Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 17:10:44 +0200
GCC denounce "foreign intervention" in Yemen
Houthis tighten grip on Sana'a
Written by : <http://www.aawsat.net/author/h-rahbi> Hamdan Al-Rahbi
on : Thursday, 2 Oct, 2014
Jeddah and Sana'a, Asharq Al-Awsat-Interior ministers of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) denounced on Wednesday recent acts of violence and
looting in Yemen's capital and called for the restoration of state
authority, as Houthi rebels remained in control of Sana'a for a second week.
An emergency meeting of interior ministers of the GCC's members-Saudi
Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman-took place in
Jeddah on Wednesday, in order to discuss the situation in Yemen, which has
seen the capital and the headquarters of most state institutions fall into
the hands of Shi'ite rebels.
The shock development followed a month of protests by the movement, with
thousands of supporters of the Houthis encamped at sites across Sana'a to
demand the resignation of the government and the restoration of fuel
subsidies, which were recently cut as part of an economic reform package.
The ministers warned they would not accept intervention by foreign powers in
Yemen, a veiled reference to Iran, often accused by Yemeni authorities of
backing the Shi'ite Houthis.
"The GCC states will not stand idly by in the face of factional foreign
intervention as Yemen's security and the security of the GCC states are one
and the same," the ministers said in a statement issued after the meeting.
The meeting emphasized "any threat to the security and safety of Yemen . .
.is a threat to regional security and stability, and interests of the
people," calling for the restoration of state authority.
Amid mounting tensions and intermittent but deadly violence between
protesters and the security forces, the Houthis and the central government
signed a UN-brokered peace deal to end hostilities and form a more inclusive
government on September 21.
Under the terms of the agreement, President Hadi appointed two new advisors,
one of them from the ranks of Houthis and one from the ranks of the
pro-secessionist movement Al-Hirak, and slashed fuel prices by 15 per cent.
Despite the peace deal, the Houthis have refused to leave the capital or
hand over state buildings to the authorities. They have also reportedly
looted several residences belonging to state officials allied with the
Houthis' political rivals.
On Wednesday, Shi'ite militants also stormed the headquarters of a
woman-only charity in east Sana'a after besieging it for several days,
charity staff told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Elsewhere, Yemen continued to struggle with attacks from terrorists linked
to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has continued to conduct
assassinations of state officials and suicide bombings despite US drone
strikes and offensives by the Yemeni security forces.
In the latest attack, the son of a senior military officer was killed and
three people were injured after a roadside bomb targeted their vehicle in
Aden on Wednesday.
<http://www.aawsat.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1412194922641244700.jpg>
Interior ministers from the GCC states meet in the Saudi city of Jeddah, on
October 1, 2014 (SPA)
Interior ministers from the GCC states meet in the Saudi city of Jeddah, on
October 1, 2014 (SPA)
(image/jpeg attachment: image001.jpg)