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| Arabia |
| Big Explosions Rock Yemen Capital |
| 2011-06-04 |
| [Yemen Post] Huge kabooms are shaking Yemen's capital Sana'a, the battlefield for fierce festivities between the army and tribal fighters loyal to Sadeq Al-Ahmer, the sheikh of Hashid. They are the biggest ever since deadly festivities between both sides erupted early last week, with almost people all over the capital hearing these kabooms. Informed sources said cannons and tanks are shelling positions of the tribal fighters in Al-Hasaba and nearby areas and that military vehicles are heading to the house of Al-Ahmer, whose office denied on Thursday the army had retaken public offices. Earlier today, an official at the Interior Ministry said the army retook public offices that were seized by Al-Ahmer's loyalists including ministries. " We already recovered the ministries of Local Administration and Trade and Industry, the permanent committee of the ruling party and other offices," the official said, as he pointed to continuous battles at the Interior Ministry. Families have decamped the district, and today Sana'a International Airport suspended flights due to the intensifying battles that triggered countries to urge their citizens to leave the country. During the past two days, the elite republican guard shelled the first armoured division, whose commander, once a close ally of President-for-Life Saleh ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... , announced peaceful support to the popular uprising in the squares of change and freedom in most of the Yemeni cities. After a short-lived truce between both sides collapsed earlier this week, street battles spread to many parts of the capital, with shootouts being heard, mainly at night, even in very far areas from the battleground. The truce led to a two-day ceasefire during which the rustics handed ovre some public offices to the mediation committee. There were not specific numbers of most recent casualties, after scores from the army and rustics were reported dead and hundreds injured over the last few days. |
| Posted by:Fred |