41 al-Qaeda militants killed in Yemen

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, April 20, 2012- Yemen's Defense Ministry said on its website that at least 41 al-Qaeda militants were killed during Thursday and Friday in the Yemeni southern city of Lawder.

On Friday at least nine al-Qaeda militants were killed in two air raids conducted by Yemeni airstrikes in Yemen's southern province of Abyan. Local tribal sources stated that five armed militants were killed in one of the Yemeni air force attacks and four in another near Lawder city.

The Defense's website reported that 18 al-Qaeda militants were killed on Thursday while tens of militants were wounded during clashes between Yemeni troops backed by tribesmen and al-Qaeda militants in southern Yemen's restive Abyan province. Moreover, 14 al-Qaeda militants were killed east Lawder city during an attack by Yemeni troops on two positions of al-Qaeda hideouts on Thursday evening.

''At least two Yemeni soldiers were killed and 7 others were wounded in the clashes,'' the ministry mentioned.

The Defense Ministry said that Yemeni troops pushed back Ansar al-Sharia fighters from several positions near Zinjibar, their stronghold and the capital of Abyan province.

More than 222 people including 183 militants have been killed in consecutive clashes around the strategic south Yemen town of Lawder in battles between Yemeni troops backed by tribesmen and Ansar Al-Sharea, an Islamist group linked to al-Qaeda in the Yemen's southern province of Abyan.

According to experts, al-Qaeda determined to capture the south Yemeni town of Lawdar in a bid to build itself a secure base in the Arabian Peninsula.

Lawdar district is located between three provinces gives it strategic importance, and it can also provide a safe haven from bombardment from the sea, experts say, adding that the militant group is seeking to extend its influence across the region.

The group seized control of a significant amount of territory in Abyan during the turmoil that led to the replacement of President Ali Abdullah Saleh by his deputy.

The conflict with the fighters in the south is only one of several challenges facing the new president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who took office in February vowing to fight al-Qaeda.

The Saudi Arabia and the United States hope the political deal will prevent al-Qaeda from getting a foothold near oil shipping routes.

4 people wounded in renewed clashes between Hothis and Sunni

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, April 19, 2012- Clashes between Sunni and Houthi fighters renewed on Wednesday and Thursday in two provinces of Yemen, where Shia rebel attempts to control and expand in new areas in the north.

Sources said that clashes took place in two separate places reporting that fierce clashes erupted in Ahem district of Hajeh province while district of Ketaf of Sa'ad province witnessed sporadic clashes between the two groups.  There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage there.

Security sources said that sporadic clashes erupted in Sa'ada province between Houthis and Sunnis in Al-Fehloni, Ghemar, Tadhela, and al-Qatea cities, wounding at least 4 Sunni fighters.

Al-Houthis who seemingly is continuing its anti-government campaign despite having claimed that it wanted to move away from war and into dialogue as it seeks to be recognized as a genuine political faction, risk engulfing North Yemen in another lengthy war. With 4 Northern provinces under their control, the Shia rebel group represents a growing threat to national unity, by draining much needed government resources and preventing troops from fighting terrorism in the South.

Two months ago, al-Houthi group was hit by a bomb during an anti-U.S. protest wounding at least 22 people. The group accused in a statement the United States of America of having fomented the attack.

However, since al-Houthis have several other very real enemies, determining which faction was being the attack could turn to be a difficult task. Over the past few past the Shia group has come to clash numerously with, Salafists, a fundamentalist Sunni which bears political affiliation with al-Islah, Yemen’s Islamic party. The 2 have been debating their different religious doctrine, belief and political stance on the battlefield, with both factions refusing to back down.

The Shia rebels who are led by Saada-based Sheikh Abdel-Malek al-Houthi oppose the political-settlement deal that swore in the country’s consensus President Abdu-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and ended almost a year of protests against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

In recent months, the region has seen bouts of fighting between al-Houthis and Sunni Muslims espousing puritanical Salafi doctrines, influential in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Houthis have accused Riyadh of arming their foes. Sunnis make up nearly 60 percent of Yemen’s population, while the Shia account for 40 percent.

Al-Houthi-led rebels have been engaging in severe sectarian conflicts for several months with Sunni fundamentalists in Saada and the neighboring provinces of Hajja and Jawf that left hundreds of people killed and forced thousands of residents to flee their villages.

Yemen has witnessed sporadic battles since 2004 between the government troops and the rebels, with Sana’a accusing al-Houthis of seeking to re-establish the clerical rule of the Imams overthrown by the Yemeni revolution in 1962 which gave birth to the Yemeni republic.