Three killed in armed protest in Yemen

Source: Xinhua, 18/09/2010
SANAA-Two soldiers and an armed tribesman were killed in clashes on Friday when some tribal gunmen tried to hamper works of a foreign oil exploration firm in Yemen's northeast province of Marib, a police official said.

"The clashes erupted when military soldiers attempted to prevent armed tribal protesters from hampering the works of the foreign oil company in Samada area in Marib, the location of Yemen 's key oil wells. The protesters demanded the company meeting their pay-claim," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The angry tribesmen belong to Abieda tribe in Marib province, about 180 km northeast of the capital Sanaa.

State authorities had reportedly blamed Abieda tribe for bombing at least two oil pipelines in May over a mistaken accident of killing one of the tribe's elite during a security raid on suspected al-Qaida militants in Marib.

Yemen's oil and gas facilities in northeast and southeast the country have been widely subjected to attacks and sabotages by armed tribesmen or al-Qaida operatives since Sanaa and Washington stepped up intelligence cooperation to fight al-Qaida militants earlier this year.

On Monday, a police officer told Xinhua that a group of al- Qaida gunmen blew up a pipeline transferring liquefied natural gas (OOTC:LNGLF) (LNG) from Marib to the Belhaf port terminal in Shabwa province for export.