Yemen army 'kills 140 Shiite rebels' in north The army killed more than 140 Shiite rebels after the insurgents launched an assault on the government's mansion in the mountain city of Saada in northern Yemen on Sunday, a military official said.
Yemen’s North Hit by Bloodiest Fighting in Years The Yemeni Army fought back a major offensive by rebels in the northern city of Sadah early Sunday morning, killing dozens of insurgents, witnesses and Yemeni officials said. The battle appears to have been the boldest rebel attack yet in five weeks of renewed fighting in Yemen’s remote and mountainous Sadah Province, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The Houthi rebels have been clashing intermittently with Yemen’s government for five years, and the latest round of fighting, which erupted last month after a yearlong cease-fire, has been the bloodiest so far.
"What this article conveniently omits telling their readers is that the US is - again (still, yet) propping up another tin-pot dictator, who has been "president" for 30 years, and whose administrations have consistently been hip-deep in graft and corruption. As was the case with Batista in Cuba, and the Shah in Iran, the US government knows that this guy is a class-A thug, but he's "our thug", which makes it OK to keep supporting him with money and weapons." -- Wake the Flock Up
N Yemen 'humanitarian disaster' The Yemeni army blocks aid access to civilians inside the war zone with checkpoints, saying conditions are too unsafe for civilians to move out or aid workers to move in. And the Saudi government prevents any cross border movement of aid workers or families, fearing Houthi rebels could masquerade as refugees to enter the kingdom.
Fighting flares in north Yemen, at least 50 killed: sources Yemeni government troops were locked in heavy fighting on Thursday with Shiite rebels in northern Yemen where at least 50 people have been killed in the past two days, military and tribal sources said. Dozens more may have died in the provincial capital of Saada, where army officials and eyewitnesses said street battles intensified late on Thursday.
Traumatized women and children try to cope with displacement in Yemen The magnitude of displacement in Yemen is beyond the local resources of host communities as most of the displaced remain with their relatives, friends or neighbours, straining their meagre reserves and poor infrastructure. Urgent support from the international community is needed to alleviate the desperate situation.
Al-Qaeda focuses on Yemen as launchpad: US Al-Qaeda has suffered setbacks due to US pressure but its presence in Yemen threatens to turn that country into a dangerous base for training and plotting attacks, a top US counterterrorism official said.
"Notice how, any time the US is supporting a tin-pot dictator (as is the case with the president of Yemen), every single rebel who is fed up with corruption and despair suddenly becomes lumped in with "Al-Qaeda"?!?" -- Wake the Flock Up
Cut off, hemmed in and slowly running out of food With so many people in desperate need we have to carefully control the distribution of food so as not to aggravate the situation by causing further tensions between families while also ensuring that the people who need our help receive it. But there are only two hospitals in the whole province – and one of these is in the old city, cut off because of the fighting. I can only imagine what the conditions are like for the doctors and their patients. The other hospital is facing a severe shortage of equipment and medicine.
So why the news today in my agenda-pushing War Daily, 'eh?
"Saudi jets attack Shi’ite rebel positions inside Yemen" by Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times | November 6, 2009
CAIRO - Saudi Arabian warplanes attacked Shi’ite rebel strongholds in northern Yemen yesterday in a surge of fighting along the border following the death of a Saudi security official at the hands of insurgents, according to news reports.
Saudi fighter jets targeted up to six rebel positions inside Yemen and along the mountainous border. Saudi troops were reportedly heading toward the region to secure villages and prevent further cross-border incursions from Houthi rebel forces that have been battling the Yemen government sporadically since 2004.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, Saudi air strikes “began on their [rebel] positions in northern Yemen,’’ an adviser to the Saudi government who asked not to be named told Reuters. “There have been successive air strikes, very heavy bombardment of their positions, not just on the border but on’’ rebel camps around the northern city of Saada.
The Yemeni government had not released its version of the Saudi offensive, but Al-Jazeera quoted a Defense Ministry official as saying: “Saudi Arabia did not hit targets in Yemen.’’
The prospect of violence spilling over from its southern neighbor has troubled the kingdom for years. Yemen, the poorest Arab country, is attracting militants from Al Qaeda who are seeking to overthrow the government and launch attacks across the Middle East, according to US officials. The Saudis fear Al Qaeda elements will exploit Yemen’s instability, infiltrating the kingdom to attack government targets and oil installations.
PFFFFFFFFFTTTTT!!!!!
In August, a Saudi militant living in Yemen traveled to the kingdom and, armed with hidden explosives, blew himself up at a palace reception. The attack lightly wounded Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, a member of the Saudi royal family and the country’s top counterterrorism official. On Tuesday, militants believed to be linked to Al Qaeda ambushed and killed two Yemeni police chiefs and three guards.
At least 40 rebels reportedly have been killed in Saudi air strikes, which were launched after insurgents crossed into the kingdom on Tuesday and killed a Saudi security officer and wounded 11 others in a raid near Jebel Dukhan. The rugged northern Yemen region along the Saudi border is home to tribes and clans that largely live beyond the reach of the government.
--more--"
So what are they winding up for over there, readers?
