Commander of defected army accuses regime of supporting al-Qaeda

By Mohammed al-Kibsi

Commander of the defected army General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar stated that his forces liberated Zinjubar from al-Qaeda militants.

In an interview with al-Khaleej newspaper published on Monday General al-Ahmar also said that al-Qaeda elements in Abyan were affiliated to the Yemeni regime that pushed them to fight in Abyan.

He said that his forces that liberated captured some prisoners of war who were among the forces loyal to president Saleh. He further mentioned that the regime recruited some African fighters to implement its failed plan.  

However the commander of the southern region General Mahdi Maqwalah that lead the battle against al-Qaeda in Abyan had said that president Saleh kept following up the fight against al-Qaeda step by step and said that they liberated Zinjubar under instructions from Saleh.

General Ali Mohsen also accused the Republican guards of launching attacks against his forces the latest of them was last Sunday when they shelled his forces on the 50 street in Sana’a.

On the other hand a military source revealed  on Sunday that the weapons and ammunition, explosives, mines and missiles held by the terrorist elements of al Qaeda, which was taken over by the armed forces while they were lifting the siege imposed on the 25^th Mechanical brigade in Abyan province were among the weapons that had been handed over to the First Armor Division and to the Commandership of the northern region that announced defection and announced their support for the youth revolution.

The source pointed out that those weapons, mines, missiles and munitions were given by the Commander of the Northern region, commander of the first armor division General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar to al-Qaeda elements in Abyan province so as to support them a matter that has enabled al Qaeda to surround The 25^th Mechanical Brigade for more than three months.
The source pointed out that unless this support was not given to al-Qaeda fighters, the heroes of the armed forces  could have been able to defeat those elements in the cities of Zijubar and Ja’ar and end the siege on the 25^th mechanical brigade within days.

The source added: The weapons and ammunition, rockets seized by the heroes of the armed forces from the terrorist elements of Al Qaeda and militia reform, "Muslim Brotherhood" in the regions of Arhab and Nihm during the attack  against the camps of the armed forces and the houses were among the weapons and ammunition that has been given to the Commander of the North Western region commander of the first armor division as well