Eight rebels arrested in Yemen security drive
Six of the rebels, whose pictures were distributed to all security checkpoints, were arrested in the eastern province of Al Jawf, one in Sana'a and the other in Amran, said the Ministry of Interior yesterday in a statement sent to local media.
Extra security checkpoints have been deployed on all roads leading to and out of Sana'a since last month when a group of armed rebels assembled in Bani Hushaish, a northern district of Sana'a, to support Al Houthi in fighting the government. Identifications cards are required from everyone going through the checkpoints.
Gulf News sources said that some relatives of senior government officials had been arrested in this campaign while trying to deliver weapons and financial support to Al Houthi rebels in Bani Hushaish. Investigations are ongoing, said the sources.
Policewomen have also been participating in the campaign to search covered women passengers in cars, who traditionally cannot be searched by policemen.
About 100 armed rebels are still in the mountainous caves in Bani Hushaish despite repeated announcements by the defence ministry that they have controlled the areas.
"They are still staying in some hills which are surrounded by the army troops from all directions, but the troops do not have orders to strike them," a security officer working in the area told Gulf News.
The rebels cannot even go to their neighbouring villages in the day time, but they seem to have stored enough food and water in the caves, the officer said.
"Not all the people in the areas are supporting the rebels, most of them are with the government," he said.
The government wants the tribal leaders of Bani Hushaish, a green and agricultural area, to tell the rebels either to surrender or they will fight with the government against them.
Meanwhile, more troops have moved towards the last rebel strongholds in Al Naqa'a and Mutarah at the southern borders with Saudi Arabia.
By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
Published: July 02, 2008, 00:08
Sana'a: Eight leading rebels have been arrested in Yemen where a wide scale security campaign is being carried out in Sana'a and other major cities to curb any internal support for the Al Houthi rebellion.Published: July 02, 2008, 00:08
Six of the rebels, whose pictures were distributed to all security checkpoints, were arrested in the eastern province of Al Jawf, one in Sana'a and the other in Amran, said the Ministry of Interior yesterday in a statement sent to local media.
Extra security checkpoints have been deployed on all roads leading to and out of Sana'a since last month when a group of armed rebels assembled in Bani Hushaish, a northern district of Sana'a, to support Al Houthi in fighting the government. Identifications cards are required from everyone going through the checkpoints.
Gulf News sources said that some relatives of senior government officials had been arrested in this campaign while trying to deliver weapons and financial support to Al Houthi rebels in Bani Hushaish. Investigations are ongoing, said the sources.
Policewomen have also been participating in the campaign to search covered women passengers in cars, who traditionally cannot be searched by policemen.
About 100 armed rebels are still in the mountainous caves in Bani Hushaish despite repeated announcements by the defence ministry that they have controlled the areas.
"They are still staying in some hills which are surrounded by the army troops from all directions, but the troops do not have orders to strike them," a security officer working in the area told Gulf News.
The rebels cannot even go to their neighbouring villages in the day time, but they seem to have stored enough food and water in the caves, the officer said.
"Not all the people in the areas are supporting the rebels, most of them are with the government," he said.
The government wants the tribal leaders of Bani Hushaish, a green and agricultural area, to tell the rebels either to surrender or they will fight with the government against them.
Meanwhile, more troops have moved towards the last rebel strongholds in Al Naqa'a and Mutarah at the southern borders with Saudi Arabia.
