The war will continue even years, says Saleh

By Nasser Arrabyee/26/09/2009


The Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh vowed Saturday to continue the war on Al Houthi rebels even years until they abide by the six conditions set by the government.

“We will not backtrack, we will not backtrack, let the battles continue five or six years, the war will not stop,” Saleh said on a ceremony held Saturday on the 47th anniversary of the 26 September revolution that ended a 1000-year long reign of the Zaidi-Shiite clerical rule in 1962.

"Yes, go ahead, do not stop it," some of the attendees were chanting in hall of the college of war where modest celebration was held.

Saleh said Al Houthi armed rebellion is a war against the revolution which overthrew their reactionary, backward, clerical, and tyrannical rule.

The battles between Al Houthi rebels and the government troops were going on in the three main frontlines while Saleh was speaking in the capital Sana'a.

More than 24 Al Houthi rebels were killed in Harf Sufyan and the places around the city of Sa'ada, military and independent local sources said.

Saleh said in his speech that Harf Sufyan is the most important battle.


And 9 soldiers, including a high ranking officer were killed and an armoured vehicle was destroyed in Al Okab nearby the Sa'ada city.

Aircrafts continued air strikes Saturday morning and afternoon in Harf Sufyan and the main strongholds of the rebels.

President Saleh called for national cooperation and coordination for ending the Al Houthi rebellion and Al Qaeda insurgency.

He excluded that his country will be like Somalia.

“It is impossible and further than the sun, that Yemen will be like Somalia as long as we have the national establishment of the army and rivers of blood are shedding everyday, you should know this, you hateful and ills," he said in reference to those who support the rebellion in and outside Yemen.

"Congratulations for the martyrs who race for martyrdom not for chairs of power."

He said the rebels want to restore the clerical rule of Imams.

“They want to rule Yemen by divine right to rule, it is reactionary and backward mentality."

He said a special department for caring of the families of the martyrs was under establishment in the office of the supreme commander of the armed forces.

He expected that money for treating the impacts of the war will be much more than 10 billion Yemen rials (50,000,000US$) which was estimated for reconstruction efforts at the end of the 5th round of the war in July 2008.

President Saleh called relief agencies to help the displaced people but without “media noise”

The state alone is responsible for the displaced people.
“We need your assistance but without noise," he said.

Last week, some relief agencies warned of deepening the humanitarian crisis if a cease-fire is not reached.