Armed gangs torture African border crossers in north Yemen

By Mohammed al-Kibsi

Yemen’s Interior Ministry has confirmed on its website that armed gangs in Haradh district, that borders Saudi Arabia,  in North Yemen have tortured African border crossers.

The ministry said it discovered 129 Ethiopians detained by armed groups. The Ethiopians had been physically tortured and forced to contact their families in Saudi Arabia with requests that money be transferred, upon which it would be seized by their captors.

Abdullah Abdu al-Wahsh and Khalid Mohammed Absi have been accused of leading the gangs, said the Interior Ministry, and noted that Al-Wahsh had detained 49 Ethiopians within the yard at his residence, with a further 79 held by Absi. The Ethiopians had arrived in Yemen illegally in order to then pass into Saudi Arabia.

A security document issued by security management in Haradh revealed the names of19 persons who have backyards that contain African border crossers, in several villages in the directorate.

Reports also revealed that African persons had had body parts cut off as part of attempts to force them to pay.

Security sources confirmed that jails and prisons existed in al-Sharifiya Department in Haradh directorate, referring to the imprisonment of a number of African victims.

The Interior Ministry said the hostages have been freed.

The ministry noted that after their release of the Ethiopian captives in a “rapid and unannounced operation,” they were transferred to hospitals and migrant centers of voluntary return. The centers are under the auspices of the International Organization for Migration in Haradh, and the Ethiopians’ presence there represents a prelude to deportations to their home countries in cooperation with the IOM.

The security apparatus referred the border crossers to the prosecutor in Haradh so that legal action may be taken against them.

According to security and human rights statistics, 170 cases of assault against African border crossers have been monitored from January 1, 2011 until January 24 of this year. The cases involved 90 young victims, 10 women, 50 children and 20 elderly persons.

Most of those attacks were of a physical nature, with many involving being burned and hit in the face, with many cases also involving hearing and sight loss.

Security statistics also revealed 156 cases involving smuggling by gangs, six cases involving border guards in Saudi Arabia, 4 cases with Yemeni border guards, 4 cases with bandits, as well as 12 cases of robbery and 4 cases of human trafficking.

A number of humanitarian organizations, as well as the Ministry of Human Rights and security authorities, have demanded an end to such crimes and those behind them be held accountable.

Security sources have also mentioned the involvement of sheikhs and other influential individuals in these crimes, whether through the adoption or protection of such gangs.

Secretary General of al-Haq party rejects dismissal as a “big joke”

By Mohammed al-Kibsi

The Secretary General of al-Haq party, Hassan Mohammed Zaid, rejected as a “big joke” the decision by his party’s Executive Committee to remove him from the post of secretary general.

Zaid was quoted as saying, “The statement of the so-called Executive Committee of the al-Haq Party was simply a soap bubble and heavy banter.”

The Executive Committee’s statement approved the dismissal of Zaid from his post as secretary general, and confirmed that Mohammed Yahya Al-Mansour had been assigned to carry out Zaid’s functions.

Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mansur, Vice President of the al-Haq party, said that Zaid will remain the  secretary general until the party’s General Conference has convened.

Muhammad al-Mansour approved a statement issued by Executive Committee members and heads of branches and leaders of the al-Haq party on Tuesday the dismissal of Zaid was dismissed. He stressed that what has been addressed in some media outlets about the dismissal of Zaid came as the result of  individual actions by the head of the acting political department, Mohammed Yahya Al-Mansour.

The statement emphasized the party's intention to hold the General Conference, and called on all party members and supporters to involve themselves with the efforts of the secretary general and the Preparatory Commission, and with the heads of branches to make the General Conference a success.

Mr. Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mansur, vice president of the ruling right, is the highest official in the party leadership. He has exercised the functions of party head since the death of scholar Majd al-Din al-Muayadi.

Hasan Zaid said the Executive Committee had not met, and described what happened as coming down to a statement issued by one person, Muhammad Yahya Al-Mansour, with assistance from Ahmed Qasim Daylami, who had resigned from the party before announcing that he was joining the al-Ommah party.

The Executive Committee, considered to be the party’s highest-ranking body, said the decision to sack Zaid came after he closed the party headquarters in Sana’a to prevent committee members from entering, and also that a secret meeting had been held between some members of the party without consulting or inviting party leadership.

Al-Haq party was established following the reunification of Yemen in 1990. However the party could not hold its first General Conference yet.

The party is a religious party representing the Zaydi Shiite sect. It collated with other Islamic, social and Nasserite parties to topple down President Saleh.  

Yemen based al-Qaeda plans strikes on Sana’a and Mukala

By Mohammed al-Kibsi & Abdul-Aziz Oudah & Nasser Arrabyee

Reliable sources have said that al-Qaeda has been preparing for its largest operations yet in the capital city of Sana’a, operations aimed at strategic sites including military and security installments and embassies.

Sources said that al-Qaeda cells in the areas of Zindan and Arhab have trained for operations involving the storming of fortified sites, attacking fixed and mobile targets while aboard vehicles and motorbikes, and that al-Qaeda militants have entered Sana’a in preparation for carrying out their attacks in the coming  few days.

The sources expect that al-Qaeda’s potential targets include the Airbase in Sana’a, the Interior Ministry, Republican Guard units and a number of embassies, including the American embassy.

The sources confirmed information regarding intentions by al-Qaeda to attack Mukala to divert attention its plans in Sana’a.

Security sources said that over 400 al-Qaeda militants are currently in Shabwa’s Azan Directorate, with three al-Qaeda leaders in charge (Ibrahim al-Bana, an Egyptian, Qasem al-Rimi and Shaker Hamel) of plans to attack vital installations, security sites, and important government facilities as part of a plan to expand their so-called Azan Islamic state to Mukala.

This coincides with the arrival of militants from the Somali al-Shabab al-Muslim to Yemen to support local al-Qaeda elements. Citizens in the coastal Shagra town said that they saw about 300 armed African men traveling from Azan to Zinjubar.

On its website, the Interior Ministry emphasized the government’s ability “to confront such adventurous terrorist plans, which show the true confusion of al-Qaeda, that knows that their end is eminent in Yemen in light of tendency of the restructure of the army on national basis and the comprehensive national dialogue in compatibility with the scheduled provisions of the operational mechanisms of the GCC initiative.”

In preparation for the attacks on Mukala, the Interior Ministry ordered their leadership in Hadramout and Shabwa to step up security precautions at all checkpoints leading to the two governorates and to stay prepared to face any terrorist actions.

Field sources in Abyan, in southern Yemen, said that the 111^th Brigade in Lawder shelled heavy artillery trucks suspected of carrying weapons to al-Qaeda when they passed Akad area, to the east of Lawder.  

A source said added that one of the trucks was hit but that they didn’t learn the extent of the damage caused, as they were in an area under al-Qaeda control. The source said that information indicated the trucks were carrying weapons to al-Qaeda fighters in Hadramout.

 The interior Ministry said it had received information that armed al-Qaeda fighters were arriving in Yemen and that the ministry had taken measures to prevent them from entering Yemeni territories.

The cabinet held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday to discuss the challenges posed by terrorist forces in certain governorates, and especially the savage attack in Abyan which killed over 120 soldiers and officers from army and security forces.

The Cabinet overlooked a report that included details of the incidence from the Defense Minister, as well as details of other terrorist activities carried out by al-Qaeda in Hadramout, al-Baidha, Shabwa and Aden.

The cabinet also stressed the need for the unification of security and military efforts, and elaborated on visions and plans “to face and defeat the evil forces to restore security and public tranquility.”

The Cabinet urged the Military Committee to accelerate their practical procedures to restructure the armed and security forces.

The Council of Ministers has ordered governors and military and security officials to live up to their commitments, and stressed that the government would hold accountable and take measures against those who fail to meet their responsibilities.

The Cabinet approved the formation of a ministerial committee consisting of the Ministers of Defense, the Interior, Local Administration, Justice and the Civil Services, to take charge of adopting all necessary measures to achieve stability and security and to investigate security defects, and to investigate events in Abyan. The committee has been directed to submit immediate reports to the cabinet so that it may take measures to deal with the situation.

The Cabinet said the government would not hesitate to take all measures to deter and eradicate terrorism and extremism of all sorts and forms. “We will provide all support to the military and security forces to carry out their duties, so as to enhance security and stability and eliminate terrorism,” read a statement issued by the cabinet on Wednesday.

It asked clerics, imams, and intellectuals to inform the public of Islamic rules that refute extremism and terror and prohibit the killing of innocent people under the pretence of serving Islam and of implementing Islamic rules, as is claimed by terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, local sources in Abyan said on Monday that al-Qaeda is forcing detained soldiers to train its militants on the use of modern tank, artillery units and other heavy weapons that it seized after attacking troop positions last Sunday in south Yemen.

About 60 soldiers were detained and taken to the Taliban-style, al-Qaeda-declared Islamic Emirate of Ja’ar in the southern province of Abyan on Sunday morning. More than 110 soldiers were killed and more than 150 other injured when al-Qaeda operatives attacked camps and positions in Dawfas area, near Zinjubar, the capital of Abyan.

About 20 al-Qaeda fighters were killed and dozens were injured, according to sources in Ja’ar.

Security sources have revealed that among those killed was Mohammed al-Haniq, the emir of al-Qaeda in the Arhab district.

"On Monday in Ja’ar, detained soldiers from the Dawfas battles were witnessed training al- Qaeda fighters on the use of looted tanks and artillery units under gun point," said local sources.

Although American and Yemeni fighters jets tried to bomb the seized heavy weaponry on Sunday, they failed to destroy everything, said sources.

Newly-elected president Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi vowed to crush all terrorist hideouts in Abyan and other places.

"The confrontation will continue with all force until the last terrorist is killed," said President Hadi in a meeting on Monday with American, British, and Saudi officials and diplomats.

The country's Supreme Military Committee also held a meeting with 10 Arab and Foreign ambassadors who assisted Yemenis in extracting themselves from their political crisis to discuss further serious confrontations with al-Qaeda.

In a statement released to media outlets on Monday, the families of dead and injured soldiers demanded that newly-elected President Hadi should strike with an iron fist those responsible for the massacre in Dawfas.

The families demanded that the Minister of Defense and Interior Minister resign and that an investigation committee be formed.

Meanwhile, six al-Qaeda suspects in possession of a car bomb were arrested early Monday morning in Sanaa, according to security authorities. Earlier in the week, another car bomb was discovered and confiscated.  Authorities had been looking for three car bombs made in the Arhab area, about 30 km north of the capital. Arhab is the home district of extremist cleric Abdul Majid al-Zandani, who has been accused by the United States and the United Nations of being a global terrorist.

Last Wednesday, February, 29, al-Qaeda threatened to attack places outside the battlefield if government troops failed to withdraw from the vicinity of Zinjubar within ten days.

"We, Ansar al-Shariah in the State of Abyan, give the government an ultimatum of 10 days to withdraw all troops from around Zinjubar, and to compensate the displaced persons," said Abu Hamzah Jalal Beledi, emir of Ansar al-Shariah in the State of Abyan, in a statement sent via SMS by one of his assistants, who called himself Abu al-Waleed.

"If the troops are not withdrawn, we will attack outside the battle field, and we might have to implement the ‘flooding river’ plan," said the leader of al-Qaeda in Zinjubar.

The al-Qaeda threat came only two days after local military command issued an ultimatum of one week for Al-Qaeda operatives to leave the city of Zinjubar, with the threat that troops would storm the city if this did not happen.