maarib province that caused a huge blast that killed the 45 UAE troops. The Saudis confirmed that 10 of their troops were killed as well. This is the first time the Saudis have confirmed having troops in the area. The Bahrain government reported their casualties happened on the Yemen Saudi border but gave no details. There is sporadic cross-border firing. The coalition was quick to reply to the carnage inflicted by the Houthis with revenge bombing attacks.

The revenge bombings killed many innocent people who had nothing to do with the Houthi raid. There were 44 civilians reported killed including 24 in the capital Sanaa. Even more ironic was an attack in northern Jawf Province. Saudi warplanes attacked a funeral wake for a man who had been killed by the Houthis. Twenty more tribesmen were killed in the strike.

Sheik Mohamed Al Nahyan said in a meeting with exiled Yemen preisdent Mansour Hadi that the UAE would continue the operation against Houthi militias in Yemen until security and stability are restored to the country. The problem is that many of those loyal at present to Hadi in the south, are actually southern separatists. They want an autonomous or even independent south Yemen. They will fight the Houthis, but when Hadi was in power they opposed him as well often even clashing with his armed forces. The Saudis and the UAE also face troops loyal to former president Saleh who has sided with the Houthis. The coalition also is confronted by a much stronger presence of Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP), who not only have seized several important cities including Mukalla the capital of Hadrawmut, but also occupy part of Aden. They have formed alliances with local tribes against the Houthi. They are not likely to look kindly on the return of Hadi from exile made possible only by foreign military force. Intervention is not a recipe for stability and security but internal conflict without end. Hadi and the coalition insist that they war will go on until they retake the whole country. However, if casualties continue to mount, there may finally be a push for peace.

Already the toll of those killed in the war is upwards of 4,500 people including hundreds of children according to the United Nations. At the same time, many have been displaced internally or have fled the country. Those who remain face famine and lack of basic necessities and health services on the brink of collapse as shown on the appended video.

Senior official of Yemen government-in-exile at work in Aden

Mohammed Ali Marem may be the only senior official of the internationally-recognized government of President Mansour Hadi who is working inside Yemen. Most officials are located in the safety of Ryadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Marem is chief of staff for the office of President Mansour Hadi. He has the job of paving the way for the return of the government in exile. Hadi was forced into exile when Houthi rebels marched south from their bases in the north to take the capital, Sanaa, after negotiations to form a government brokered by the UN broke down. Hadi resigned and was under virtual house arrest after the Houthis took control. However, he escaped to Aden, recanted his resignation, and tried to set up a government there, only to be driven into exile as ŧhe Houthis attacked Aden. Marem accompanied Hadi when he escaped to Aden. However, when Hadi escaped Aden to exile in Ryadh this March, Marem stayed behind in hiding during the Houthi siege of the city.

As can be seen in the photos at this site, much of Aden is in ruins. Marem said:“President Hadi has hoped to return to Aden since the beginning of August, ... however it is difficult to return to war-torn city, as there is not even an office for the president to work from and there is not a house for him. However, I hope that the reconstruction of the presidential palaces will be finished as soon as possible, and the president will return in the coming days".The Houthis were driven from the city in July.

The previous chief of staff, Ahmed bin Mubarak, was jailed by the Houthis in Sanaa but was released on the promise he leave Yemen. Hadi made him ambassador to the US.

Marem holds a Ph.D. in finance and banking from a Malaysian university. He was a finance lecturer at Aden University. He headed the National Dialogue Conference that was deigned to gather stakeholders to plan for a democratic future for Yemen. The Houthis left the conference after two of their delegates were assassinated. Subsequent to the conference Hadi drafted a plan that would divide Yemen into six federal areas. Not only did the Houthis reject this but so did the Southern Movement some of whom did not even attend the dialogue. Now the Southern Movement militias have helped drive the Houthis from Aden and other parts of the south. They are a separatist group who will demand autonomy and perhaps independence for southern Yemen. They often clashed with the Hadi government when he was in power.

UAE troops played a key role in the recapture of Aden it would appear. Recently they also rescued a UK hostage from Al Qaeda. Seven UAE soldiers have been killed.

Maren praised the UAE forces:“The Emirates led the battle in Aden from the first step to the last and they made Aden return to its normal conditions. The Emirates is the most effective country in the field, especially fighting shoulder to shoulder with the resistance on the battlefields.”He also claims they played a vital role in reopening the port and the airport. The UAE Red Crescent is also active in distributing aid within the city.

Marem said that eight ministers were expected in Aden soon. However, Marem claimed that the reconstruction of buildings was the only obstacle that faced the return of the cabinet to the city. Perhaps Marem is not aware that Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) has control of part of Aden and that they are expert at disruptive terror attacks. They have made many attacks against the Houthis but also carried out such attacks against the Hadi government when he was in power.

Al Qaeda in Arab Peninsula occupying parts of Yemeni port of Aden

A week ago, officials from exiled president's Mansour Hadi's government, claimed that Aden had been taken from Houthi rebels and that it would be the temporary capital for five years while the rest of the country was retaken from Houthi rebels.

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So far, the Hadi government is still mainly located in Ryadh Saudi Arabia. Saudi-led bombing and supply of ground forces loyal to Hadi have forced the Houthis out of much of southern Yemen. The Houthis still control the capital Sanaa and many other areas. However, there has been an ominous development in Aden as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula(AQAP) has taken control of a western sector of the port city. What is even more surprising is that there were no reports of any major battles with the group. AQAP has raised its flag over a number of government buildings including the port complex. A CBC report indicates that AQAP controls important areas of the city according to local officials:Fighters took Tawahi district, home to a presidential palace and Aden's main port, and were patrolling the streets flying black banners, the officials said Saturday. The militants also took parts of Crater, Aden's commercial centre, and parts of the town of Dar Saad, just north of Aden, including an army base that their fighters turned into a training camp, they added.

The officials from the military spoke anonymously. A Yemeni government spokesperson refused to comment. In Tawahi, AQAP destroyed the main security building on Saturday a site they have been trying to destroy for years. A high-ranking military official claimed that authorities in Aden had given weapons supplied by the Saudis and allies to AQAP in March and April during the drive to oust the Houthis from Aden. AQAP also captured many weapons as they have taken more territory.

While the US has continued drone attacks against AQAP, neither the Saudis nor their allies have fought with AQAP in any significant way. AQAP has been one of the most effective forces countering the Houthi advance, often in alliance with local tribes. They have taken control of a large swath of territory during the civil war, taking the port of Mukalla, the capital of Hadrahmut province east of Aden. While the US makes battling AQAP a priority, the Hadi government and the Saudis appear to see them as allies in the fight against the Houthis first and foremost, even though when in power his government faced constant attacks from AQAP as they waged guerilla warfare against his regime..

Yemen government-in-exile sends ministers to southern city of Aden

Several ministers of the government-in-exile of Mansour Hadi arrived by helicopter from Saudi Arabia in preparation for the revival of institutions of state in the city of Aden.

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Al Jazeera reports several ministers, along with top intelligence officials of the Hadi government, arrived in Aden after forces loyal to Hadi recaptured Aden from the Houthis. The photo accompanying the Al Jazeera articles shows forces in Aden said to be loyal to Hadi. It is a loyalty of convenience. The flag these loyalists are flying is not that of Yemen but of the Republic of South Yemen. These are members of a Southern Movement militia who are separatists. They will use the situation to promote their own cause and not that of Hadi, whose proposal to divide Yemen into six federal regions they reject. Al Jazeera notes: On Wednesday, Popular Resistance fighters - a southern militia that has been the mainstay of support for Hadi - recaptured the provincial government headquarters in the Mualla district opposite Aden's main commercial port, Ali al-Ahmadi, a militia spokesman, told the AFP news agency.They also advanced in Aden's Crater district, where a presidential palace is located, he said.It is not clear whether reporters or analysts are stupid or deliberately fail to notice the irony that Aden is being liberated by separatists, the same group that Hadi repressed and whose government the group often clashed with. What is happening is a process of possible division of Yemen into a north controlled by Houthi and Saleh loyalists and Hadi in collaboration with the Southern Movement ruling the South. Such an alliance would be no stranger than that of Saleh loyalists with the Houthis. As the appended photo shows, the Houthis are still in parts of Aden and have set sections of the refinery on fire.

One of the arriving officials said: "[Exiled President] Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi delegated this group to return to Aden to work to prepare the security situation and ensure stability ahead of a revival of the institutions of state in Aden," .Hadi tried this before and was driven out. Hadi is being cautious this time and is not returning himself as yet. He will stay safe and sound in Ryadh, Saudi Arabia. Forces loyal to Hadi retook the airport recently and much of the nearby diplomatic district. However retreating rebels pounded the district with rocket fire. Rockets also set fire to an oil refinery.

Exiled vice-president said on Facebook that his government would try to restore life to Aden: "The government announces the liberation of the province of Aden on the first day of Eid al-Fitr which falls on July 17, We will work to restore life in Aden and all the liberated cities, to restore water and electricity." The Houthis claim that there are still clashes in several parts of Aden.

The offensive in Aden comes after a ceasefire declared by the UN failed to take effect. Saudi Arabia continued its bombing campaign just hours after the ceasefire was to come into force. UN special envoy Ismail Ahmed claimed he had assurances that both sides would agree to the "humanitarian pause" of about a week to last until the end of Ramadan. Saudi Arabian officials , nevertheless, said that they had never agreed to the ceasefire. While the UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed disappointment at the failure of the ceasefire, he did not suggest that Saudi Arabia should be punished or sanctioned. Saudi Arabia is one of the good guys so there is little international condemnation, even of the rhetorical type that involves no punishment.

The UN has declared a level-3 humanitarian emergency in Yemen, the highest possible. The UN estimates since late March more than 3,200 people have been killed since the Saudi-led airstrikes began against the Houthis who have taken over much of the west of Yemen. More than 21 million people, over 80 percent of the population are said to need aid. 13 million face food shortages, and access to water is difficult for 9.4 million people. The need for a ceasefire is urgent but apparently it is more important for Saudi Arabia to continue the battle. As the appended video from Sanaa the capital shows, there must still be some gas available there.

Saudi Arabia claims it did not agree to a ceasefire in Yemen

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he was "very much disappointed" by the failure of a ceasefire that was supposed to begin on Friday and last until the end of Ramadan.

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Saudi officials claim they did not agree to a ceasefire in the first place. The Saudis renewed bombings just hours after the ceasefire was to take effect. The Houthis have been renewing attacks since as well.

In the latest attacks, the Saudis bombed Sawan, a slum residential area in Sanaa near a military base. Reports by local officials claim at least 25 civilians were killed and 50 wounded. Hospital officials report there were women and children among the casualties. The attacks appear to have actually missed the military base itself. Sawan was just one of dozens of targets in 10 different provinces throughout Monday. The Houthis resumed battle as well in several cities including a significant offensive into a suburb of Aden which the rebels appear to have taken. Houthi mortar fire in Aden is reported to have set a refinery ablaze with an official telling Reuters: "We are trying to put out the fire. The shelling targeted the tanks where we were storing diesel and fuel for local consumption in Aden. The damage is going to be very big."

In spite of Ki-moon's disappointment that there have now been three days of bombing and clashes since the truce was declared, UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said: "Obviously the secretary-general is very, very much disappointed. We've not lost hope and the discussions are ongoing." Dujarric also said that the UN envoy to Yemen, Ould Cheikh Ahmed, had received the commitments he thought were necessary to announce the ceasefire. He said all parties should honour their commitments. It appears that at least one party denies they made any commitment in the first place. Ahmed had contacted Saudi officials and Hadi, the president in exile, had assured him he would accept the truce and inform the Arab coalition of his support. Hadi's response is a change in policy since earlier he refused a temporary ceasefire unless Houthis withdrew from territory they occupied and laid down their arms. A humanitarian pause is absolutely essential to help relieve the humanitarian disaster the continued conflict and ceaseless bombing campaign have inflicted upon the Yemenis. The UN is continuing contacts at different levels in an attempt to secure a ceasefire still.

The Saudis are nowhere near their stated objective of restoring the Hadi government to power. He has little support in Yemen. Radical Islamists including Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) are thriving in the resulting chaos. AQAP in alliance with Sunni tribes has extended its power even seizing Mukalla the capital of a province. The Islamic State has carried out deadly attacks in Sanaa, the capital.

The Saudi-led bombing campaign began back in March. The campaign has not resulted in the Houthis losing any significant amount of territory. Of late, they appear to have even made gains in Aden. The Houthi rebels are Shia and are supported by Iran. The majority in Yemen are Sunni. Both Iran and the rebels would like to see a political settlement with a government that the Houthis could support. On their own , the Houthis will probably be unable to rule. Even now they depend upon the support of troops loyal to former president Saleh, who is allied with the Houthis, in spite of the fact that when he was in power he persecuted them.

Al Qaeda in Yemen release more than 1,200 prisoners from prison in city of Taiz

News agency Saba reported that supporters of Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) attacked the central prison in the city of Taiz and released more than 1,200 prisoners.

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This is the largest release of several prison breaks that have freed Yemeni militants. Narratives vary as to exactly how the break happened. It is not clear how many of the prisoners were Al-Qaeda suspects. A local official said the prisoners were able to leave amid heavy clashes between AQAP fighters and army units loyal to former president Saleh, who supports the Houthi rebellion. The Houthis entered the city in March in their advance into the south. A security official claimed that forces linked to Saleh had allowed the prisoners to escape as the Al-Qaeda-linked forces, called "popular commitees" advanced. These groups may be of both AQAP fighters and local Sunni tribal fighters who have joined forces to combat the Houthis. One official said: "Heavy fighting took place near the central prison and the popular committees approached and seized control of the area, but Saleh's forces opened the prison doors."

Three months of bombing has done little to push back the Houthi advance. In the rare cases where the Houthis are losing it is to AQAP or popular militia of the Southern Movement, who want an independent South Yemen. There appears little support for restoring Hadi among those in the battle. Back in April, AQAP released many militants from a prison in Mukalla after army forces loyal to Hadi's government in exile left the city with virtually no resistance.

The Islamic State has become more active in the battle against the Houthis with several violent suicide bombings. The latest attack in Sanaa killed at least 28 people according to local medics.The car bomb targeted two brothers who were mourning the death of a relative. Eight women were among those killed. In March a series of bombings of Houthi mosques killed 142.

The Saudi bombings have continued with some attacks happening in residential areas as they target residences of rebel leaders or Saleh supporters. One attack damaged a historic site and a recent attack hit a UN compound in Aden. A guard was injured at the office of the UN Development Programme in Aden and there was serious damage to the compound according to UN spokesperson Farhan Haq. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a full investigation of the strike. Clashes continue in Aden. There were talks between Houthis and Southern Movement militia in Oman. Some forces have been withdrawn from Aden by the Houthis to reinforce other areas. However, conflict has not ceased in the city.

Yemen peace talks to take place in Geneva on June 14

The Prime Minister of the government in exile of president Mansour Hadi said that the upcoming peace talks slated for June 14 in Geneva will be aimed at "restoring power" to the Hadi government.

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The Prime Minister, Khaled Bahah, speaking in exile in Ryadh, the Saudi capital, said the talks would be used to pressure Shiite rebels to withdraw from the capital and other cities they have captured. A spokesperson for the Houthis, Mohammed Abdel-Salem dismissed Bahah's remarks, claiming the Hadi government was illegitimate and there are no preconditions associated with the talks. Initially the government in exile refused to even attend the talks unless the Houthis implemented the UN Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of the Houthi forces from occupied cities among other things. No doubt under pressure from its supporters, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, officials of the government now say they will attend the talks but only to discuss implementation of the resolution.

Bahah was adamant in his position saying:Going to Geneva is meant to consult on the mechanism of ... the return of the state. There will be no negotiations."So why would anyone hold peace talks between powers in conflict if there is to be no negotiation? President in exile Mansour Hadi took precisely the same line and ruled out any negotiations with the Houthis. Hadi is in no position to make such demands. The Houthi rebels have long been in control of much of Yemen, seizing the capital Sanaa last fall and since extending control south right to Aden, where a battle for control of the city is ongoing. Hadi had tried to negotiate through the UN a government acceptable to the Houthis. When he failed, he resigned and was under virtual house arrest in Sanaa. He escaped to Aden where he declared he was still president and tried to set up a government there. He was driven out and sought refuge and support in Saudi Arabia. Hadi is in large part a creation of the U.S. and Gulf Cooperation Council as part of a deal that saw former president Ali Saleh give up power to Hadi, who was then vice-president. It is not surprising that he was able to enlist those same countries to carry out bombing attacks on the Houthis on his behalf and to pass a UN resolution that in effect asks the Houthis to surrender. The UN also imposed sanctions on two Houthi leaders as well as former president Saleh whose support has been instrumental in helping the Houthi advance. Repeating the same line as his prime minister, Hadi told Al Arabiya TV: "There will be no negotiations, It will be just a discussion about how to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2216. We will have a consultation."He said there would be no talk of reconciliation with the rebels.

The U.S. has welcomed the talks and repeated the UN refrain that parties should attend the talks without preconditions. However, what the U.S. says should happen has parts that are as unrealistic as the position of the Hadi government and if followed are bound to result in a useless conference except as a platform to condemn the rebels. A US statement says:We urge Yemenis participating in the talks to work towards a rapid resumption of the Yemeni political transition process in line with the GCC Initiative, National Dialogue Conference outcomes, and related UN Security Council resolutions. We also call upon those participating to prioritize reaching an agreement to end the fighting and begin the withdrawal of forces from key Yemeni cities.The National Dialogue is dead as a door nail. Items passed that the important powers fashioning Yemen's future did not like were not implemented. The dialogue passed a motion against drone strikes. Even the legislature followed suit. But the man beholden to the outside powers, President Hadi, did not turn the motion into law.

As part of the Dialogue, Hadi was left to draw up plans for a federal Yemen. He divided the country into six divisions a position rejected by not only the Houthis, who withdrew from the Dialogue after two of their representatives were assassinated, but was also rejected by the Southern Movement separatists. It is this group fighting the Houthis in Aden and other southern areas who are often characterized as loyal to Hadi. They will demand at the very least autonomy for the south in order to go along with any political settlement. It is the international outside supporters of Hadi who have the real power, without them Hadi would be completely helpless. Unless those powers are willing to provide the Houthis with a guarantee of a government that they will find acceptable there will be no lasting peace deal. However, even agreement on a cease fire and humanitarian relief with further negotiations would be positive.

US officials meet with Yemeni Houthi rebel representatives in Oman

Anne Patterson, the Obama administration's top diplomat for the Near East, met last week in Oman with representatives of the Houthi rebels according to Marie Harf a State Department spokesperson.

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Oman has not joined with the Saudi-led coalition that is bombing Houthi-held areas in Yemen. This is the first official contact between US officials and the rebels who control much of the western area of Yemen including the capital Sanaa. While there were attempts to form a government agreeable to the Houthis, negotiations failed. President Hadi was under virtual house arrest in Sanaa after he resigned. He later was able to flee to Aden in the south where he declared he was still president. However, he was driven out and forced to flee to Saudi Arabia to the safety of Riyadh the capital. The Saudis together with many in the Gulf Cooperation Council are trying to force his reinstatement by attacking the Houthis, so far with no success. The conflict has led to a humanitarian disaster as people flee the fighting and even Yemen. Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula(AQAP) are capturing more territory as they clash with the Houthis and often find allies in local Sunni tribes. The Houthis are Shia and are supported by Iran.

The US takes the view that there can be only a political solution to the conflict and is trying to convince all parties including the rebels that they should take part in a peace process. President Hadi has demanded up to now that the Houthis give up at least some of the territories they have seized as a condition for his attending peace talks. Two main Houthi leaders and their strong supporter former president Saleh are sanctioned by the UN. It is not clear that they could even attend the talks.

The US is hardly neutral in the conflict as it has been providing intelligence and advice on targets to the Saudis. It has also continued drone attacks on AQAP even though the Saudis seem not to have bombed any AQAP-held areas. AQAP is one of the most effective forces fighting against the Houthis and are preventing them from advancing further to the east of Yemen. AQAP has virtually taken one province and its capital city. It is not clear whether the US mission was undertaken with the blessing of the Saudis. So far they have made no comment on developments. However, Secretary of State John Kerry and director of the CIA John Brennan met with their Saudi counterparts recently and Obama hosted a meeting with Saudi princes last month at Camp David. The US is no doubt worried that the Saudi military campaign may be hurting their political aim of re-instating President Hadi.

The big powers, such as the US and Saudi Arabia who helped put Hadi in power and supported him may have an unrealistic assessment of what their superior military and other powers can achieve in the situation. Even in areas in the south where the Houthis are facing fierce opposition it is often from forces of the Southern Movement, who are no friends of Hadi, and want a separate South Yemen as was the case in the past. AQAP has been able to take advantage of the situation to gain considerable influence and territory as it confronts the Houthis. No military solution seems possible without extensive intervention on the ground.

The leader of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, was instrumental in making arrangements for the talks. US officials helped to arrange for several Houthi representatives to fly to Muscat for the talks. As well as Anne Patterson, US Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller also participated in the talks. The US hopes it may be able to broker a permanent ceasefire and then peace talks.

The released US journalist suffered a back injury and is in stable condition in an Oman hospital. His mother said she had talked to him and that he was doing well considering his ordeal. State Department spokesperson, Marie Harf, said that he had been released through mediation of Oman authorities. Oman is one Yemeni neighbour that is trying to play a positive role in this conflict rather than creating more havoc in Yemen.