The Victims
After more than 4 months since the start of the crisis in Yemen things have deteriorated in the last couple of weeks to become an armed conflict. A group of tribesmen loyal to the sons of Shiekh Abdulah Al-Ahmar (SAA) took over a number of government buildings including ministries, the official Yemen news agency (SABA), and the Water Authority.
After an initial response in which the house of SAA was targeted, President Saleh decided to have a ceasefire. This ceasefire was apparently requested by Saudi Arabia in addition to a number of tribes’ leaders. The mediation did not succeed and SAA’s tribesmen moved quickly after two days to occupy more government ministries including the Ministry of Education.
At that point the government forces started to use Special Forces to reclaim the government buildings. The government forces succeeded in taking back the government buildings after heavy fighting. The tribesmen moved to some residential buildings around the area of Al-Hasabah (where the main house of SAA is located) and in other areas of the city.
Friday has witnessed many serious developments. After three days of fighting inside the Capital, the famous Friday payer gatherings of these pro the regime in Sabeen Square, and these against the regime in Siteen Street continued. The number of people was the smallest in both Siteen Street and Sabeen Square since four monthgs. The prayers ended peacefully.
One important thing to notice, a number of SAA fighters who were killed in the fighting in Hasaba were brought to Siteen Street where they were treated as martyrs! (Siteen Street is where the “revolutionists” hold their prayers every week).
After the prayers tribesmen were witnessed around the city of Sana’a and gun fires were heard in several areas. It was another attempt of SAA fighters to spread chaos around the city.
After a few hours the news came; the President was targeted by shells in the Nahdain Mosque inside the Presidential Palace during the Friday prayer. The President, The Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Speaker of Shoura Council (a house of representatives), and two deputies of the Prime Ministers were badly injured in the attempted murder, and 7 guards were killed.
The satellite channel of SAA’s sons quickly reported the killing of the President. Later the President gave a voice speech in which he talked about the accident and confirmed that he was well.
One should take note of a number of important details:
1. The events in Al-Hasabah were apparently a part of an overall scenario to take over the city of Sana’a, and probably take over the government. Although some claim that the sons of SAA were targeted inside their home this cannot be true for a number of reasons; (a) the tribesmen took over government offices around the area, not only these beside the house of SAA, (b) the number of tribesmen was so large that they were actually able to take over a large number of government offices including the Ministry of Trade, the SABA news agency, the Ministry of Tourism, the Water Authority, Yemeni Airlines compound, the Ministry of Local Authority, Land Registrar Authority, and parts of the Ministry of Interior.
2. The forces of SAA used heavy weapons in their attacks including Lu missles and katyusha.
3. The forces of SAA tried to take over the airport and the official TV.
4. Later the forces of SAA started their attacks in several parts of the city from houses they had rented earlier and equipped with weapons.
5. The attempted murder of President Saleh and other government leaders was the last step in the scenario to take over the rule of the country.
6. It was reported that the speaker in Siteen Street shouted “Allah Akbar” and added “there is an explosion inside the Presidential Palace” a few seconds after the attack.
Today, one of the leaders of the Islah Party (the Islamists party) gave President Saleh 24 hours to give his authorities to his deputy or face the formation of a “Transition Council”.
The “Youth Revolution” is now connected not only with corrupt people who are trying to escape any possible prosecution in the future, but also with gangsters who robbed and destroyed government offices, killed police and security people, and finally are working hard to complete a military coup to take power…..
The victims are those young people who took to the streets looking for a better life and justice. They were badly abused by corrupt people, the political elite, and the religious hardliners (who think they are “implementing the rule of God on earth”). The victims are the people of Yemen who lost hope for a change that will improve their lives.
What is the future of Yemen among all these complications?
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