Blockaded Al Houthi rebels want conditional withdrawal from Saudi lands

By Nasser Arrabyee/23/12/2009


Al Houthi rebels said Wednesday they are ready to withdraw from the Saudi territories they are occupying if the Saudi forces stopped their 'aggression.'

In a statement sent through emails, the rebels said," We are ready to withdraw if Saudis stopped aggression on us and prevented the Yemeni army from using their lands against us."

The rebels' statement comes only hours before the end of a 48-hour ultimatum given by the Saudi forces on Tuesday to the blockaded rebels to either withdraw or face strike.


Observers view the step from Al Houthi to withdraw only as a tactic to take breath or enter in direct negotiations with the Saudis to gain legitimacy.

"The rebels are not serious, and it is not the first time for them to lie, they want only to rescue them selves from the blockade they are in, and take a breath, then, they get back to fight," said Saeed Thabet, writer and political analyst.


The Saudi assistant minister of defense, Khaled bin Sultan, declared Tuesday the end of the military operations against the Al Houthi infiltrators giving the Al Houthis, blockaded in Al Jaberiah area, a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw.

The Saudi officials said that 73 Saudi soldiers were killed, 26 went missing, and 470 were injured in the confrontations with the aggressors of Al Houthi, which began early last November.