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.