Archive: yemen

19th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Last Thursday the Yemeni government congratulated itself on a series of raids which reportedly killed 34 al-Qaida terrorists and led to the arrests of 17 more. The raids were said to have foiled a series of suicide attacks. President Obama even phoned President Salih and praisedYemen's efforts in… Read more
16th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Human Rights Watch yesterday issued a report on abuses by security forces in connection with the protest demonstrations in southern Yemen. It also details harassment of journalists attempting to cover the protests. Here is part of the report's summary: The security forces, and Central Security in… Read more
15th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
President Ali Abdullah Salih of Yemen has now set a date for the start of a "national dialogue" on "all the issues that concern the homeland". It is to begin on December 26 and will be held under the auspices of the Shura Council – the presidentailly-appointed upper house of parliament. In a speech… Read more
14th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
I haven't written about the Yemeni-Saudi-Houthi war for a while, mainly because it's so difficult to work out what is really going on. The Saudis, who became heavily involved early last month, continue to claim success after success against the rebels, though as the Washington Institute notes, "the… Read more
10th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
The NewsYemen website, which was destroyed by a hacker last month, is back in business with a limited service in Arabic only. The website has blamed the Yemeni authorities for destroying its data. In a press release, NewsYemen says it met the Yemeni telecommunications minister on Saturday and he… Read more
4th December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Separatist demonstrators took to the streets of several cities in southern Yemen yesterday – protesting at the banning of demonstrations on November 30 (Yemen's Independence Day) and demanding the release of those arrested. One person died in a gunfight during a protest in Zinjibar and two people,… Read more
1st December 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Troops were out in force in southern Yemen yesterday to prevent separatist demonstrations timed to coincide with Independence Day – the anniversary of the British withdrawalfrom Aden in 1967. The last such occasion – Yemen's National Day on October 14 – brought thousands on to the streets in… Read more
29th November 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
Yemen dragged Saudi Arabia into its conflict with the Houthi rebels after realising it would not be able to defeat them militarily on its own, former vice-president Ali Salim al-Beidh claims in an interview published by Gulf News today. Al-Beidh, who has been in exile since leading the south to… Read more
26th November 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
At least four people – and possibly as many as seven – died yesterday in clashes between southern separatists and security forces in southern Yemen. Two of the dead were said to be soldiers. Shooting broke out at a rally in Ataq (Shabwa province) which was reportedly attended by about 1,000 people… Read more
25th November 2009
By: Brian Whitaker
The Center for a New American Security – a thinktank with links to the Obama administration – has published a paper on US policy towards Yemen. It is concerned, of course, with American interests rather than the interests of Yemenis and it says: “The consequences of instability in Yemen reach far… Read more