Most fresh drone attack kills 4 terrorists, death toll 16

By Nasser Arrabyee, 21/01/2013

Fresh US drone attacks kill about 3 raising death toll to 12 terrorists  over 24 hours

A total of 4 Al Qaeda operatives were killed by an air strike ( US drones) in the area of Al Taif in the high way between the capital Sanaa and Mareb, a local official was quoted by the defense ministry website as saying early Monday. 

"The strike targeted the terrorists while driving their "Vitara" car," said the official. 

Late Sunday, at least three Al Qaeda operatives were killed by fresh US drone attacks raise the death toll to 12 in the eastern province of Mareb by drones during the last 24 hours.

The new raid targeted a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives in the area of Al Kanaes ( Khanaka) in Abeidah valley Sunday afternoon said local sources.

The sources said that those killed today were not from Mareb, they might have been foreigners or Yemenis from other provinces.

"If they were from Mareb, from Abiedah like yesterday, we would definitely who they were very quickly, now family from Abiedah at least said so far they had someone died," said Abdul Sallam from Abiedah.

A total of 9 charred dead bodies believed to Al Qaeda operatives were buried early morning  Sunday  in two separate places  of Abeidah valley in the eastern province of Mareb, said residents who attended burials.

"The  dead bodies were buried together, because they were chopped into pieces and were so charred that they can not be recognized," said Saeed Al Yousifi from Abiedah. 

Each group was buried nearby the place where the strike happened.  Four were buried in Al Masil and five were buried in Al Shabwan.

The 9 Al Qaeda operatives were killed after US drones implemented at least 4 raids on three different places in the same area of Abiedah valley, where Al Qaeda is always active, late at night of Saturday.

In the first attack, the missiles of the drones hit an orange farm in Al Masil area instead of hitting a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives which was driving nearby the farm.

No one was hurt in the farm but some damages were inflicted on the farm and residents were terrified because the attacks were so close to their houses villages. 

In about an hour after the first raid which happened about 930 pm, the US drones hit and destroyed a car in All Rashid area which is not very far from Al Masil, and both of them are in Abeidah valley. In the car, Ismail Saeed Jamil from Abeidah and three others were killed. 

Locals said that two of these killed with Jamil were Saudi nationals.The slain  Ismail Saeed Jamil was the brother of Al Qaeda leader Ali Saeed Jamil who was killed in Abyan in the middle 2011.

For the third and fourth strikes, they targeted a car in Al Shabwan killing the Al Qaeda leader Ahmed Hassan Gharib and four other aides who were not identified because they were so charred that they can not be recognized. 

13 Al Qaeda Operatives killed in explosives' house

13 Al Qaeda Operatives killed in explosives' house

By Nasser Arrabyee,20/01/2013

At least 13 Al Qaeda operatives were killed after a mistake happened while preparing explosives in a house Radaa east of Yemen, said residents who saw the house exploding at night of Saturday.

The house is located at the village of Serm, in Al Manaseh district, Radaa, Al Baidha province, about 200 km south- east of the capital Sanaa.

The belongs the tribal leader Ahmed Abdullah Dhaif Allah Al Dhahab, nicknamed as Al Raje'e.

"All of a sudden we heard the explosions in the house, we do not know what happened," said one of the residents in the village.

Some said Al Qaeda were preparing a car bomb inside the house. 

Al Qaeda operative in Al Manaseh, one of the growing strongholds, surrounded the house immediately and prevented any one to get in, but  the news got to every one in the village  about how many were killed and injured today Sunday when the dead bodies were taken to the mosque for prayers and then  to the cemetery for burial.

A total of 13 dead body were buried today in the area according to many locals who witnessed the funeral.  Local sources said they saw Al Qaeda operatives taking injured people to a hospital in Radaa. 

Earlier in the day, the state-run news agency Saba said 10 terrorists were killed in a house in the district of Al Manaseh while Al Qaeda men were  preparing explosives.

Meanwhile, flames and  clouds of smokes were see rising over the house of Anwar Al Anbari, one of  Al Qaeda leaders in Modyah, and continued until late today Sunday. Redwan Yaslem, from Mudyah said the reason was electricity short circuit. Anwar is the brother of Jamil Al Anbari who was killed by a US drone attack in 2011 in Modyah.

Fresh US drone attacks kill about 3 raising death toll to 12 terrorists over 24 hours

Fresh US drone attacks kill about 3 raising death toll to 12 terrorists  over 24 hours

By Nasser Arrabyee,20/01/2013

At least three Al Qaeda operatives were killed by fresh US drone attacks raise the death toll to 12 in the eastern province of Mareb by drones during the last 24 hours.

The new raid targeted a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives in the area of Al Kanaes ( Khanaka) in Abeidah valley Sunday afternoon said local sources.

The sources said that those killed today were not from Mareb, they might have been foreigners or Yemenis from other provinces.

"If they were from Mareb, from Abiedah like yesterday, we would definitely who they were very quickly, now family from Abiedah at least said so far they had someone died," said Abdul Sallam from Abiedah.

A total of 9 charred dead bodies believed to Al Qaeda operatives were buried early morning  Sunday  in two separate places  of Abeidah valley in the eastern province of Mareb, said residents who attended burials.

"The  dead bodies were buried together, because they were chopped into pieces and were so charred that they can not be recognized," said Saeed Al Yousifi from Abiedah. 

Each group was buried nearby the place where the strike happened.  Four were buried in Al Masil and five were buried in Al Shabwan.

The 9 Al Qaeda operatives were killed after US drones implemented at least 4 raids on three different places in the same area of Abiedah valley, where Al Qaeda is always active, late at night of Saturday.

In the first attack, the missiles of the drones hit an orange farm in Al Masil area instead of hitting a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives which was driving nearby the farm.

No one was hurt in the farm but some damages were inflicted on the farm and residents were terrified because the attacks were so close to their houses villages. 

In about an hour after the first raid which happened about 930 pm, the US drones hit and destroyed a car in All Rashid area which is not very far from Al Masil, and both of them are in Abeidah valley. In the car, Ismail Saeed Jamil from Abeidah and three others were killed. 

Locals said that two of these killed with Jamil were Saudi nationals.The slain  Ismail Saeed Jamil was the brother of Al Qaeda leader Ali Saeed Jamil who was killed in Abyan in the middle 2011.

For the third and fourth strikes, they targeted a car in Al Shabwan killing the Al Qaeda leader Ahmed Hassan Gharib and four other aides who were not identified because they were so charred that they can not be recognized. 

Sanaa-based NDI denies work suspension and denies any threats

Sanaa-based NDI denies  work suspension and denies any  threats

By Nasser Arrabyee, 20/01/2013

A senior official from Sanaa-based NDI said they did not suspend work and they did not receive any threats.

The deputy director of NDI, Murad Zafer, said they are working today Sunday as normal  and that they have  no plans to suspend work in the future. 

Earlier in the day, sources said the the American National Democratic Institute ( NDI) suspended work until further notice.

Some staff members said that they were told to stay at home until further notice. The staff expected to stay one week at least before they are told to resume work. 

The suspension of the NDI came after religious scholars issued Fatwas that the NDI is working against the nation and its staff are spying for the enemies of the Umma, in an obvious reference to United States and the West in general.

The inciting fatwas, published in many extremist Islamic websites, were considered as death threats especially now that the drone attacks are in rise in the areas where IND has a lot of development activities like Mareb, Al Jawf.

The suspension of NDI also came hours after at least four  drone attacks killed 9 Al Qaeda operatives in the eastern province of Mareb.

A total of 9 charred dead bodies believed to Al Qaeda operatives were buried early morning  Sunday  in two separate places  of Abeidah valley in the eastern province of Mareb, said residents who attended burials.

"The  dead bodies were buried together, because they were chopped into pieces and were so charred that they can not be recognized," said Saeed Al Yousifi from Abiedah. 

Each group was buried nearby the place where the strike happened.  Four were buried in Al Masil and five were buried in Al Shabwan.

The 9 Al Qaeda operatives were killed after US drones implemented at least 4 raids on three different places in the same area of Abiedah valley, where Al Qaeda is always active, late at night of Saturday.

In the first attack, the missiles of the drones hit an orange farm in Al Masil area instead of hitting a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives which was driving nearby the farm.

No one was hurt in the farm but some damages were inflicted on the farm and residents were terrified because the attacks were so close to their houses villages. 

In about an hour after the first raid which happened about 930 pm, the US drones hit and destroyed a car in All Rashid area which is not very far from Al Masil, and both of them are in Abeidah valley. In the car, Ismail Saeed Jamil from Abeidah and three others were killed. 

Locals said that two of these killed with Jamil were Saudi nationals.The slain  Ismail Saeed Jamil was the brother of Al Qaeda leader Ali Saeed Jamil who was killed in Abyan in the middle 2011.

For the third and fourth strikes, they targeted a car in Al Shabwan killing the Al Qaeda leader Ahmed Hassan Gharib and four other aides who were not identified because they were so charred that they can not be recognized. 

Sanaa-based American NDI suspended work after threats and increasing drone attacks

Al least 4 US drone attacks kill 9 Al Qaeda operatives

By Nasser Arrabyee, 20/01/2013

The Sanaa-based office of the American National Democratic Institute ( NDI) suspended work until further notice, said staff members who were told today Sunday to go home about two hours after they arrived in the office. 

The staff said that they were told to stay at home until further notice. The staff expected to stay one week at least before they are told to resume work. The suspension of the NDI came after religious scholars issued Fatwas that the NDI is working against the nation and its staff are spying for the enemies of the Umma, in an obvious reference to United States and the West in general.

The inciting fatwas, published in many extremist Islamic websites, were considered as death threats especially now that the drone attacks are in rise in the areas where IND has a lot of development activities like Mareb, Al Jawf.

The suspension of NDI also came hours after at least four  drone attacks killed 9 Al Qaeda operatives in the eastern province of Mareb.

A total of 9 charred dead bodies believed to Al Qaeda operatives were buried early morning  Sunday  in two separate places  of Abeidah valley in the eastern province of Mareb, said residents who attended burials.

"The  dead bodies were buried together, because they were chopped into pieces and were so charred that they can not be recognized," said Saeed Al Yousifi from Abiedah. 

Each group was buried nearby the place where the strike happened.  Four were buried in Al Masil and five were buried in Al Shabwan.

The 9 Al Qaeda operatives were killed after US drones implemented at least 4 raids on three different places in the same area of Abiedah valley, where Al Qaeda is always active, late at night of Saturday.

In the first attack, the missiles of the drones hit an orange farm in Al Masil area instead of hitting a car carrying Al Qaeda operatives which was driving nearby the farm.

No one was hurt in the farm but some damages were inflicted on the farm and residents were terrified because the attacks were so close to their houses villages. 

In about an hour after the first raid which happened about 930 pm, the US drones hit and destroyed a car in All Rashid area which is not very far from Al Masil, and both of them are in Abeidah valley. In the car, Ismail Saeed Jamil from Abeidah and three others were killed. 

Locals said that two of these killed with Jamil were Saudi nationals.The slain  Ismail Saeed Jamil was the brother of Al Qaeda leader Ali Saeed Jamil who was killed in Abyan in the middle 2011.

For the third and fourth strikes, they targeted a car in Al Shabwan killing the Al Qaeda leader Ahmed Hassan Gharib and four other aides who were not identified because they were so charred that they can not be recognized. 

Assassinations continue, rescue operation for Western hostages soon

Assassinations continue, rescue operation for Western hostages soon

By Nasser Arrabyee,16/01/2013

The colonel Abdullah Al Mushki, deputy director of security in Dhammar, was shot dead by a gunman riding a motor cycle nearby his house, said security sources and relatives Wednesday. 

This is the 4th security official to be assassinated in the city of Dhammar over the last few months, by gunmen believed to be Al Qaeda members.

Dhammar, 100 km south of the capital Sanaa, is neighboring the city of Radaa, where Al Qaeda established recently a new stronghold in the area of Masaneh, Kayfeh. 

The brigade 1 of the Special Operations, arrived in Dhammar this week with the purpose of implementing special operations against Al Qaeda in Radaa, and at least stop its expansion in the middle of the country.

The Special Forces are under the leadership of brigadier Mohammed Ali Al Makdashi, said the sources on Wednesday. 

The operations to be implemented would include a special operation to rescue three Western hostages, two Finns and one Austrian, who were kidnapped from the middle of the capital Sanaa last December.

The hostages, Finnish couple, and Austrian man, are  hidden somewhere in Al Masaneh area of Kayfeh, where US drones hit many times over the last few months killing many Al Qaeda operatives including 10 civilians who were killed by mistake while being close to the targets.

Some locals in Dhammar said Wednesday that there are exceptional security and military  measures and movements in the city especially after the arrival of the special forces.

Meanwhile, lieutenant1  Ghalib Husseini, died on Wednesday in Hais by poison, with his friends  believing that he was assassinated.  

Lieutenant Husseini  was the one who discovered the smuggled Turkish weapon shipment in Hais of the coastal province of Hodeidah  late last year. 

President Hadi honored  and rewarded Husseini and three other soldiers who were working in the check point by promoting them to higher ranks and giving each one of them one million Yemeni rials, that's about 5000US dollars. 

Unconfirmed reports say that  the three Western hostages were kidnapped at the beginning by tribal businessmen who were behind the Turkish weapons shipment (confiscated now). 

When the  tribal businessmen failed to negotiate with the government about the hostages and weapons, they ( kidnappers) sold the hostages to Al Qaeda  in Radaa for 30 million Yemeni Rials.

Al Qaeda holding 3 western hostages, Finnish couple and Austrian

Al Qaeda holding 3 western hostages, Finnish couple and Austrian

15/01/2013

Source: Reuters, and   @narrabyee: @BaFana3 Finns and Austrian are in hands of Al Qaeda now as far as I know from tribal sources. Hideout maybe in Sanaa itself!

SANAA-  A Finnish couple and an Austrian man abducted in Yemen last month are being held by members of al Qaeda after being sold to the militant group by tribesmen, a senior Yemeni official said on Tuesday.

The three Westerners, who were studying Arabic in Yemen, were snatched by gunmen in the capital Sanaa on December 21. 

An Interior Ministry official had said they were being held by tribesmen who were demanding a ransom.

"The tribesmen have sold the three abductees to elements from al Qaeda organization and they were transferred to Bayda province (in the south)," the official told Reuters.

"There are negotiations to pay a ransom and free them."

Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was quoted as saying on Monday that the three Westerners were kidnapped by "terrorist groups", state news agency Saba reported.

 Hadi's comments were made during a meeting with the Finnish and Austrian ambassadors, Saba said.

The kidnapping of Westerners occurs sporadically in Yemen, mostly by tribesmen seeking bargaining clout in disputes with the authorities or by al Qaeda militants and their sympathizers.

Lawlessness in the Arabian Peninsula state has alarmed its neighbor, top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia, and the United States, which views Yemen as a frontline in its struggle against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which operates in the country, is seen by U.S. officials as the most dangerous offshoot of the global militant network.

There have been dozens of killings of security and military officials by suspected al Qaeda gunmen in the past year, suggesting AQAP remains resilient despite increased U.S. drone strikes and a government military onslaught.

(Reporting by Mohamemd Ghobari; Writing by Rania El Gamal; editing by Sami Aboudi and Janet Lawrence)