Efforts of ending Al Houthi rebellion continue despite obstacles

By Nasser Arrabyee/21/02/2010

The efforts of ending the armed rebellion in northern Yemen are continuing despite repeated breaches by rebels who try to obstruct the army from deployment in some positions and try to keep the heavy weapons including the removed mines, sources close to the mediators said Sunday.

The sources confirmed that the four committees in charge of supervising the implementation of the six conditions set by the government and accepted by the rebels for ending the war, were working according to the agreed mechanism and time table in the four main areas: the areas around Sa'ada city, Harf Sufyan, Al Malahaid, and the borders with Saudi Arabia.

The strategic road, which connects the Yemeni capital Sana'a with the province of Sa'ada via the mountainous areas of Harf Sufyan, was opened Saturday.

More than 20 Lorries carrying food and relief materials for the displaced peopled moved from Sana'a to Sa'ada through this road for the first time since the war erupted last August 10th.

"Re-opening the road of Harf Sufyan- Sa'ada is a big achievement for ending the war and brining the peace to Sa'ada," said the MP and tribal sheikh, Ali Abdu Rabu Al Qadi, chairman of the mediation committee in Harf Sufyan.

"We are determined to bring peace and ignore all breaches and difficulties facing the implementation of the six conditions," Al Qadi added.

The relief Lorries passed through the most difficult and most sensitive positions of the rebels until they arrived in the city of Sa'ada.

The tribal sheikh Ali Nasser Kersha, the mediator between the government and rebels and a team of engineers for removing mines were with the caravan which passed through Harf Sufyan, Shabarek, Al Heyrah, Waset, Al Amashyah, Al Zala, Al amar, Al Mahather, Al Okab, reaching the city of Sa'ada late afternoon Saturday.

"The citizens here were very happy after the caravan arrived, because reopening this strategic road increased their hopes for ending the war permanently," said Ali Abu Hulaika, chairman of the mediation committee in Sa'ada.

Abu Halikah also said that his committee is working around the clock on implementing the six conditions in the areas around Sa'ada city despite the breaches and the procrastinations of the rebels over some issues, like barricades in some places and the heavy weapons, and also army deployment in some places.

For the two committees in Al Malahaid and the borders with Saudi Arabia, they held a joint meeting late Saturday along with the heads of five districts which were under the control of Al Houthi rebels.

The meeting asked the directors of the districts of Razeh, Al Malahaid, Shada, Ghamer, and Manbah, who resumed their work as heads of local authority only this week after more than six months of absence, asked them to present suggestions on how to make their authority on these areas effective.

Abdul Wahab Al Durah, member of Al Malahaid mediation committee, said Sunday that additional 40 mine engineers had arrived to help the team already there in removing the mines in Al Malahaid and the border areas as soon as possible.

Mines are among the obstacles facing the army who were not able to deploy in some positions partly because of the loitering of the rebels and partly because of the mines planted everywhere.