Yemeni Report Explores Al-Qa'ida's 'New Strategy' in Southern Yemen
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These armed groups, suspected of belonging to Al-Qa'ida, were able to tighten their grip on the city of Azzan and its suburbs. They have spread out in government facilities and institutions and are now operating them on the administrative, judicial, and security levels. These groups have been intervening among citizens to resolve disputes. They have also been establishing security checkpoints on a routine basis at the [city's] entrances, following the airstrike launched on 14 October by drones on the sites of armed elements in the city. The airstrike had led to the killing of seven members of the group, including Egyptian national Ibrahim al-Banna, in addition to a relative of Fahd al-Qasa named Sarhan al-Qasa, and Abd-al-Rahman al-Awlaqi, son of leading figure Anwar al-Awlaqi who was killed in early October. [Description of Source: Aden News Agency in Arabic; URL: http://www.aden-na.org/] Yemen: Shabwah Security Forces Deployed in Schools in Fear of Islamist Attacks GMP20111026175001 Sanaa Al-Masdar Online in Arabic 25 Oct 11 [Unattributed "exclusive" report: "Shabwah Security [Forces] Deploy a Number of Their Elements in Ataq Schools and the Parents Condemn It"]
The "Revolution Youth" movement, a youth movement that demands the ouster of President Ali AbdallahSalih's regime, issued a statement condemning the step taken by the security [forces], considering it to be a "silly behavior" that caused fear and panic among students and schoolgirls. The movement said it does not accept such behavior or any recurrence of it, calling for the withdrawal of these forces immediately and prohibiting the recurrence of such acts. It added that the fight against the Al-Qa'ida Organization is not taking place in the schools, so it is necessary "to spare our schoolchildren any settling of scores or tribulations." Armed militants are active in areas adjacent to the city of Ataq. The population and the authorities fear that the scenario of the city of Zinjibar, which was seized by an armed militant group believed to be linked to Al-Qa'ida, may be repeated. [Description of Source: Sanaa Al-Masdar Online in Arabic -- Website of independent weekly newspaper, critical of government policies; URL: http://www.al-masdar.com/] 'Sources': Muslim Brotherhood Clashes With Huthists, Al-Qa'ida Gathers Forces GMP20111030181001 Naba News in Arabic 28 Oct 11 [Unattributed "exclusive" report: "Sectarian War Crawling Into Hajjah as Tens are Killed and Al-Qa'ida Gathers at Al-Jawf Preparing to Enter It"]
Local sources in Hajjah confirmed to Naba News that more than 50 were killed or wounded during violent clashes in the Kahlan District in the last 72 hours. The sources pointed out that the events were set off after Salafist groups belonging to Al-Islah Party [Yemeni Congregation for Reform, YCR] attacked a mosque belonging to the Huthists, fired at some of their houses, and killed one of them. The sources noted that the events were set off in conjunction with Huthist groups besieging the Damaj Religious Centre in Sa'dah, which is funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after Huthists accused their shaykhs of sectarian incitement. However, tribal mediation succeeded in negotiating an agreement between both parties on 26 October and in lifting the siege on the center. The events in Hajjah are a continuation of the bloody clashes witnessed during the last period extensively in Sa'dah, Al-Jawf, and Amran Governorates, which are areas where Huthists are very influential. Shaykh Al-Akimi led the Muslim Brotherhood's clashes against Huthists in Al-Jawf while ShaykhSadiq al-Ahmar led those in Amran. ShaykhSadiq Al-Ahmar's militias suffered heavy losses in Amran as the Huthists defeated them, took over the Al-Ashah area in the QuflatUdhr District, and controlled its various government facilities. The 122nd Brigade, which is under the command of dissident Major General Ali Muhsin [al-Ahmar], led the Muslim Brotherhood's clashes against the Huthists in Sa'dah where it also suffered heavy losses and lost its military commander in the area of Qahzah. As Huthists mobilize their followers in the various hot spots mentioned above, Naba News has received new reports from local sources confirming observing suspicious movements of Al-Qa'ida groups in the Kitaf area in Sa'dah and several other areas in Al-Jawf.
Widening the scope of the clashes between the Huthists and the Muslim Brotherhood raises the concern of many Yemeni parties who fear that these clashes might be paid for by regional parties trying to settle their disputes over Yemeni territories at the expense of Yemenis. [Description of Source: Naba News in Arabic -- Pro-government news website, harshly critical of secessionist efforts and the Huthist insurgency; URL: http://www.nabanews.net] Yemeni 25th Mechanized Brigade Reportedly Thwarts Militant Attack in Zinjibar GMP20111101099001 Sanaa Akhbar al-Yawm Online in Arabic 30 Oct 11 [Unattributed report: "Militants Transport Military Equipment to Azzan, [East] Asians Present in Ja'ar, 25th [Mechanized] Brigade Counter Militant Attack, Army Units Put End to [Militant] Gunfire in Zinjibar"] The 25th Mechanized Brigade and its backup units in the city of Zinjibar have thwarted an attack by gunmen from the eastern side of Zinjibar city. Eyewitnesses said to Akhbar al-Yawm that battles and clashes they described as violent took place late last night between gunmen and the 25th Brigade, as the latter was attacked from the eastern side and came under artillery bombardment and LAW rockets that were launched from the governorate building on the western side. The witnesses confirmed that the 25th Mechanized Brigade and its backup units in Zinjibar city and the Al-Kawd front launched intense bombardment using Katyusha and artillery against several locations where militants are positioned, particularly in Al-Fallujah, Bajdar, and the Al-Shuhada [Martyrs'] Square in northeastern Zinjibar city. The militants' gunfire was countered and they were inflicted heavy losses in materiel and lives. Eyewitnesses pointed out that the clashes and artillery bombardment against militant positions are considered the most violent since the military units entered the outskirts of Zinjibar. A number of militants in Ja'ar city, Abyan Governorate, were seen transporting their military equipment of guns, ammunition, computers, and office tools on board trucks heading toward Azzan, Shabwah Governorate. Eye witnesses told Akhbar al-Yawm that the militants had seized the devices and military equipment from the moment Zinjibar city fell into their hands in May so that they would transport them to the Azzan area. The witnesses noted that these elements already transported medical equipment that they had looted from the Ja'ar's Al-Razi Hospital and some other clinics in Ja'ar and Zinjibar to Azzan Hospital, which is completely under the control of those elements. Witnesses asserted that while militants were seen transporting their equipment to Azzan, the past few days saw the emergence and spread of militants of East Asian nationalities in Ja'ar city, especially in the evenings. These [Asian] militants, who range from 17 to 25 years old, traveled by sea and landed in Shuqrah city, eastern Zinjibar, and then traveled to Ja'ar city using the road linking Al-Tariyah to Al-Shaykh Salih. They traveled so that they could participate in the fighting against the military units stationed in Zinjibar and Al-Kawd cities. Eyewitnesses explained that those nationalities from East Asia and others from Africa were previously seen stationed at a checkpoint in Wadi Hassan. On the humanitarian front, many of those who were displaced from Sa'dah Governorate and are currently in Aden called for the need to change the committees for distributing food aid as they are manipulating the distribution process. They noted that some of the displaced received the last batch of aid, some of which will expire next month. The displaced also called on military units in Al-Kawd and Zinjibar to open the road passing through the Al-Alam checkpoint, especially after the military forces secure and control the coastal road until the Al-Shaykh Salim area so that they could move around easily with the advent of Id Al-Adha. It is noteworthy that the Southern Region Command closed, four months ago, the road that passes through the Al-Alam checkpoint and links Aden to Abyan and the eastern governorates, forcing the citizens to move around using the Al-Hurur road and adding to their suffering. [Description of Source: Sanaa Akhbar al-Yawm Online in Arabic -- Website of independent daily newspaper featuring frequent reporting on Yemeni tribal affairs; URL: www.akhbaralyom.net/] Yemen: US Aircraft Flies Over Al-Bayda Following Alleged Al-Qa'ida Infiltration GMP20111111139001 Sanaa Al-Masdar Online in Arabic 10 Nov 11 [Unattributed "exclusive" report:"US Reconnaissance Aircraft Flies Over Al-Bayda Governorate on a Daily Basis; Reports About the Infiltration of Extremists"] Local residents have stated that a reconnaissance aircraft, believed to be American, has been flying over Al-Bayda Governorate on a daily basis. They added that they fear possible air raids that might mistakenly target civilians. Al-Masdar Online correspondent Majid Karut cited sources as saying that the reconnaissance aircraft had started flying over Al-Bayda districts on a daily basis since Saturday [ 5 November]. The sources added that the aircraft usually starts its activities at midnight and continues until the morning, in which the residents clearly witnessed the aircraft flying over their areas. Also, our correspondent has witnessed the aircraft flying over Al-Bayda city more than once. According to local sources, the reconnaissance aircraft mainly flies over Al-Bayda city and the southern districts of the governorate, which border the troubled Abyan Governorate. A number of residents voiced concern over the activities of the aircraft, while demonstrators, who took to the streets to call for toppling Salih, chanted slogans condemning the United States for violating the sovereignty of Yemen. Our correspondent said that the aircraft activities over Al-Bayda comes in conjunction with security sources claiming that extremist gunmen believed to be from Al-Qa'ida had infiltrated to Al-Bayda from Abyan. The US warplanes are flying over the Yemeni governorates, namely Shabwah and Abyan, to target Al-Qa'ida elements as part of its cooperation with the Yemeni authorities in the fight against terrorism, translated in launching air raids throughout the past two years targeting sites believed to belong to Al-Qa'ida; however, some of these raids were on civilian sites and led to the death of dozens of innocent civilians. A US classified document released by Wikileas stated that President Ali Abdallah Salih allowed the Americans to launch air raids on the Yemeni territories after he promised them that an announcement will be made claiming that the raids were carried out by Yemeni warplanes. [Description of Source: Sanaa Al-Masdar Online in Arabic -- Website of independent weekly newspaper, critical of government policies; URL: http://www.al-masdar.com/] Yemen: Militants capture another city in south Sanaa, 15 Nov. (AKI) - Al-Qaeda militants in southern Yemen have captured the town of Al-Khoud in the southern Abyan province, according to news reports. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the local branch of the terrorist group, resisted bombing since Monday afternoon by the Yemeni airforce, Xinhua news agency reported, citing unnamed sources. Al-Khoud is the latest town to fall into militant hands following the capture of numerous other cities and town in Yemen's south. About 12,000 insurgents fight for AQAP in in Yemen. The force has benefited from the government's entanglements with a popular uprising and an armed separatist movement. Yemen: Reports Say 'Gulf' States Fund Al-Qa'ida Camps To Extend Influence GMP20111123115001 Naba News in Arabic 22 Nov 11 [Unattributed "exclusive" report: "Al-Qa'ida Establishes Command Center, Camp in Kitaf as Generous Donations Pour In"] Field reports have revealed a frightening growing influence of the Al-Qa'ida Organization terrorist groups over the Kitaf District, Sa'dah Governorate, which reaches the Saudi border. The reports confirm that these groups established a training camp and central command headquarters, and executed many field activities. The reports, which were drawn by Naba News from various local sources in Kitaf, say that Al-Qa'ida has established a training camp located 1,200 meters from Al-Jarbah village in the land of Wadi Al Abu-Jabarah in the direction of Al-Buq. The camp hosts around 200-300 militants who are increasing on daily basis. Information indicates the presence of dozens of Arab fighters, mostly Saudi nationals, in the camp, and that all of them poured through the Saudi border except for a small group which traveled through the Bart areas in Al-Jawf. The information also confirms that Al-Qa'ida has established a well-fortified command center in the area of Al-Majza'ah where it has a large weapons and ammunition cache that are smuggled and managed by elements of the Al Al-Tays [tribe]. The government previously claimed to have killed one of them, but he was seen recently walking around in the Al-Majza'ah market. The reports also observed Al-Qa'ida elements digging trenches and tunnels in many of the mountains, starting from the outskirts of Kitaf city and extending to Al-Khadra and [Wadi] Atfayn, which overlooks the Al-Buq border point with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to local sources with identical information, the growth of Al-Qa'ida's influence and its direction toward organizational stability is inspired by the chaos of the Yemeni spring and the huge influx of "Gulf" funds to extremist groups in the context of the "Wahhabi extension" of the region's states which succeeded in obliterating the doctrinal identity of some of the areas in Sa'dah -- the birthplace of the Zaydi Imams -- and also in the context of what is being promoted of fears from "Persian schemes!" However, the timing of Al-Qa'ida's crawl toward Kitaf comes against the backdrop of the Muslim Brotherhood's [Yemeni Congregation for Reform] escalation in mobilization and sectarian incitement campaigns, and the exploitation of the Dammaj siege incident in order to foment ideological hatred and revenge in hopes of using them in the ongoing political conflict between them and the Huthists in Al-Jawf, Hajjah, and Amran, which the Muslim Brotherhood is attempting to use weaponry to force it into Islamic ideology and subject it to its leadership. The Muslim Brotherhood has not found a way to confront the overwhelming Huthist majority except by playing the denominations card in order to solicit the support of the extremist terrorist groups and the influential religious centers in the neighboring Gulf countries. [Description of Source: Naba News in Arabic -- Pro-government news website, harshly critical of secessionist efforts and the Huthist insurgency; URL: http://www.nabanews.net] Directory: gifiles -> attach attach -> British Forces – Akrioti, Greece Griffin Fighter Squadron (84 Squadron raf) MoD announced possible Typhoon and Tornado arrivals to the base France attach -> Russia 110204 Basic Political Developments attach -> Unclassified//for official use only attach -> Adaptability Sustainment attach -> Pop-up 1 ("C" Chechnya) Header Text: Emir of the Caucasus Emirate Doku Umarov Image attach -> Russia and Islam are not Separate attach -> Chapter 13: The Northern Caucasus attach -> Russia 100209 Basic Political Developments attach -> The evolution attach -> The devolution Download 0.68 Mb. Share with your friends:
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