Houthis take northern province in Yemen and move south

(March 18)Yemen's rebel Houthi movement reported on Tuesday that they had taken control of almost the whole of Jawf Province a northern province that borders Saudi Arabia. The advance marks one of the largest gains for the group in months.

Houthis may push south into oil and gas producing areas

Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthis, said Tuesday that they’ve overtaken almost all of Al-Jawf province. This will free Houthi forces to concentrate on moving south.

While controlling more border areas is useful the Houthis,who are supported by Iran, already control much of the north including the capital Sanaa. Indications are that the Houthis will now will try to push south into Maarib Province. Here Yemen's limited but nevertheless valuable oil and gas industries are based.

Fighting escalates in Maarib

On Tuesday, fighting had already escalated in Maarib with clashes killing 18. Both sides claimed they had the advantage. However, as with much fighting lately in other central provinces the fighting could be a stalemate and could continue for some time. However, with the northern border area secured there could be Houthi reinforcement strengthening their side.

The Houthis may be anxious to seize more territory as leverage in future peace talks providing them with the superior bargaining position.

Saudis would like to see peace talks

The Saudis would like to see peace talks. The war has been costly both in financial terms and in the international reputation of Saudi Arabia. Dropping oil prices make it even more difficult to finance the war. The Saudis would agree to having the Houthis share in power with the Saudi supported Hadi government, whom the Saudis have been trying unsuccessfully so far to reinstate. However, Hadi has resisted any such solution demanding complete defeat of the Houthis. Saudis may decide that peace is more important than Hadi's demands and may end up agreeing to terms that Hadi will either have to accept or lose any Saudi support. Hadi might be wise to accept a power-sharing agreement with the Houthis as they appear to be gaining ground rather than facing defeat. Otherwise, he could end up with no power at all.

The five year war has had huge humanitarian consequences. Since a Saudi bombing campaign began back in 2015 tens of thousands of people have been killed and the attacks have created one of the worst humanitarian crises on the globe.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Houthis claim to have shot down Tornado jet in Yemen

(February 15)A Tornado jet belonging to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen has gone down. The official Saudi Press Agency said that the Saudi Air Force Tornado crashed in northern al-Jawf province.

Houthi rebels claim to have shot down the plane

Houthi broadcaster Al Masirah TV released a statement from Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saria saying they Houthis had show down the Tornado with an advanced air-to-ground missile.

Marwan Bishara, a senior political analyst for Al Jazeera noted that if Saria's report is true it could be a significant development in the Yemen war. Bishara said: "If they would have such a capability of missile batteries or land-to-air capacity against the Saudi air force, that would actually be a game changer."

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdelsalam boasted in a tweet: “The downing of a Tornado in the sky above Al-Jawf is a major blow to the enemy and an indication of remarkable growth in Yemeni (rebel) air defence capabilities.”

There is no discussion of where the advanced weapons come from. Perhaps, the US will accuse Iran of providing the weapons increasing already tense relations between the two countries.

Saudis respond with deadly air strikes near the crash area

On Saturday Al Masirah TV quoted Houthi health officials who claimed that at least 30 civilians were killed in the region where the Tornado had gone. A recent Digital Journal article reports on the raids and puts civilian casualties at 31. Reporter for Al Jazeera Mohammed al-Attab reporting from the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa said that Saudi fighter jets were intensifying attacks in the area. Youssef al-Hadira a spokesperson for the Houthi health ministry said that Saudi-led strikes were hampering rescue operations at the site. The fate of the crew of the plane has yet to be confirmed.

Background

The Saud-led military coalition with other Gulf States such as the UAE intervened in the conflict after 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government of Mansur Hadi. Hadi had to flee to Saudi Arabia as the Houthis advanced. They still control much of the north of the country although pro-Hadi forces supported by the Saudis and the UAE control Aden and other southern areas.

The situation is complicated by the role of the Southern Transitional Council the main southern separatist groups who are working for an independent southern Yemen as had existed in the past. With the aid of the UAE the group had seized control of Aden and the surrounding areas. An agreement ended this bitter fight between the UAE and the Saudis who were allied against the Houthis. The STC were to be given cabinet positions in the Hadi government. However Hadi supporters were unhappy with this solution and appear to have resisted attempts to carry it out.

It may very well be that the Saudis are getting tired of the Hadi government resisting the agreement. The Saudis would like to end this costly war. Saudi bombing practices have led to international condemnation.. There have been back-channel negotiations in Oman that have given some hope of reconciliation. However, there is continuing violence on the ground up to now. However, there is the possibility that a solution can be found that gives the separatists their independent country in the south and the Houthis control over the north with some Hadi supporters being offered positions in the Houthi government. If Hadi does not like it he could be left in a position so weak he would be virtually irrelevant.

The conflict has seen tens of thousands killed and millions reduced to the brink of famine in what the UN has termed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The appended video purports to show the shooting down of the Tornado. However, there are dozens of missiles being shot. One wonders how the Houthi could have this many.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Secret talks between Saudis and Houthis appear to make some progress

(December 2, 2019) Secret talks between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen Houthi movement appear to be making progress. Prisoners were released, medical patients have been evacuated and the number of attacks are down significantly.

The Stockholm Agreement

Prior to the recent talks there had been an agreement to solve some humanitarian issues such as access to ports for delivery of humanitarian aid. The Stockholm agreement had three main parts: "1 An agreement on the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa. 2 An executive mechanism on activating the prisoner exchange agreement.3 A statement of understanding on Taïz." Taiz is a city contested by both sides and Hodeiedah was a main port for the entry of humanitarian supplies essential for the many Yemenis facing starvation.

The agreement was in December of 2018 and raised hopes that the Yemen war could be ended. But as a recent article reports: "..those hopes faded quickly, as both sides accused each other of failing to implement the pact. Though the United Nations-led scheme has apparently foundered, separate talks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have Yemenis wondering whether some sort of peace may in fact be on the table. "

The talks

The Saudis have admitted there are "indirect, behind-the-scenes talks' with the Houthis, who control much of North Yemen and have the support of Iran. Oman that borders on Yemen has been brokering the talks. Early suggestions have been that the deal might be somewhat the same as the deal with southern separatists that ended fighting with the Saudis and separatist southerners with their UAE allies in Aden and adjoining areas. As the BBC reported: "Yemen's government has signed a power-sharing deal with separatists in the south of the country that is intended to end months of infighting.The two are meant to be part of an alliance with a Saudi-led multinational coalition that has been battling the rebel Houthi movement since 2015."

However, the deal with Saudis the UAE and separatists has upset the Hadi government does which does not like sharing power with the separatists. In the past, the Hadi government, that has the support of Saudi Arabia, has rejected any deal in which the Houthis get anything. In the Hadi view it is simply the legitimate government and the Houthis have no claim to any power.

New deal will be between Saudis and Houthis with no Hadi government involvement

The Saudis are interested in stopping attacks on its own soil by the Houthis. A Houthi source in Sanaa told Middle East Eye that the current talks are not part of the Stockholm agreement.'Saudi Arabia is pursuing a truce to protect its land and its people'"The Stockholm agreement was between the Houthis and Hadi’s government, but now the negotiations are between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia,” he said, on condition of anonymity."

The Hadi government is opting to still demand unconditional, indefinite rule over the whole of Yemen. However, the Saudis may be anxious for a deal with the Houthis that could involve some sort of power-sharing elements as well. Even an agreement for free elections could reduce any control of the Hadi government as its unpopularity in many places caused the Houthi rebellion in the first place.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Houthis and Saudis reach deal on ceasefire in the key Yemen port of Hodeidah

(July 16)Houthi and Saudi representatives have within the last 48 hours reached an agreement on board a UN ship in the Red Sea, according to UN officials. The deal would see the ceasefire at the port of Hodeidah enforced.

Ceasefire deal reached last year but not implemented

A ceasefire with troop withdrawals was negotiated last year, but failed to be completed as a May 11 article in the Guardian notes: "Yemen’s Houthi movement has begun unilaterally moving its forces out of key ports, the first practical progress under a ceasefire deal agreed last year. The retreat from areas in and around western Hodeidah was agreed at talks in Sweden in December but stalled over a lack of trust between two sides in the war. Both were meant to withdraw their fighters, leaving the United Nations to monitor shipments through the ports in Hodeidah. Shipments unloaded there provide a vital humanitarian lifeline to millions of Yemenis who now rely on aid to survive."

The Houthis have handed over the port to local groups, but getting the Saudi-led troops out of the area has been a problem except for the UAE troops as the UAE has willingly reduced it presence in Yemen as described in a report from the Middle East Monitor.

The new deal involves several rounds of de-escalation as well as new measures to enforce the ceasefire. Both sides agreed on a timetable for troop withdrawals from the area.

Hodeidah crucial to getting aid into Yemen

Hodeidah is Yemen's largest and most important port and as mentioned is crucial to getting aid into the country many of whose residents are starving or on the verge of it. The country has was also hit by a cholera epidemic as reported in September of 2017: "Yemen’s cholera outbreak has infected 612,703 people and killed 2,048 since it began in April, and some districts are still reporting sharp rises in new cases, data from the World Health Organization and Yemen’s health ministry showed on Tuesday."

Mark Lowcock of the UN described the humanitarian crisis in Yemen as "the worst crisis of all with 24 million people, 75 percent of the population, in need of humanitarian assistance."

The deal on the port of Hodeidah will ensure that any aid that is donated will be able to get through to Yemenis who need it.

Yemen imports over 90 percent of its food as most of the country is desert and cannot produce enough local supplies. Most of the imported food during the war comes through Hodeidah especially for the northern area controlled by the Houthis.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Southern Yemen Separatists threaten Saudi-backed government

Senior tribal, political and military leaders have formed a new council that seeks the secession of the south from the Yemen government of president Mansour Hadi,

The formation of the group was announced by former governor of the Port of Aden Aidaroos al-Zubaidi. The Hadi government backed by the Saudis, many Gulf States and the US has been fighting a lengthy battle against Houthi rebels who still control much of the north of Yemen including the capital Sanaa. The Houthis are Shia Muslims and have the support of Iran whereas the supporters of the Hadi government are Sunnis, However, the former president Saleh is also allied with the Houthis and those in the armed forces who support him. Zubaidi was recently fired as the governor of Aden,

Before the Houthis drove Hadi out of power and into exile, there was already opposition to the Hadi government in the south but many in the movement rallied behind the Hadi government's offensive against the Houthis which recaptured Aden and much of the south of the country. The flag of the former South Yemen whose forces were defeated by those from the north in 1994 uniting the country often can be seen flown by military vehicles. Zubaidi said a national political leadership with himself as president would represent the south. The south contains most of the modest oil deposits that are a prime support of the Yemeni economy. The new development threatens the Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis. For their part the Houthis claim that Gulf state powers seek to divide the country and occupy it.

An anonymous senior southern official said: "It is a step forward after a long struggle. The people of South Arabia have finally managed to organize themselves towards independence,The UAE and the Gulf respect the right of self determination, and we don't think they will be against the Southern will ... We don't advise the Hadi government to use force.``Many in the south feel that they had been exploited by the north under Hadi's and previous governments and that they were cut off from jobs and influence. Zubaidi said that the council would continue to cooperate with the coalition and foreign powers to combat what he called Iranian influence and terrorism.

Zubaidi's announcement came just as there was a meeting between Hadi and the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ould Sheikh Ahmed. Ahmed is hoping to resume peace talks between the Hadi government and the Houthi rebels. Hadi had been trying to keep together a coalition fighting the Houthis. Zubaidi's move was provoked after he was fired on the 27th April along with cabinet minister Hani bin Braik. Both men played key roles in driving the Houthis out of Aden and adjacent territory but they also have close ties to the secessionist movement.

After the firing thousands of demonstrators had demanded that Zubaidi set up a new leadership. The new council has 26 members and includes governors of five southern provinces and even two government ministers. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) which is part of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis is apparently involved in the move against Hadi. Hadi accused the UAE crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed as acting like an occupier. It seems that the real problem is that he Zayed had been working closely with the fired Aden governor. No doubt the UAE may be hoping for a southern government over which it would have considerable influence.

The World Health Organization estimates the death toll from the Yemen conflict so far at more than 8,000 with another 44,500 injured since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in the conflict back in 2015. The UN claims that two thirds of the population are on the brink of famine.

Yemeni protesters demand end to the civil war

Yemenis took to the streets on Friday demanding the fighting in Yemen come to an end. Although there are peace talks in Kuwait that appeared to be making progress they are now reported to have been suspended.

Thousands protested in the city of Taiz, which has been besieged for months by rebels who residents and aid groups complain have been indiscriminately shelling the city and blocking aid deliveries. In the city of Zinjibar, occupied by Al-Qeda forces, hundreds marched to demand their withdrawal. Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State have been able to take advantage of the chaos produced by the war to strengthen their positions. An estimated 6,200 people have been killed in the war and it has created a horrible humanitarian situation with many Yemenis displaced and lacking food and access to proper medical care. Several hospitals and clinics have been bombed by the Saudi-led bombing campaign. The Saudis have used cluster bombs in several places and are accused of bombing civilian targets.

The Yemeni Government of PM Hadi suspended direct peace talks today after the Houthi rebels with its allies seized a military base north of Sanaa, the capital, according to two members of the official delegation to the talks.

The soldiers at the Umaliqa base had refused to take sides in the war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government of PM Hadi. The base is in an area controlled by the Houthis. The Houthi assault killed several soldiers who were defending the base. Prior to the attack, the Houthis had tolerated the neutrality of the soldiers. The surprise attack was made at dawn. The Houthis seized a large cache of weapons.

In talking to Reuters at the peace talks in Kuwait, one member of the government delegation said: "We have suspended the sessions indefinitely to protest these military actions and continued violations of the truce." Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi, the Yemeni foreign minister, and also the top government delegate to the talks said that the assault had "torpedoed" the talks. He saidon his Twitter account: "We will take the appropriate position in response to the Houthi crime at the Umaliqa base in Amran for the sake of our people and country." The Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul-Salam dismissed the protest saying the government was wasting time and fabricating excuses to continue the war. The talks in Kuwait have been moving forward slowly since a truce declared on April 10. The truce has largely held although both sides accuse each other of violations. The Houthis accuse the Saudi-led coalition of violating the truce 4,000 times with shelling and bombing raids that raised tensions.

The UN envoy for Yemen, Ismail Cheik Ahmed, said in a press release on Saturday that the peace negotiations were off to an "encouraging start that will set the stage for a negotiated solution." Both sides have presented plans for peace and have agreed to respect UN resolutions on the conflict. He described the sessions as taking place in a positive and constructive atmosphere although he also admitted there were violations of the truce.

US helps Saudi-led bombing missions in Libya

Ever since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began a year ago in late March, the Saudis and their allies have depended on U.S. tanker planes to refuel their aircraft while in flight,

Timothy Smith, spokesperson for the Air Forces Central Command(AFCENT) told the Air Force Times that the fueling continues: "We've flown 709 sorties involving 3,720 receivers, And we've offloaded 26,591,200 pounds of fuel" to foreign aircraft," AFCENT has been keeping track of its missions since April 3, 2015 shortly after the bombing campaign began. During the first few weeks a host of countries had jets involved in the bombing including Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and other Gulf nations.

Houthi rebels captured much of western Yemen including the port of Aden before the bombing campaign began. The internationally recognized government of Manour Hadi fled into exile in Ryadh, Saudi Arabia. With the Saudi-led campaign, the Houthis were driven out of Aden and much of south western Yemen but still hold the capital and areas in the north west. The Hadi government has moved to Aden. The Houthis are Shia Muslims supported by Iran, hence the large contingent of Sunni Arab states supporting the campaign to reinstate the Hadi government. The Saudi-led campaign has displaced more than 2 million people and killed thousands, many civilians. While the number of attacks have declined they are still ongoing. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said that while the air strikes are less frequent than they used to be, Sana'a, the capital, and the Taiz area as well as Marib are still hit on a semi-regular basis.

The Saudi-led bombing has been sharply criticized for bombing civilian targets and even medical facilities run by Doctors Without Borders. There was also a critical report from a UN panel. Usually, the Saudis simply deny accusations but they have now announced a "high-.level independent committee" to investigate the bombardments, which some rights groups have even termed war crimes. The coalition also said that it was establishing a hotline with Doctors Without Borders. Three of its facilities have been subject to attack in recent months.

The coalition has been accused of using cluster bombs a number of times, including on Sana'a, the capital controlled by the Houthi rebels. While the coalition denies using them, evidence seems to show they were used. Some of the cluster bombs appear to come from the U.S. While there is an international ban on cluster bombs neither the Saudis nor the Americans have signed on to the treaty.

Fierce fight in Yemen for key city of Taiz as Houthi rebels lose ground

Although early reports claimed forces loyal to the Yemen government-in-exile had retaken Taiz, it appears only parts of the city are under their control.

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Taiz is the third largest city in Yemen and has been called "the gateway to Sanaa," the capital which is still occupied by the Houthi rebels. An entire 24 hours of fighting has killed at least 81 people, 50 Houthis and 31 loyal to the Saudi-based government-in-exile of President Hadi. The civilian toll in the fighting is unknown. The loyalists are backed by Saudi air strikes. The city has been contested for some time.

Recent reports indicate the loyalist forces captured intelligence headquarters in the city and also command a mountaintop nearby that they had captured earlier. However, Houthis and their allies are said to still occupy two military bases in the city. With the advance of the Saudi-supported forces throughout the south following the capture of Aden, the country increasingly looks to be divided between a north held by Houthis and their allies and the south that is held by forces loyal to the Hadi government. Many of the local militia in the south fighting the Houthis belong to the Southern Movement that will demand more autonomy or even independence for the south. In the past the south was a separate state the Republic of South Yemen with unification taking place in May 1990. The Saudi-led coalition has provided forces supporting Hadi modern heavy equipment, including tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Some Yemeni soldiers have been trained in Saudi Arabia.

The governor of the recaptured southern port city of Aden said that the city would be declared the capital of Yemen for the next five years. He also said it would be the focus of reconstruction in that period. This declaration has led some analysts to wonder if the Hadi government considers that it may take a half decade to regain control of the northern areas and the capital. The southern movement may attempt to convince the Hadi government that the south should be independent again. When in power, Hadi had been in conflict with the southern movement. The southern movement militia may not have the same agenda as the Hadi government-in-exile.

So far the civil war has killed more than 4,300 people, many civilians. It has spread disease and hunger throughout the country creating a humanitarian disaster. Recent bombings have resulted in more civilian casualties.

For the second time in a month after a ceasefire was declared in Yemen, fighting has continued. Saudi bombing began just hours after the earlier ceasefire and allies of the exiled government launched an offensive in Aden.

In the earlier ceasefire, the Saudis claimed that they were not subject to it and had not agreed to it.

Just a day after this new ceasefire was announced by the Saudis and Mansour Hadi, the president of the Yemeni government-in-exile, the fighting on the ground at least is escalating. The Saudis blame the Houthis, which could very well be correct this time around, although the Houthis claim there was no communication with them as to when the ceasefire was to begin. The Houthis are wary of a ceasefire when the last time the Saudis not only continued bombing but were able to take over the port of Aden. However, the takeover of the port in a successful offensive may also be related to talks between the Houthi ally former president Saleh and western diplomats. The appended video reports Houthi leaders rejected the ceasefire claiming it would benefit Al Qaeda(AQAP) and the Islamic State. However, it would also allow humanitarian supplies that are desperately needed to be delivered if the fighting ceased.

There is a Saudi blockade of Yemen that has made it difficult for aid to be delivered, especially to areas controlled by the Houthis and their allies. The Saudi coalition announced the ceasefire would take place at one minute before midnight on Sunday local time. Just hours after the truce, Houthi forces shelled a northern region on the Saudi border and the Saudis immediately retaliated. Just after midnight several areas of Aden also reported that they were subject to Houthi artillery fire. A pro-Hadi news agency said that the Houthis had shelled parts of Dalea about 105 miles north of Aden. The Saudi state news agency also claimed that Houthis had launched attacks in the central city of Taiz.

Oxfam reports that fighting in Yemen along with the blockade has resulted in more than six million people being on the brink of starvation. The Saudi-led coalition began a bombing campaign on the 25th of March. Since that time Oxfam estimates that an extra 25,000 people each day are going without food and provisions. Oxfam claims that the conflict is threatening to produce the highest ever recorded number of people living in hunger.

Human Rights Watch(HRW) claims that recent airstrikes in the Houthi-controlled port city of Mokha on July 24 killed at least 65 civilians including 10 children. Coalition planes repeatedly struck two residential compounds of the Mokha Steam Power Plant which house workers and their families. The group described the attack as an apparent war crime. HRW said that the UN Human Rights Council should set up a committee to investigate allegations of war crimes by all parties to the conflict.

No cease-fire in Yemen for Ramadan

The Yemen peace talks in Geneva have broken down with foreign minister Riad Yassin of the government in exile telling Al Jazeera his delegation will leave negotiations and return to Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

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Yassin blamed the Houthi rebel representatives for the collapse claiming that they would not meet with their delegation. That could be but the talks were to start with separate meetings of the UN with each group. The Houthis want to talk to Saudi Arabia since they consider the Saudis plus the Gulf Cooperation Council the real power behind the government in exile headed by President Mansour Hadi.

The basic problem from the start is that the Hadi delegation just wants to discuss implementing UN resolutions, and particularly one that demands the Houthis withdraw from the territories they have taken and lay down their arms. Yassin's remarks confirm this stance in that he complains that the Houthis have not complied with UN demands: "Until this time we have not achieved anything. Unfortunately, still the Houthis have not complied with anything." If the Houthis did withdraw and lay down their arms, then the Hadi government says there could be a permanent ceasefire and not a temporary truce as Ban Ki-moon sought during Ramadan. The Houthis would only agree to such a move only if there were an agreement on a government and political solution acceptable to them.The Hadi group says that a temporary truce would be used by Houthis to regroup and perhaps even capture more territory. Given this Hadi position it would seem pointless for the Houthis to meet with the Hadi delegation. What the Houthis wanted was to have agreement on a humanitarian cease fire as the UN and many western countries probably including the US want. The bombing has created a humanitarian disaster and many western allies of the Saudis would like to see a humanitarian pause in the battle at the very least. Even Yassin suggested that though the talks did not result in a ceasefire, discussions would be ongoing and the breakup did not mean the talks were a failure. During a temporary cease fire further talks could take place while Yemenis were spared even more havoc.

Ismail Ahmed, UN special envoy to Yemen said that a ceasefire should come before any new negotiations start. This seems quite sensible. He said he would redouble his efforts to achieve a ceasefire and hoped that an agreement could be reached soon. A UN spokesperson said that although no date had been set for a second round of talks, discussions could still be ongoing without any joint meetings as in Geneva. John Kirby a spokesperson for the US state department said that the talks were "a useful start to what will probably be a lengthy process." These remarks suggest that the talks were actually premature given the positions of the parties in the conflict. The same results could have been achieved by separate negotiations between the two parties. No doubt the UN hoped for a breakthrough before Ramadan.

Even as the talks took place, the Saudis continued bombing and clashes with the rebels also continued. The UN has called for $1.6 billion in aid to help alleviate the humanitarian disaster in Yemen. If there is no ceasefire it will be virtually impossible to deliver aid to many rebel-held areas.

At a news conference in Geneva, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Stephen O'Brien, warned of a "looming humanitarian catastrophe" in Yemen. It appears the catastrophe is already there. There is a sharp rise in hunger and disease, including an outbreak of dengue fever in the port city of Aden where there is a shortage of potable water. O'Brien said that millions of Yemenis "no longer have access to clean water, proper sanitation, or basic health care." Since March, the bombing and clashes have killed more than 2,500 people and displaced almost a million with many attempting to flee the country and even more internally displaced. The appended video is from Press TV an Iranian TV outlet.

Saudi bombing campaign helps to produce a humanitarian disaster in Yemen

After almost a month of bombing missions led by Saudi Arabia, which, mimicking US euphemisms, was called "Operation Decisive Storm," the Saudis announced they would end the bombing several weeks ago.

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A new mission was announced "Operation Renewal of Hope" which was to focus on the political process. Operation Decisive Storm was to end at midnight on Tuesday April 21: Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asiri, the coalition's spokesperson, said on Tuesday that the coalition had achieved its military goals in Yemen and a new operation, called "Renewal of Hope", would aim to protect civilians and combat "terrorism".

The new operation started at midnight on Tuesday local time (22:00 GMT).Within a couple of hours bombing of Yemen began anew. The bombing has continued ever since, no doubt with the aim of protecting civilians and focusing on the political process.

The manner in which these raids protect civilians is illustrated by this report from a night attack Friday:Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition struck a residential district of the Yemeni capital Sanaa overnight, killing eight to 10 civilians, residents said on Friday.Saba, the state news agency, of the Houthi rebels put the number killed in the Sawan district of Sanaa at 20 with more than 50 wounded. While many residents oppose the Houthi occupation, the Saudi bombings are unlikely to make many friends.

As a way of further showing their concern for protecting civilians the Saudis bombed the runway at the Sanaa airport several days ago to prevent an Iranian cargo plane from landing after it refused to obey orders from the coalition not to land. The Saudi-led coalition has established its own no-fly zone. The damage to the runway has prevented aid planes from landing. The Iranians claim that the plane was carrying aid. Even if it had weapons surely the plane could have been allowed to land and an attack made wherever the weapons were taken or there could have been an attack on those transporting them. The Saudi action made the humanitarian disaster even worse.

The UN World Food Programme(WFP) urged all those involved in the conflict to allow aid agencies and the commercial sector to bring fuel and food into the country. Violence has blocked shipments of food, fuel, and medical supplies. All airports are closed to civilian traffic and some such as the one at Sanaa have come under direct attack. Naval shipments are being delayed as well. Secretary General Bank K-moon called for an immediate ceasefire to allow for aid to be delivered. More than 1,200 have been killed so far in the conflict with 300,000 more fleeing their homes to avoid the violence.

Russia has pushed for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the UN Security Council but it was not supported in the Council even though all countries agree the bombings and clashes have created a humanitarian disaster and many aid groups claim they will have to leave Yemen in a few days because they have no supplies to run their operations. The US apparently will only support a resolution that "insists the Saudis are totally blameless for the humanitarian crisis, and that it is the Yemeni Shiite Houthis who are at fault." The point should be to stop the fighting not apportion blame. This is not just a Sunni Shiite conflict either, the Shia rebels could never have gone as far as they have without the support of former president Saleh, to whom many in the Yemeni armed forces are loyal. Given recent developments that include more bombings in Yemen I would suggest that the two operations "Decisive Storm" and "Renewal of Hope" be combined into "Operation Decisive Hopelessness."

Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen and amasses troops on border ready to invade

Latest reports are that up to 150,000 Saudi troops have massed at the border with Yemen together with heavy artillery. There are a number of allies supporting the Saudis including members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Egypt.

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The Saudis have already carried out bombing attacks. The attacks were against Shia military camps in Sanaa. One attack was on the al-Dalamy air force base adjacent to the civil airport. Rescue workers said at least 15 houses had been destroyed at the civilian compound at the airport. Rescuers had found 25 bodies by Thursday afternoon but said more might be in the rubble. Egypt confirmed that it has a number of troops on transport ships off the Yemen coast who plan to join the invasion.

The US confirmed both that it was in contact with the Saudi government and that President Obama has given permission for the Pentagon to provide the Saudis with logistical and intelligence support. General Lloyd Austin, head of US forces in the region, said that the US would aid in keeping the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the very tip of the Red Sea open to ensure shipments through the Suez canal are not threatened: "We would work in conjunction with our GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) partners to ensure that those straits remain open."

The Saudis struck an air force base near an oil field east of the capital Sanaa, destroying a radar station as air strikes were extended on Friday. The air campaign, that has been code-named "Operation Decisive Storm", is said to be targeting military commands, air defenses, and communications facilities.

President Hadi apparently has left Aden, where he was located, and gone to the safety of the Saudi capital Ryadh.

The Houthis advanced from their northern stronghold to the south capturing Sanaa last fall.The Houthis are allied with the former president Ali Saleh who still has strong influence in the armed forces. When talks failed to produce a government acceptable to the Houthis, they took control and are setting up their own government.

The Houthis are a minority Shia group and it will be difficult for them to gain control of the southern areas where Sunnis predominate. In some areas, Sunni tribes are allying with the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula(AQAP) to resist the Houthi advance. The Houthis are supported by Iran but it is not clear how much support they are getting. Many Arab states in the middle east are pursuing a more aggressive policy in the area often with the open or tacit support of the United States:The oil-rich Sunni Arab states of the Persian Gulf, longtime U.S. allies, have pursued more assertive foreign policies in recent years, sending troops to crush a pro-democracy uprising in Bahrain and taking part in U.S.-led strikes against Islamic State in Syria. They’re seeking to ward off perceived threats to their absolute monarchies, especially from Shiite groups or from Sunni Islamist movements that seek power via the ballot box, such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Saudis and others also worry about the increasing influence of Iran in the region.

The coalition plans will no doubt receive the blessing of the Arab League at an upcoming meeting. Five of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations have signed on to the military action with Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain joining the Saudi operation. However, Oman, Yemen's neighbor to the east has said it will not take part.

Human Rights Watch statement on Houthi rebels in Yemen's mistreatment of journalists

This came to me courtesy of  Munir Alhemyari a resident of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen:

Statement of HRW Yemen: Attacks on Journalists Escalate

End Arbitrary Detention, Mistreatment

MARCH 23, 2015

© 2015 Nadia Abdullah

(Sanaa) – Houthi forces and others in Yemen have committed a spate of attacks and other abuses against the media amid deteriorating political and security conditions.

In recent weeks, there has been an increase in arbitrary arrests and violence against journalists and other media workers by Ansar Allah, the Zaidi Shia armed group known as the Houthis that now controls the capital, Sanaa. Armed Ansar Allah militia has stormed the headquarters of three media outlets since January 2015. Other groups may also be involved in attacks. On March 18, unidentified gunmenkilled Abdul Karim Mohammed al-Khaiwani, an Ansar Allah supporter and critic of the former government, near his home in Sanaa.

“The breakdown in security across Yemen has put the country’s media in particular danger,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director. “All sides in Yemen should send a clear message to their forces to stop threats and attacks against journalists.”

Ansar Allah has controlled much of northern Yemen since September 2014, and in January 2015 effectively ousted President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, sparking widespread protests. On February 8, Yemen’s interim interior minister ordered Sanaa police to prevent all unauthorized demonstrations due to “the exceptional circumstances” in Yemen. This indefinite ban on public protests violates the right to peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch said. Five employees of state broadcast and print media outlets told Human Rights Watch that since taking control of Sanaa, Ansar Allah has inserted its own people into senior positions at various media outlets.

Human Rights Watch documented seven incidents involving attacks on journalists and the media between December 31, 2014, and March 7, 2015. Ma`d al-Zekri, a cameraman for Azal TV, told Human Rights Watch that armed men took him and his 20-year-old brother from their home at 1:30 a.m. on December 31, 2014, blindfolded them, and drove them to a building where the men held the brothers in separate rooms. Al-Zekri said a man interrogated him about a news clip he had made about the Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that had aired in October, and demanded to know where an AQAP leader al-Zekri had interviewed could be found.

The cameraman said he was kept blindfolded, given electric shocks, had dirty water poured over him, and was given food and a restroom visit only once each day. “On the third day some men came in, apologized for having detained me, and said it had been a mistake,” al-Zekri told Human Rights Watch. They then warned him “not to write about or against Al-Qaeda as much,” and freed him and his brother. Al-Zekri filed a complaint with the police and the attorney general but the authorities told him they could do nothing and he should take his complaint to Ansar Allah directly.

Kamal Gamal of Suhail TV told Human Rights Watch that armed men in civilian clothes detained him and a cameraman, Yahya al-A`awar, on February 3, 2015, as they filmed a political polling process among students at Sanaa University. Gamal said the two men spoke into walkie talkies, told them that no photography or filming was permitted, and detained them when they kept filming. The armed men held the two journalists on the campus until police came and took them to a police station. Hours later, the police returned their equipment and released them.

Saif al-Haddiri, chairman of the al-Shumoa Press Foundation, which prints four publications, told Human Rights Watch that about 40 armed men believed to be Ansar Allah forced their way into the foundation’s offices on February 5. They ordered all staff to leave the five-story building, then seized computers, broadcasting and other equipment, videos, and CDs whose total value he estimated at US$18,600. Some wore military-style uniforms while others were in civilian clothes and carried slogans in support of Ansar Allah. More than a month later, the men still control the foundation’s building and continue to remove property from it, al-Haddiri said.

Ameen Dabwan, a correspondent for Yemen Shabab TV, told Human Rights Watch that five armed men in police uniforms with Ansar Allah stickers detained him on February 6 as he filmed an anti-Ansar Allah demonstration in Sanaa’s Change Square. They took his camera and later his cell phone and detained him overnight at the police station with five arrested protesters, threatening to beat them. Police released him after 24 hours but did not return his camera or his phone.

Nabil al-Sharabi, an editor at Akhbar al-Yom newspaper, told Human Rights Watch that on March 5, five men carrying assault rifles bearing Ansar Allah stickers broke into the building housing the newspaper’s staff.

Houthi rebels seize airport at Taiz and set up checkpoints at entrances into Yemen city

Houthi fighters along with troops loyal to former president Saleh have taken control of the airport at the southern city of Taiz and also parts of the city, setting up checkpoints at entrance points. Taiz is the third largest city in Yemen.

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The Houthi Shia rebels originally based in the north of Yemen have taken control of most of the north including the capital Sanaa. After President Mansour Hadi was unable to form a government acceptable to the Houthis, they seized power and have formed their own government. Former president Ali Saleh who still has considerable power with the armed forces appears to be allied with the Houthis. The UN imposed sanctions on Saleh and two Houthi commanders last November. This did nothing to stop the Houthi advance but certainly made it more difficult for UN-brokered talks to come up with a political solution. The rise of the Houthis supported by Iran sends shivers down the spines of the US, Saudi Arabia, and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council who brokered the deal to have Saleh step down and transfer power to his then vice-president Mansour Hadi.

Hadi later ran unopposed for president and won in an event touted in the west as a sign democracy was working in Yemen, that is, the important neighbouring powers and the US approved of him. He cooperated with the US in the war against terrorism, supporting unpopular drone strikes.There was a long consultative process called the National Dialogue Conference(NDC) that gathered together a large number of Yemen stakeholders in the political process designed to map a way forward towards democracy for Yemen. However, some groups from the southern separatist movement boycotted the conference. The Houthis took part but withdrew after two of their representatives were assassinated, and they rejected the results:On January 21, 2014, Ahmed Sharif Al-Din, a Houthi representative in the NDC, was assassinated in Sana’a on his way to the conference, fueling tensions between Houthis and government-aligned elements.[5] This was the second assassination of a Houthi representative, after Abdulkarim Jadban in November 2013.[6] As a result, the Houthis withdrew from the conference and denounced the outcomes.[7] On January 25, the closing ceremony of the NDC was held and the Final Outcomes Document was signed.[8]

In particular, the Houthis objected to the plan to divide Yemen into six regions. The southern separatist movement also disagreed with the six division plan that was drafted by Hadi: Mohammad Ali Ahmed, a southern representative to the NDC who resigned in November 2013, stated that, "what has been announced about the six regions is a coup against what had been agreed at the (NDC) dialogue."[28] Al-Hirak member Nasser al-Nawba rejected the NDC outcomes and stated that, "We will continue our peaceful struggle until we achieve independence.”[29] Most southern leaders boycotted the Dialogue from the beginning of the process.[30]

Al-Hirak is one of the main southern separatist movements. South Yemen was formerly independent.

Hadi was able to flee from virtual house arrest in Sanaa to the southern port of Aden. Even there the castle where he stayed was attacked by planes and he had to flee. While the southern Sunnis are opposed to Houthi rule, many also detest Hadi. The southerners may hope to form an autonomous or independent area. If the Houthis have trouble establishing their sway in the south, they may very well come to some type of agreement with the southern separatist movement. Western support for Hadi is little help for him.

While Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula(AQAP) hates Hadi they hate the Houthis even more. They have gained support from Sunni tribes helping to slow or stop the Houthi advance into Sunni majority areas. Added to this stew of conflicting groups, some radical jihadists in Yemen are now claiming allegiance to theIslamic State and have claimed responsibility for bloody suicide attacks on two mosques in Sanaa. The quadruple suicide attacks killed at least 137 people and wounded another 350 others. White House spokesperson Josh Earnest says that the US is investigating the claim by the IS that it is responsible for the attack but cautioned that the IS often claimed responsibility for attacks for propaganda value. However, radical groups often associated with Al Qaeda have been splitting off members who claim allegiance to the IS in many areas. In Libya recently Ansar al-Sharia suffered a split with many members pledging allegiance to the IS and the same seems to be happening in Tunisia. The IS in Yemen is no doubt composed mainly of former members of AQAP. It may be embarrassing to the US to have another even more radical group in Yemen than AQAP whom they consistently represent as a clear and present danger not only to Yemen but the US. Along with their Arab allies they are witnessing the demise of all their plans to control the political process in Yemen and the likely demise of their chosen leader Mansour Hadi. Instead they face southern separatists, Iran-backed Houthis, and several growing groups of militant jihadists allied with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

The US has decided the situation is so bad for them that they are withdrawing almost 100 Special Operations Forces from the Al Anad airbase as the security situation deteriorates. The US had closed its embassy in Sanaa last month. The exit of the Special Forces makes it clear that the US has had boots on the ground for some time in Yemen. There have been numerous attacks against AQAP and the US has also been involved in rescue efforts. At the request of Mansour Hadi, who still calls himself president, and is supported by all the important powers, the UN is to call an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. So all the countries who helped create this mess will now decide how to mess it up further with some sort of intervention. The best outcome is that the Security Council Members will not be able to agree on any course of intervention. While battles may continue for some while eventually the Yemenis themselves may be able to sort things out. The Houthis would rather be kingmakers than rule themselves so they could ally with the southern movement and local tribe elders to eventually reach a political agreement.

US drone strike in Yemen kills suspected Al Qaeda militants

 In Yemen's southern Shabwa province local residents reported that a drone strike killed 2 suspected Al Qaeda militants associated with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula(AQAP). The two were traveling in a vehicle that was struck in the Rikhwa region of the province. Although the government of US ally Mansour Hadi has been replaced in a coup by Houthi rebels,  drone attacks by the US have continued.

    Already in 2015 there have been at least six US drone strikes. They have killed at least 20 people. In an earlier strike last week reports claim that four suspected AQAP militants were killed in Shabwa. AQAP long fought against the US-supported Yemeni government, but the group is even more opposed to the Houthi rebels and in some local Sunni groups have joined with AQAP to resist Houthi attempts to move into the southern areas of Yemen. The Houthis along with many others in Yemen oppose the US drone strikes. The strikes have often killed civilians as well as militants. While the US acknowledges it launches drone attacks against AQAP in Yemen, it refuses to comment publicly on the attacks. Since 2011 the US has carried out more than one hundred drone strikes in Yemen. Even though the US closed its embassy in February after Houthi rebels took control of the capital and government, it has managed to continue anti-terror operations.

   Another report on the recent attack claims that there were three suspected member of AQAP killed and that the victims had been riding in a pick-up truck according to a military source: "The U.S. attack destroyed a small pick-up vehicle loaded with weapons and explosives in Khora area in Shabwa province late on Sunday night, killing three people inside the car. The al-Qaida gunmen were attempting to move weapons which they looted in the 19th Infantry Brigade last month." 

 A Saudi diplomat who had been held for three years as an AQAP hostage is back in Saudi Arabia after being released yesterday. Abdullah al-Khalidi was the Saudi consul in the southern port of Aden. The Saudi Interior Ministry gave no details of his release except to say that it was the result of "intensive efforts" by the Saudi intelligence agency.