14 tribesmen killed by Al Houthi rebels, says tribal leader

By Nasser Arrabyee/06/05/2011

A total of 14 tribesmen were killed over the last month in clashes between Al Houthi rebels and tribesmen in eastern province Al Jawf where the governor and security and military officials quit and returned to Sana’a at the beginning of the country’s 3-month unrest, a said tribal leader Thursday.

The tribal leader from Al Jawf , Abdullah Al Jamily held responsible the opposition parties especially the largest Islamist party, Islah, for killing of the people of Al Jawf at the hands of Al Houthi rebels who want control over Al Jawf province after they totally controlled the neighbouring province of Sa’ada, the stronghold of Al Houthi rebels.

The tribal leader, Al Jamily, said all tribesmen of Al Jawf province would stop supporting what he called the peaceful revolution if the opposition coalition could not stop Al Houthi’s war against Al Jawf tribesmen.

“Al Houthi people are sitting together in one camp with the opposition in the sit-in square at the gate of Sana’a university, while Al Houthi fighters are killing our people in Al Jawf,” said the tribal leader, Abdullah Al Jamily, in an interview after he came back from Al Jawf where he participated in some of the battles against Al Houthi rebels and some of his relatives were killed in previous battles.

“We would stop our support for the peaceful revolution of the opposition especially Islah, if they can not force Al Houthi to stop his war against us,” said Al tribal leader Al Jamily who is also senior member of the Islamist party Islah, that leads the protests that demand the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Al Jawf province has been living in political and security vacuum since the since senior government officials left and returned to Sana’a about two months ago, letting the tribesmen alone.