By Mohammed al-Kibsi
At least two people were killed in clashes erupted in
al-Dale province in South Yemen between Yemeni military forces and militants
affiliated to the so called Southern Movement on Thursday, said local sources
from Dale.
The confrontations broke out after some protesters rallied
in Dale town against the early presidential elections. Tens of militants
accompanied the protesters in the rally and when they reached to the center of
the elections committee the militants fired RBG’s, rocket propelled grenades
and machineguns at the elections committee’s office killing 2 people, said
independent sources.
The army forces positioned on the surrounding mountains
interfered and fired back at the assailants wounding at least 12 of them,
forcing them to withdraw from the elections office.
Dale’s militants have a history of intimidation against
people of the neighboring province of Abyan province that is the home land of Vice
President Abdu Raboo Mansour Hadi who is nominated for the upcoming
presidential elections as a sole candidate.
The two factions of the former communist party of the former
Southern Socialist Republic of Yemen had involved in bloody confrontations that
lead into killing tens of thousands before the reunification of Yemen that was
achieved in May 1990.
One of the factions is from Dale and the other is from
Abyan.
The people of Dale did not like Hadi to rule Yemen asking
for separation so as to regain control of the power that they used to have
before the reunification of the country.
"The army forces located at military positions
overlooking the town opened fire on thousands of people protesting against the
upcoming presidential elections," a leader of the southern separatist
movement told Reuters.
"One demonstrator died immediately and another 12 were
injured, while another man who was standing on the balcony of a hotel adjacent
to the electoral committee's office was killed by a stray bullet."
Some gunmen affiliated to the southern movement attacked the
electoral committee's office in Dale last month.
The former president of south Yemen Ali Salem Albeidh said
his people would not give up their fight for independence.
"Crimes like these (committed on Thursday) will not
dissuade us from continuing our peaceful struggle until our people are given
their freedom and independence
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