Army focuses on rebels' hideouts and supply movement

By Nasser Arrabyee/15/10/2009


A total of 6 Al Houthi rebels were killed in special operations around the city of Sa'ada where relative calm prevailed over the last few hours, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

Two rebels were killed when they tried to block the road between Sa'ada and Al Jawf at the area of Kutaf, northeast of Sa'ada city.

Three rebels were killed when a group of rebels tried to attack Al Sama'a mountain which overlooks the city of Sa'ada. One rebel was killed nearby the Station of Jarman close to the city, where he tried to attack check point, the statement clarified.

Three cars laden with weapons and food supply for Al Houthi rebels were destroyed in Ghamer west of Sa'ada, and three hideouts were destroyed in Al Majza'ah and Sayfan south of Sa'ada, the statement said.


From their side, the rebels killed a highranking officer with two of his soldiers in an ambush made in Razeh area west of Sa'ada province where confrontations started to appear over the last few days.

Local sources said that Colonel Ahmed Al Shaibani was assassinated when a group of rebels opened fire on his car and clashed with his companions killing two of them in Burkan area of Razeh district.

Meanwhile, a tribal chief from Bakem area in the far north of Sa'ada, where rebels try to open a new frontline, called Thursday for more support from the government to fight Al Houthis.

Shiekh Asad Al Othamn said he and his tribesmen are in need for more troops to stand with them against the rebels.

"If there is no new enforcement, Al Houthi rebels will take control over the area," he warned.

From Al Jawf, south of Sa'ada, Sheikh Al Hasan Abkar, called the government to be more serious in supporting his tribes in Al Ghail district to fight Al Houthi rebels.

He said in press statement that he attended a meeting in Sana'a brining together officials and tribal sheikhs from Al Jawf for coordinating efforts to prevent any activity for Al Houthis in the neighboring province.

Sheikh AlBakr said the people who support Al Houthi in Al Jawf were only wronged by some government official but they are not believing in the ideas of Al Houthi.

"So, we should solve the problems of these people, if we want to prevent them from supporting Al Houthi," he said.