Archive: yemen
23rd November 2010
The Wall Street Journal reported the other day that US special operations teams in Yemen are training counter-terrorism units created by President Salih and "commanded by his sons and nephews".
I do hope the Obama administration understands what it's getting into here, because working with the… Read more
20th November 2010
As I mentioned last Sunday, there's a debate going on in the Obama administration about the use of drones in Yemen for strikes against suspected militants (as opposed to just using them for surveillance). It's a hugely important debate, with implications for other parts of the world too.
We don't,… Read more
19th November 2010
According to a Yemeni politician, the recent parcel bombs affair was part of "a suspicious plan for harming Yemen's sovereignty and its independence in preparation for imposing foreign agendas".
The remarks – from Salah al-Saiadi, secretary of the Yemeni Popular Democratic party (described as an… Read more
15th November 2010
Yemeni warplanes attacked what are described as al-Qaeda hideouts in the Bani Dhabyan territory east of Sanaa yesterday, according to local reports (Yemen Post in English and Mareb Pressin Arabic).
Significantly, perhaps, the reported use of Yemeni air power comes in the midst of a debate about the… Read more
14th November 2010
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph today, the new head of Britain's armed forces, General Sir David Richards, says there will be no "clear-cut victory" against Islamist militancy, though it can be contained.
"In conventional war," he tells the paper, "defeat and victory is very clear cut and… Read more
13th November 2010
Writing in the Waq al-Wag blog, Gregory Johnsen refers to the case of eight men who were apparently arrested by mistake during a raid against al-Qaeda in Yemen. After almost two months in detention they have now been released, thanks to the efforts of a tribal sheikh.
Incidents like this are not at… Read more
2nd November 2010
According to numerous reports yesterday, the initial tip about the "parcel bombs" plot came from Jabr al-Faifi, who was released from Guantanamo five years ago for "rehabilitation" in Saudi Arabia but then "escaped" to Yemen and joined al-Qaeda there.
Later, Faifi reportedly became disillusioned… Read more
1st November 2010
Hanan Mohamed al-Samary, the 22-year-old student arrested in Yemen on Friday in connection with the parcel bombs affair has now been freed. The move followed protests in Yemen over her detention.
As I suggested here yesterday, it appears that she was the victim of identity theft. She was released… Read more
1st November 2010
Still in Yemen, the government's 26 Sepember website is celebrating the country's "progress" against corruption. This is based on the fact that Yemen has moved up eight places, from 154 to 146, in Transparency International's latest annualCorruption Perceptions Index.
In fact, the change is… Read more
31st October 2010
A young woman described as a medical student has been arrestedat her home in Sana'a, along with her mother, in connection with the parcel bombs found on planes bound for the United States.
She was identified by US officials through a SIM card found in one of the devices, according to the German… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
