Calm precedes storm in Yemen capital while deadly battles continue in Taiz

By Mohammed al-Kibsi Yemen’s defected army forces have deployed more tanks and military vehicles onto the streets that they control in Sana’a and same did the tribal militias of Sheikh al-Ahmar. Eyewitnesses said that the defected army lead by General Ali Mohsen have deployed more tanks and military vehicles and more troopers onto the zones surrounding Sana’a university and other zones to the west of Sana’a. Also eyewitnesses that came from al-Hasaba and Sofan neighborhoods in the center and north of Sana’a said that the tribal militias affiliated to Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar and his brothers have entrenched their military barracks on the streets of al-Hasbah and Sofan neighbourhood on Saturday. Eyewitnesses also said that security forces loyal to president Saleh have deployed more military vehicles and sat uo checkpoints on the hot spots areas in al-Hasabah and demarcation lines on Zubairy street, Zira’a street and other streets. Meanwhile reports from Taiz said that Yemeni troops have clashed with defected army troops and militias of Islah Islamist party in the past few days. Opposition sources said that seven people were killed in the latest fighting, bringing the death toll to 30 since Thursday. BBC quoted a medical source as saying three of those killed in the latest fighting were civilians - the others were soldiers and opposition fighters. Meanwhile government sources said that the First Armor division forces ‘defected army’ and militias of Islah party have attacked several zones and captured some neighbourhoods in Taiz. The same source said that the defected army forces and their allies killed son of Sheikh in Taiz in addition to killing five soldiers and an officer. The source said that the Islah militias killed Colonel al-Kalai in front of his family in Taiz before they took his corps with them. The General Committee of the General People Congress Party in its meeting chaired by President Saleh on Saturday hold Islah party accountability for escalating the situations in Taiz. The committee called on the ambassadors of the permanent member stats of the Security Council, European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council to visit Taiz and find about who was behind the escalations. The committee denounced the alleged looting of public and private properties being committed by the militias of Islah and defected army in Taiz. Taiz has been a major centre of unrest during months of protests against President Abdullah Saleh. Correspondents say the latest fighting threatens a power-transfer agreement signed by president Saleh in Riyadh. Under the deal reached last month, President Saleh handed over to Vice-President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and agreed on forming an interim government chaired by the opposition in which the current ruling party shares fifty percent of its ministerial bags.