Saudi intervention in the war against rebels denied

By Nasser Arrabyee/02/11/2009

A Yemeni military official denied Monday Al Houthi rebels' allegations that the army used a Saudi base to attack them.

The Saudi authorities have "allowed Yemeni army to use a Saudi base in Jabal Al Dukhan from which it launched attacks," said Al Houthi in statement sent through emails.

The military official, who asked not to be named, said Al Houthi tries only to cover his defeats by speaking about Saudi interference. "Jabal Al Dukhan is Yemeni not Saudi lands," he said. This is not the first time Al Houthi rebels accuse Saudi authorities of intervening in the war.

Earlier in the day, the army said in a statement that it had controlled fully on Jabal Al Dukhan and all hills around in the western frontline of Al Malahaid.

Hideouts of the rebels were destroyed in Al Manzalsh and hills overlooking Wadi Layah. Weapons, ammunitions, and cars were seized after cleaning up the area from the rebels, the statement said.

Al Houthi rebels threatened to strike Saudi Arabia if it does stop what they called "flagrant aggression and dangerous intervention."

The ambassadors of US and EU to Sana'a expressed today Monday their support for the unity, security and stability of Yemen in a meeting they held with the Yemeni foreign minister Abu Bakr Al Querbi.

Al Querbi said he had briefed the ambassadors on the steps being taken by the State to end the armed rebellion of Al Houthi. He said that the five conditions set by the supreme committee, which supervises the war, are still valid for a cease-fire. The rebels must go down from the mountains and hand over the weapons is the most important point of those conditions.