Tribesmen angry with Al Qaeda and government

By Nasser Arrabyee/11/06/2010

A tribal coalition said Friday that Al Qaeda operations and the government strikes in the eastern province of Mareb kill only the innocents from their tribes.

The coalition of tribesmen of Mareb and Al Jawf blamed in a statement both Al Qaeda militants and the government forces for what is happening now in Mareb.

They said, "Mareb is drowning" and they will leave it for Al Qaeda if it is not rescued.

The tribesmen launched a strong attack, in their statement, on Al Qaeda for claiming responsibility for killing a tribal leader who was mediating between Al Qaeda and the government on May 24.

Earlier Al Qaeda said in a statement they deceived Jaber Al Shabwani and lured him to be bombed by the government's air strike on May 24.

"It's immoral and a big treason to deceive and kill a mediator," the tribesmen said in the statement.

The Yemeni government has been implementing a military campaign in Mareb to arrest or kill at least 12 Al Qaeda militants hiding in Wadi Abaida in Mareb.

Over the last two days, the government troops hit the houses of two main Al Qaeda operatives, but failed to arrest them. The two operatives, disowned by families and tribesmen, are called Hussein Al Akaili and Ali Saeed Jamil.

Al Akaili according to local sources led a group of Al Qaeda militants and killed the military commander Mahammed Saleh Al Shayef and two of his bodyguards in Mareb on June 5th.

Ali Saeed Jamil, known as Emir (leader) of Al Qaeda in Mareb, was the one who lured Jaber Al Shabwani who was killed along with three of his bodyguards mistakenly by an air strike on May 24 after Jamil deceived the Yemeni intelligence through a double agent, according to local sources.