Yemen's Tribal Forces Seize Presidential Guard Base
Edward Yeranian | Cairo, Egypt
September 26, 2011
Edward Yeranian | Cairo, Egypt
A grab taken from Yemen's state television station shows Yemeni President
Ali Abdullah Saleh addressing the nation from Sanaa as government troops
opened fire on protesters calling for Saleh to be tried for crimes against
Yemenis, September 25, 2011.
Forces loyal to a Yemeni tribal leader have captured a presidential guard
base north of the capital Sana'a, as forces loyal to President Ali Abdallah
Saleh appear to be suffering a slow erosion.
Tribal fighters opposed to Saleh fought units of the pro-government
Republican Guard on Monday, capturing a base north of Sana'a and clashing
with guard units at several other locations.
The Yemeni Defense Ministry website reported that a guard general was killed
in the fighting, along with a number of guardsmen and tribal assailants.
More than several dozen guardsmen reportedly were captured when their base
was taken by tribal forces.
Pan-Arab television channels say that Yemeni government warplanes attacked
the tribal fighters at several locations in an attempt to push them back.
Determined tribal fighters
Hakim Almasmari, editor of the Yemen Post newspaper, said the tribal
fighters are determined to topple Saleh.
"It's a major blow for President Saleh because it's a very strategic
location for the Guards, and the tribes were able to kill a commander and
take 10 tanks and artillery from the military," said Almasmari. "It's a very
strong message that these tribes who are [lightly] armed are fierce and
ready to fight the Saleh regime."
Large crowds turned out across the country Monday both to protest against
Saleh and to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the 1962 revolution that
overthrew the country's last hereditary ruler, Imam Badr.
Thousands of anti-government protesters in the provincial capital of Ibb
chanted slogans calling for Saleh to be put on trial.
Saleh's reversal
Mohammed al Qadhi, who teaches at the University of Sana'a, said
demonstrators do not appear to be backing down from their demands that Saleh
leave office and be brought to trial.
"They were celebrating the revolution day, and they were demanding the
prosecution of the president and his relatives, and they were [insisting]
that they will go on [with] these protests until they bring down the regime
of Saleh," said al Qadhi.
Saleh angered many of his opponents Sunday after he refused again to sign a
Gulf Arab regional plan for him to step down. Saleh said he would agree with
the plan if his opponents agreed to simultaneous presidential and
parliamentary elections, a proposal that throws yet another wrinkle into a
growing political crisis.
A grab taken from Yemen's state television station shows Yemeni President
Ali Abdullah Saleh addressing the nation from Sanaa as government troops
opened fire on protesters calling for Saleh to be tried for crimes against
Yemenis, September 25, 2011.
Forces loyal to a Yemeni tribal leader have captured a presidential guard
base north of the capital Sana'a, as forces loyal to President Ali Abdallah
Saleh appear to be suffering a slow erosion.
Tribal fighters opposed to Saleh fought units of the pro-government
Republican Guard on Monday, capturing a base north of Sana'a and clashing
with guard units at several other locations.
The Yemeni Defense Ministry website reported that a guard general was killed
in the fighting, along with a number of guardsmen and tribal assailants.
More than several dozen guardsmen reportedly were captured when their base
was taken by tribal forces.
Pan-Arab television channels say that Yemeni government warplanes attacked
the tribal fighters at several locations in an attempt to push them back.
Determined tribal fighters
Hakim Almasmari, editor of the Yemen Post newspaper, said the tribal
fighters are determined to topple Saleh.
"It's a major blow for President Saleh because it's a very strategic
location for the Guards, and the tribes were able to kill a commander and
take 10 tanks and artillery from the military," said Almasmari. "It's a very
strong message that these tribes who are [lightly] armed are fierce and
ready to fight the Saleh regime."
Large crowds turned out across the country Monday both to protest against
Saleh and to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the 1962 revolution that
overthrew the country's last hereditary ruler, Imam Badr.
Thousands of anti-government protesters in the provincial capital of Ibb
chanted slogans calling for Saleh to be put on trial.
Saleh's reversal
Mohammed al Qadhi, who teaches at the University of Sana'a, said
demonstrators do not appear to be backing down from their demands that Saleh
leave office and be brought to trial.
"They were celebrating the revolution day, and they were demanding the
prosecution of the president and his relatives, and they were [insisting]
that they will go on [with] these protests until they bring down the regime
of Saleh," said al Qadhi.
Saleh angered many of his opponents Sunday after he refused again to sign a
Gulf Arab regional plan for him to step down. Saleh said he would agree with
the plan if his opponents agreed to simultaneous presidential and
parliamentary elections, a proposal that throws yet another wrinkle into a
growing political crisis.
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Received on Mon Sep 26 2011 - 17:26:44 EDT