Rebels attack UN convoy, injuring relief worker

Rebels attack UN convoy, injuring relief worker

By Nasser Arrabyee/09/10/2009

A relief worker was injured when Al Houthi rebels attacked an aid convoy for displaced people east of Sa'ada province, local source said Friday.

"Asad Hussien Mohammed was injured in his right foot when Al Houthi rebels attacked assistance convoy from UNICEF and WFP for Al Mabdah camp," said Hassan Abu Hadra, director of health in Al Jawf province.

The attack happened in the eastern area between Al Jawf and Sa'ada while the convoy was in its way to the camp of Al Mabdah which has about 400 displaced families.

The tribal sheikh Hussein Mohammed, father of Asad, confirmed that his son now is being treated in a hospital in the capital Sana'a. Asad was working with the relief teams.

For military developments, three rebels were killed and 9 others were arrested including three Africans, military sources said Friday.

A group of rebels tried to attack Al Sama Mountain close to the city of Sa'ada, but troops repelled them killing three and injuring several others, the sources said.

Three Al Houthi-linked Africans, mostly Somalis, were arrested in Ghuraz, east of the city of Sa'ada and three rebels arrested inside the city, the sources said.

"The terrorist Ali Mohsen Al Khawlani was arrested in Al Sahan area, terrorist Nasser Mohammed Ali was arrested while infiltrating to Al Shakra post, terrorist Ebrahim Ali was arrested while driving a car laden with petrol and diesel camouflaged with bags of potatoes in Sahar district," the military source said.

A car laden with weapons was destroyed while in its way to the rebels from the eastern road of Al Jawf, and another car laden with weapons was destroyed at Al Ain area nearby the city of Sa'ada. The sources added that weapons store was destroyed in Harf Sufyan.

To this end, the local authorities in Sa'ada said they arrested three traders of weapons, but none of them was identified.

Meanwhile, tribal chiefs of Razeh district issued a document saying they are against any confrontations in their area.

Abdul Kareem Jaban, the MP of the area, said the people of Razeh will not allow any armed confrontations in their area from both sides. They called, in the documents, which was handed to troops and rebels, for solving the problems peacefully.

The mountainous area of Razeh, densely populated area in the west of Sa'ada province, is still quiet.

On their side, the rebels said late Thursday they fully controlled the district of Manbih in the far north of Sa'ada province at the border with Saudi Arabia. They controlled all the government buildings in the area according a statement sent through emails from the rebels side.