Yamani: Release Of Mortgaged Property From Debenture Pool

Yemeni forces have fired as many as 38 rockets at several Saudi military bases in the southwestern province of Jizan. There has been no immediate report on the possible casualties or damage caused in the Thursday attack. The attack has been in retaliation for the deadly Saudi aggression against the impoverished Arab nation. Earlier in the day, Saudi war planes targeted a market in the northwestern Yemeni province of Amran, killing at least seven people. Meanwhile, the Saudi fighter jets bombarded the region of Sadad in the district of Bagim in the northeastern province of Sa’ada. Saudi forces also fired shells at an area in the town of Munabbih in Sa’ada. Saudi warplanes also launched six airstrikes targeting the headquarters of Yemeni forces in the district of al-Bayda in the central province of al-Bayda. In a separate development, the political council of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement condemned the deadly Saudi airstrikes against Yemeni people and the international community’s silence regarding the Saudi aggression. The council said that Riyadh has crossed all red lines in its aggression against the impoverished nation. Saudi fighter jets have been bombarding Yemen since March 26 without authorization from the United Nations and headless of international calls for a halt to the onslaught. According to the United Nations, over 3,000 Yemenis have been killed and 14,000 more injured in over three months of conflict in the country. Local Yemeni sources, however, say more than 4,500 people have been killed in the Saudi strikes. Deadly car bombs hit Yemen, day after almost 200 killed Latest update : Mate in Al Abr says 86 soldiers killed & over 200 injured, many seriously in 3 #Saudi air strikes on 23rd Brigade. #Yemen Tue, Jul 07 17:19 PM EDT image By Mohammed Ghobari SANAA (Reuters) - Two deadly car bombs hit the capital Sanaa and a southern city in Yemen on Tuesday, state news agency Saba reported, a day after air strike and clashes killed almost 200 people nationwide. Islamic State in Yemen claimed responsibility in a statement posted online for the Sanaa attack, latest in a string of recent actions by the hardline Sunni Muslim group against Shi'ite Houthis who run the capital. One of the explosives-laden cars detonated near a hospital in downtown Sanaa, which the news agency controlled by Yemen's dominant Houthi group said killed and injured "numerous" people, while another killed around 10 people in al-Bayda, capital of a province in the country's battle-weary south. Saudi-led coalition air strikes and clashes killed at least 176 fighters and civilians in Yemen on Monday, residents and media run by the Houthi movement said, the highest daily toll since the Arab air offensive began more than three months ago. The United Nations has been pushing for a halt to air raids and intensified fighting that began on March 26. More than 3,000 people have been killed since then as the Arab coalition tries stop the Houthis spreading across the country from the north. The Iran-allied Shi'ite Houthis say they are rebelling against a corrupt government, while local fighters say they are defending their homes from Houthi incursions. Sunni Saudi Arabia says it is bombing the Houthis to protect the Yemeni state. As fighting has raged across Yemen's south, the conflict has taken on a sectarian tinge, pitting the Shi'ite Houthis against local Sunni fighters who in many places fight alongside hardline al Qaeda militants, who also revile the Houthis. "COLLAPSING" On Monday, about 63 people were killed in air strikes on Amran province in the north, among them 30 people at a market, Houthi-controlled state media agency Saba said. In the same province, about 20 fighters and civilians were killed at a Houthi checkpoint outside the main city, also named Amran, about 50 km (30 miles) northwest of the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, local residents said. Arab alliance war planes also killed about 60 people at a livestock market in the town of al-Foyoush in the south. Also in the south, residents reported a further 30 killed in a raid they said apparently targeted a Houthi checkpoint on the main road between Aden and Lahj. They said 10 of the dead were Houthi fighters. Tribal sources in the central desert province of Marib said about 20 Houthi fighters and soldiers fighting alongside them were killed in air raids and gun battles with tribal fighters, who support Yemen's president in exile Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. On Tuesday, U.N. envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed continues meetings with Houthi officials in Sanaa to try to broker a ceasefire to allow aid deliveries. One Houthi official said Monday's attacks had dealt a blow to peace efforts. (Additional reporting by Mostafa Hashem in Cairo and Tom Miles in Geneva; Writing by Noah Browning; Editing by Ralph Boulton) ========= BRITISH LAND | Release Of Mortgaged Property From Debenture Pool | RNS RNS Number : 5218I British Land Co PLC 15 June 2011  NOTICE TO The holders of the £200,000,000 6.75% First Mortgage Debenture Bonds due 2020 (ISIN (bearer): XS0085945037, ISIN (registered): GB0002647542); £110,000,000 5.0055% First Mortgage Amortising Debenture Bonds due 2035 (ISIN (bearer): XS0276843603, ISIN (registered): GB00B1J01F91); £310,000,000 5.357 % First Mortgage Debenture Bonds due 2028 (ISIN (bearer): XS0263450909, ISIN (registered): GB00B19ZPK76); and £330,000,000 5.264 % First Mortgage Debenture Bonds due 2035 (ISIN (bearer): XS0263451972, ISIN (registered): GB00B19ZSN13) of The British Land Company PLC (the "Debentures" and the "Company" respectively) The Company gives notice to the holders of the Debentures that on 14 June 2011 the freehold property known as Ropemaker Place at Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9LY and the freehold property known as the Oldham Centre Retail Park, Oldham were each released from the pool of mortgaged property securing the Debentures, the requirements relating to aggregate valuation of the secured mortgaged properties and the net annual income from such properties having been met. The British Land Company PLC York House 45 Seymour Street London W1H 7LX Registered in England and Wales No. 621920 =================================== British Land Company PLC is a real estate company. The Company manages, develops and finances an approximately £17.8 billion portfolio of properties. The Company focuses on high-quality retail locations around the United Kingdom and London offices. The Company allocates resources to investment and asset management according to the sectors it expects to perform over the medium-term. Its two principal sectors are offices and retail. The Office sector includes residential, as this is often incorporated into Office schemes, and Retail includes leisure, for a similar rationale. The relevant revenue, net rental income, operating result, assets and capital expenditure, being the measures of segment revenue, segment result and segment assets used by the management of the business. Revenue is derived from the rental of buildings. Operating result is the net of net rental income, fee income and administration expenses. « less Share Price (Full) 811p Change  1.5% Mkt Cap (£m) 8,155 P/E (fwd) 23.8 Yield (fwd) 3.6 ======================= Investor hopes rise for huge settlements in ex-Lehman RMBS Tue, Nov 04 16:46 PM EST By Andrew Park NEW YORK, Nov 4 (IFR) - Investors pursuing claims against US banks for losses on pre-crisis RMBS believe recent developments in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy case have bolstered their ability to get substantially higher payouts versus previous settlements. Trustees of the Lehman RMBS bonds - US Bank, Law Debenture, Wilmington Trust and Deutsche Bank National Trust Company - proposed to hike the reserves for claims to US$12.143bn from US$5bn on August 22, according to a court filing. A hearing for the motion is scheduled for December 10. The bonds have rallied on the back of that amid hopes that investors could net triple the amount received from prior settlements of soured mortgage bonds over the past three years issued by Countrywide, JP Morgan and Citi. "People finally are paying for the option," said one hedge fund investor. The move by the trustees is seen as more aggressive by market players and has drawn criticism by lawyers acting for Lehman who say the higher estimates are too out of line with settlements agreed before in the other cases. "By suggesting that the RMBS claims should be valued at US$12.143bn, the RMBS trustees would have the Court believe that they accepted settlements with other banks that are five to six times less than the value of their actual claims," Lehman's lawyers, Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Jones & Keller, said in a filing on October 15. Still, the situation is garnering plenty of attention as it could have broader ramifications if the trustees' claims are upheld. Some disgruntled investors have already had luck in getting more cash out of banks following settlements they thought were too low, and this may give others more confidence to pursue cases. Bank of America Merrill Lynch settled with American International Group (AIG) for an undisclosed amount on its representations and warranties claims on July 16, after the insurer argued that Bank of New York Mellon, the trustee acting on its behalf, should have secured a higher payout in the US$8.5bn settlement for Countrywide. AIG's claimed that the potential settlement amount was as high as US$30bn at one point. Investors involved in JP Morgan's settlement may be next to test the waters following the passing of the deadline on Monday for them to pursue claims. Some of the objectors so far are the Triaxx CDOs, the Federal Home Bank of Boston, NCUA, Ambac and QVT, according to market participants following the case. Those objectors will present their case to the judge tentatively scheduled for December 16. ON THE HOOK The Lehman case involves five bond shelves - SASCO, SAIL, SARM, LXS, and LMT - which all closed between 2004 to 2007 before the bank's bankruptcy. The big difference between the Lehman situation and those of its predecessors is that the bond trustees this time around would be liable for any potential claims from investors. If the investors deem their payouts should have been higher, the trustees could be on the hook for the difference, according to Isaac Gradman, attorney at Perry Johnson Anderson Miller & Moskowitz LLP. In contrast, banks gave indemnity to the trustees in the three earlier situations so that any future liability would be borne by the banks themselves. Gradman estimated that the payout sought from Lehman equates to about 30 to 40 cents on the dollar of losses if the full US$12.143bn requested by the RMBS trustees is factored in. That's as much as five times the six to eight cents on the dollar that was offered in the Countrywide settlement back in 2011, JP Morgan's in 2013 or the US$1.125bn Citigroup settlement in early 2014. Lehman is standing its ground on its US$5bn offer. In an objection filed on October 15, the bankrupt entity's lawyers said the Lehman settlement should be closer to US$1.96bn-US$2.44bn if trustees applied the same percentage on previous cases to the current Lehman Brothers situation. The trustees however, believe that losses are being severely underestimated given the poor quality of the underlying loans of the securities and the misrepresentation of risk by banks when they were sold. Their views are partly based on the analysis of Charles Parekh, director at Duff & Phelps. On August 21, Parekh estimated that the Lehman trusts had already suffered losses of US$15.68bn, with a further US$5.548bn of expected additional losses yet to come. Parekh sampled 416,091 loans in 255 trusts, stating that it was not economically viable to analyse the complete pool given the cost and time it would involve. He was hired by law firms Alston & Bird, Seward & Kissel, Chapman & Cutler and Nixon & Peabody, counsel for the trustees. (Reporting by Andrew Park; Editing by Natalie Harrison and Shankar Ramakrishnan) ===================== DEFINITION of 'Fixed Debenture' A note that carries a fixed (as opposed to floating) charge against the issuer's property or assets for repayment. The charge will remain on the company's records until the debenture is repaid. Corporations can issue fixed debentures to finance operations in the same way they issue stock. Fixed debentures can be issued singly or in a series. They pay out a fixed rate of interest at regular intervals. INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Fixed Debenture' Fixed charge debentures require restrictions on the underlying property or asset backing the loan to ensure the lenders' security. For example, a company may issue a fixed debenture to obtain a mortgage; the mortgage would most likely preclude the borrower (company) from subletting the mortgaged property to a third party. Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fixed-debenture.asp#ixzz3fCe9JsFC Follow us: @Investopedia on Twitter ================================ DEFINITION of 'Home Mortgage' A loan given by a bank, mortgage company or other financial institution for the purchase of a primary or investment residence. In a home mortgage, the owner of the property (the borrower) transfers the title to the lender on the condition that the title will be transferred back to the owner once the payment has been made and other terms of the mortgage have been met. A home mortgage will have either a fixed or floating interest rate, which is paid monthly along with a contribution to the principal loan amount. As the homeowner pays down the principal over time, the interest is calculated on a smaller base so that future mortgage payments apply more towards principal reduction as opposed to just paying the interest charges. INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Home Mortgage' Home mortgages allow a much broader group of citizens the chance to own real estate, as the entire sum of the house doesn't have to be provided up front. But because the lender actually holds the title for as long as the mortgage is in effect, they have the right to foreclose the home (sell it on the open market) if the borrower can't make the payments. A home mortgage is one of the most common forms of debt, and it is also one of the most advised. Mortgage loans come with lower interest rates than almost any other kind of debt an individual consumer can find. Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/home-mortgage.asp#ixzz3fCoxSOmg Follow us: @Investopedia on Twitter =========================== An upgraded summary of the connection between politics and anlaysis of Shiite traditions as we near the end of the year. Followers of Ahlulbayt (a.s.) should be prepared at the highest degree in regards to their surrounding. This phase we are entering is Shiaphobia on a global scale but God willing those deemed weak on the Earth shall be the prosperous. *** With all respect, if one does not understand the deeper politics please don't comment or criticise. If you're asking in order to learn then feel free to do so. Otherwise please study your politics and try communicating with people in other countries in order to understand the situations therein. **** **************************************************************************** IRAN: Iran will be hit by Israeli forces who will cover themselves as being Saudis. This is similar to what happened when an Israeli pilot used a Saudi jet to bomb Yemen with a neutron bomb when the war broke out. The Israelis recently sent their jets to France and Moscow in order to be re-sprayed using billions of dollars to cover themselves in the attack on Iran. Once the green light is given to Saudi Arabia from beneath the tables by Israel they will launch an attack on Iran. After the Saudis receives a retaliatory hit by Iran they will directly attack the Ka’ba and destroy it so that the people of Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, Afghanistan and other countries are aggravated and prepare to fight against the Islamic Republic. YEMEN: Ansarullah will be victorious as they advance and many of the Saudi takfiris will be exterminated at their hands. SAUDI ARABIA: WikiLeaks is the means to the fall for Saudi kingdom; this is among the big issues that has rocked the globe during this holy month of Ramadhan. The leaks have broken the back of the Saudis and their opposition forces like Hezbollah understand exactly what they are planning, the locations of their agents and places of gatherings. Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq are now starting to see the massive influence that Saudi Arabia had over their countries without their knowledge. America has a great pressure over the Saudis because it wants to thwart the Iranian nuclear deal through Al-Saud. The Al-Saud dynasty are severely divided among their family members leaving the children behind who are incapable of ruling as Israel has full control over them. The Saudis are trying to squeeze themselves out of the glass bottle but America is not allowing them out of the bottle and this is why the divisions arose within the Saudi family. The Saudi state will be split into three sub-states as the Yemeni Ansarullah advance at them, while also forces from Sudan and Egypt who are against Al-Saud will fight the Kingdom. These feuds will possibly cause Mohammad Ibn Nayef to be killed and the king Salman to die. That's when the rule of years ends and the rule of months begins - if Salman dies before the end of the year. Natural events will be seen in the skies in Saudi Arabia similar to what God did to the people of the Elephant. QATAR: A revolution is planned for the Gulf where the Qatari emir will be removed by either being killed or some other aspect. A person that resides within the Kuwaiti intelligence agencies (at the highest levels) is involved and has good relations with the Australian prime minister and strong connections with Al-Saud. The Qatar soccer world cup will not occur in 2022 because the country falling in a few months from now, along with six other Arab states. KUWAIT: The Gulf will be divided. ISIS Wahhabis will attack Kuwait and will enter Iraq through Kuwait. Wahhabi loyalists in Kuwait are everywhere in Kuwait such that the flags of ISIS are on the average citizen’s cars and their objects. There is no less than 700,000 Wahhabi/Daesh supporters in a population that is about a million in its entirety. That means these Wahhabis have infiltrated all Kuwait's security and intelligence faculties. They are waiting for zero hour and a green light by their takfiri scholars to make a move and will overtake the whole country in a short time frame. It is evident as the last attacker on the Kuwaiti Shiite mosque was capable of penetrating airport security showing how the Saudis, Emirati’s and others are supporting these terrorists directly to attack Shiites and sow discord between Sunnis/Shias. What is even laughable is Iran was blamed for these attacks and they perceived that Iran got these extremists from Saudi Arabia in order to hurt their own people. The Kuwaiti Shiites have not been allowed to receive a permanent visa for the last 10 years due to commands from the Saudi and Qatari intelligence forces. For that reason, the Qataris spilled their money to Musallam Al-Barrak and Al-Tabtabaie in Al-Azhar. Through these individuals, they aim to destroy Kuwait such that the government will not be able to control the ones carrying out this agenda. The first attack that occurred a few weeks back proves that the country is nearing its end. As we talked earlier, Kuwaiti Wahhabis have installed large quantities of munitions beneath the ground and they marked all Shiite homes in order that fighter jets easily detect them. Kuwaiti intelligence agents have an individual map for the location of Shiite homes compiled under the auspices of Musallem Al-Barrak and other agents. In addition, multiple religious figures will be killed in Kuwait. Bigger events await the Shiites in the coming weeks as this is part of the Sufyani expansion. A big Sheikh may die due to his faltering heart condition whereby his pacemaker is not aiding him anymore. This will cause the Kuwaiti Shiites to go under immense pressures and fear after this scholars demise. They should leave that country as soon as they can and take all their wealth and possessions to Kufa or Karbala. PALESTINE: A faction in HAMAS will be the leading cause of sectarianism in Lebanon in the coming months of September. The head of HAMAS Khaled Meshel is among one of the highest Mossad agents of Israel and they are in the same bed with their so-called ‘enemies’. Wherever the Muslim Brotherhood is located the takfiri ideology follows. Those who support HAMAS must see how they are putting their faith in the wrong place as they are killing Iraqi PMU, Hezbollah, and Syrian forces that are seeking freedom. How can we support the Sufyani so openly? (This is not a means for sectarianism but facts that people should be informed of) EGYPT: The ISIS flag will be lifted high in the middle of Cairo as discussed earlier during the year. All the Saudi and Emirati money that is given to these terrorists will go to waste as they will turn against their mother Qatar who were the original financers using the Libyan money. A part of HAMAS will enter the ranks of ISIS in Egypt. The Daesh terrorists will succeed in Libya and will use all Libyan power to expand their agendas until the flag is set in Egypt. Al-Sisi will not be able to control them despite all the power he has. Egypt’s intelligence have been infiltrated by those of the Wahhabi Muslim brotherhood who are part of the agency and have begun to ramp up their activity in the government. President Sisi will be removed just as Hisham Barakat led all the anti-Morsi agendas and those against Anwar Sadat. Egypt will experience greater attacks from the Sufyani than Iraq and mosques with other elements are their main targets. Egypt will go through severe poverty alongside other Arab countries. In the Quran it states, “We shall test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of lives” SYRIA: Turkey, Saudi, and Qatar aim to enter Dar’a so that they stand at the gates of Damascus. From now to August, there will be immense attacks on Damascus. These alliances will cause Dar’a to be taken over such that people’s hearts reach their throats, women’s bellies will be slit open and huge events intensify as we near September. Damascus will be struck. Bashar will be toppled by either running away or will be killed. Nevertheless, the Sufyani rules Syria for a short period of time despite the entire world saying it won't happen. IRAQ: The Sarkhi group is fake and he originates from Banu Lam i.e. his lineage is not of the Holy Prophet’s (saws) family. All those who follow him are being misguided. If people want to get upset, that is their problem but the truth must be told. In addition, the Hasani who claims himself to be the son of Imam Mahdi (ajtfs) is a fake and both Sarkhi and Hasani are financed by Qatar. They are no different to the takfiris and will be among those Shiites who will fight the the Imam (ajtfs). EUROPE: In Germany there are 200,000 Wahhabis alone and they are aiming to attack Shiite mosques, showing that the European governments are silently eroding. Spain and Australia will be a fountain for the takfiris and Shiites will also be attacked there as this movement will spread globally to fight anyone against their ideology and mainly Ahlulbayt (a.s.) followers. It is known that Sufyani is a tool in the hands of Dajjal to attack anyone against them. That means, similar to the Zealots who were used during the time of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and they were controlled by the governments of their time, in our age the same thinking and agendas apply.

Crunch time coming for Saudi campaign as options narrow in Yemen

Crunch time coming for Saudi campaign as options narrow in Yemen Thu, Jun 11 11:25 AM EDT image 1 of 5 By Angus McDowall NAJRAN, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - After 11 weeks of air strikes that have failed to change the balance of power in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is running out of options to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's exiled government to Sanaa. Despite the destruction of much of their heavy weaponry, the Houthi militia and army forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh control most of the country's populated west and still daily attack Saudi territory with mortar fire or missiles. The possibility of a ground operation in support of the ragtag local groups still fighting the Houthis in Aden, Taiz, Marib and al-Dhala appears to have been discounted by the Saudis and their allies in an Arab coalition from early on. Riyadh may soon have to face an unpalatable choice: accept the de facto control of its foes over Sanaa and cut a deal, or keep fighting with the risk of Yemen sinking into total chaos, becoming a permanent threat to Saudi security. U.N.-sponsored talks start in Geneva next week aimed at ending almost two months of war, which has killed more than 2,500 people, but there is little sign either Hadi or the Iranian-backed Houthis are ready to make compromises. From a small frontier post on a desolate, windswept plateau overlooking the Saudi border town of Najran, the distant crump of explosions reminds the handful of soldiers surrounding two armored cars that the Houthis remain entrenched nearby. A mortar fell only 100 meters from their post a few hours earlier, the soldiers said, peering through binoculars at a flat-topped Yemeni mountain, dim in the ghostly afternoon haze. Each night they watch the blasts from Saudi shells and missiles. That the militia's fighters have been able to continue lobbing mortar shells at Saudi border posts, killing over a dozen Saudi troops, shows how hard it is for even a superbly equipped military to defeat such mobile guerrilla forces. Recent suicide attacks and shootings inside the kingdom also reveal the danger posed to Riyadh by Sunni Muslim jihadists, who have taken advantage of Yemen's chaos to consolidate a presence on the other side of the long, porous border. Avoiding such disintegration in Yemen was a leading war aim of Riyadh, which believed the Houthi advance would accelerate sectarian divisions and end a Gulf-backed political process aimed at creating a stable, representative government. "The U.S. is pushing the Saudis to accept talks but they are reluctant because they are in such a weak position on the ground in Yemen," said a diplomat who follows the matter closely. IRAN Despite the fading prospect of political or military success inside Yemen, Saudi Arabia may still see its campaign as ultimately worthwhile for one big reason: Iran. For years Riyadh has accused Iran of meddling in Yemen by backing the Houthi militia. Its accusations became louder when the Houthis exploited wider chaos last year to advance from its northern stronghold to the capital Sanaa, and then overrun the government and push south. Most analysts believe Saudi fears of Iranian involvement in Yemen are overblown, and say Tehran has little control over the Houthis, but in the crucible of a wider struggle for influence, Riyadh could not accept its foe gaining power in Sanaa. An Iranian member of parliament's boast last year that Sanaa had become the fourth Arab capital to fall to Tehran's influence after Baghdad, Beirut and Damascus when the Houthis took the city seemed to confirm Saudi fears. When daily direct flights started between Tehran and Houthi-controlled Sanaa in January, Riyadh believed they were carrying weapons and other materiel that would ultimately threaten the kingdom directly. It was a turning point in their approach. "You have to remember the situation three months ago. Without strikes, the Houthis would be everywhere. The Iranians would be more present than ever before. Right or wrong, this was their feeling," said a Gulf-based diplomat on Saudi thinking. However, most senior Saudi figures now accept the military campaign can achieve little more and it is time for talks, even though the Houthis and Saleh hold the strongest cards by controlling swathes of Yemen, the diplomat said. NEGOTIATIONS Both Riyadh and Hadi's exiled government are increasingly calling for the international community to enforce U.N. Security Council resolution 2216, which was approved in April and demands the Houthis quit Yemeni cities and hand over their arms. "It is the responsibility of the international community and the security council," said Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, citing the example of Iraq's expulsion from Kuwait in 1991. He added the coalition was focused on implementing 2216 because it offered the best chance of stabilizing Yemen long term. "It should be implemented to make sure of a final result to this situation. We have to think strategically," he said. From the border post, where a tangle of scrub is the only sign of life on a steep slope of car-sized, pebble-smooth boulders, the chances of international intervention against a guerrilla army in Yemen's messy civil war look slim. Riyadh is working with the exiled government to train some Yemeni fighters, but creating a proxy army that could roll back the Houthis and then establish stability would be a long-term undertaking with only precarious chances of success. However, Saudi Arabia's continued bombing and insistence on implementation of 2216, which would in effect require surrender by the Houthis and Saleh, may be simply a precursor to talks, said the Gulf-based diplomat. Riyadh has acknowledged from the beginning that the Houthis will be part of any eventual political settlement, but wanted them to be a minor player rather than a dominant one and for Hadi's government to return to Sanaa. However, they may accept a deal that gives the exiled government some form of token return, alongside the Houthis, so long as the group's material links to Iran remain severed. "From Saudi Arabia's point of view, that would mean the situation in Yemen was better than before its air strikes began," the diplomat said. (Reporting By Angus McDowall, Editing by William Maclean and Crispian Balmer) #saparli Port Augusta power stations and Leigh Creek coal mine expected to

More fighting, air strikes in Yemen, civilian death toll exceeds 550

Fri, Apr 24 18:42 PM EDT image 1 of 3 By Mohammed Mukhashaf ADEN (Reuters) - Fighting between Yemen's warring factions raged in southern and central parts of the country and air strikes hit Houthi militia forces in Aden on Friday, but there were no fresh moves toward dialogue. Saudi Arabia says it is winding down its month-old bombing operation against the Iran-allied Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen's former president. But Riyadh pounded targets with at least 20 airstrikes across Yemen on Thursday and 10 more on Friday. The civilian death toll from the fighting and airstrikes since the bombing started on March 26 has reached an estimated 551 people, the United Nations said on Friday. Its children's agency UNICEF said at least 115 children were among the dead. Washington and other Western countries backing the Saudi-led aerial campaign have grown increasingly worried about the humanitarian crisis on the ground and also about the risk of Sunni Muslim jihadist groups taking advantage of the chaos. Islamic State, which has had little presence in Yemen, released late on Thursday a video it said showed members of the group in the country conducting military exercises and pledging to attack the Houthis, who are from the Zaydi Shi'ite sect. Saudi Arabia has called a meeting with major U.N. aid agencies and others to discuss improving aid deliveries to Yemen, which have been hindered by the naval blockade, Saudi officials and U.N. sources said. Violent clashes continued between the Houthis and local militias near the Khor Maksar district of Aden on Friday, residents said, as well as in Taiz and al-Dhala. Heavy fighting in Marib province east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa killed 15 people, tribal sources there said, as the Houthi militia and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh tried to advance into the rugged Sirwah district. AIR STRIKES Renewed airstrikes, days after Riyadh announced the end of its main bombing campaign, hit the 35th Brigade in Taiz, a Yemen army unit loyal to Saleh whose troops have clashed this week with militiamen supporting President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Four weeks of air raids have had limited impact on the lightly armed and mobile Houthi guerrilla fighters, but have significantly degraded army units loyal to Saleh, Western diplomats say. Splitting the alliance between the Houthis and Saleh is seen as pivotal to any chance of success for the Saudi-led coalition in its goal of pushing the militia back towards its northern heartland, resuming peace talks and restoring Hadi to Sanaa. Several army units have announced in recent days that they were pledging their loyalty to Hadi after fighting alongside Saleh or sitting on the sidelines. But those switches do not yet appear to have swung the balance of fighting on the ground. Separately, a spokesman for Defence Minister Mahmoud al-Subaihi rejected on Friday as untrue local media reports that the Houthis had released him after weeks of detention. (Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Mohammed Ghobari in Cairo. Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Iran shouldn’t get ‘undeserved’ deal, says Saudi FM

Yemen Houthi rebels advance despite Saudi-led air strikes Fri, Mar 27 20:47 PM EDT image 1 of 9 By Mohammed Mukhashef ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi rebels made broad gains in the country's south and east on Friday despite a second day of Saudi-led air strikes meant to check the Iranian-backed militia's efforts to overthrow President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Shi'ite Muslim Houthi fighters and allied army units gained their first foothold on Yemen's Arabian Sea coast by seizing the port of Shaqra 100km (60 miles) east of Aden, residents told Reuters. Explosions and crackles of small gunfire rang out across Aden late on Friday as Houthis made a push on the southern port city's airport, a witness said. The advances threaten Hadi's last refuge in Yemen and potentially undermine the air campaign to support him. The spokesman for the Saudi-led operation, Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, told a news conference in Riyadh that defending the Aden government was the campaign's "main objective". "The operation will continue as long as there is a need for it to continue," Asseri said. Warplanes targeted Houthi forces controlling Yemen's capital Sanaa and their northern heartland on Friday. Asseri said that planes from the United Arab Emirates had carried out their first strikes in the past 24 hours. In a boost for Saudi Arabia, Morocco said it would join the rapidly assembled Sunni Muslim coalition against the Houthis. Pakistan, named by Saudi Arabia as a partner, said it had made no decision on whether to contribute. REGIONAL CONTEST Riyadh’s military intervention is the latest front in a growing regional contest for power with Iran that is also playing out in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad’s government against mainly Sunni rebels, and Iraq, where Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias are playing a major role in fighting. Sunni monarchies in the Gulf are backing Hadi and his fellow Sunnis in the country's south against the Shi'ite advance. Yemen's powerful ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, whose military units fight alongside the Houthis, called on Friday for a cessation of hostilities by both sides, according to a statement carried by his party's website. Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen said the air campaign could end within days. He said the door was still open for dialogue with the Houthis, while in a Facebook posting, Hadi urged Yemenis to be patient and predicted the Houthis would soon be gone. But the Houthis and allied army units seized the southern town of Shaqra in Abyan province on Friday, gaining access to the Arabian Sea, residents said. Their entry into the city means they control most land routes to Aden and can block tribal fighters trying to come in to reinforce Hadi's troops. Residents said dozens of pickup trucks loaded with tribal fighters have reached the town of Mudyah and were expected to clash with the Houthi forces based in Shaqra and the town of Lodar. During a week of intense fighting, the Houthis have taken the Red Sea port of al-Mukha to Aden's northwest, and the city's northern outskirts, suggesting Aden is danger, despite the air strikes against the Houthis. Witnesses in Sanaa said Houthi fighters and allied military units were re-positioning some anti-aircraft units at police stations in some neighborhoods, causing panic among residents, who fear they will become targets for air strikes. Residents said aircraft targeted bases around Sanaa of Republican Guards allied to the Houthis, and also struck near a military installation that houses missiles. The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency put the death toll in Sanaa at 24 and said 43 were wounded and 14 houses were destroyed. Houthi-run al-Masirah television also said 15 people were killed in an air strike on a market in the northern city of Saada. OIL REGION HIT The Republican Guards are loyal to Saleh, who retains wide power despite having left office in 2012 after mass protests. Earlier air strikes south of the city and in the oil-producing Marib region appeared to target military installations also affiliated with Saleh. Warplanes also hit two districts in the Houthis' northerly home province of Saada, tribal sources said. The coalition began air strikes on Thursday to try to roll back Houthi gains and shore up Hadi, who has been holed up in Aden after fleeing Sanaa in February. Hadi left Aden on Thursday to attend an Arab summit in Egypt on Saturday, where he aims to build support for the air strikes. U.S. President Barack Obama expressed his support for the Saudi-led military action in a phone call with Saudi King Salman on Friday, the White House said. In his first reaction to the attacks, Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi on Thursday called Saudi Arabia a bad neighbor and "Satan's horn", saying in a televised speech Yemenis would confront the "criminal, unjust and unjustified aggression". Mosques in Riyadh on Friday preached fiery sermons against the Houthis and their Iranian allies, describing the fight as a religious duty. Saudi Arabia's top clerical council gave its blessing to the campaign. In the Iranian capital Tehran, Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Kazem Sadeghi described the attacks as "an aggression and interference in Yemen’s internal affairs". Iran has denounced the assault on the Houthis and demanded an immediate halt to Saudi-led military operations. While U.S. officials have downplayed the scope of the ties between Iran and the Houthis, Saudi ambassador to Washington Adel al-Jubeir said members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Iranian-backed Hezbollah are on the ground advising the Houthis. The Saudi military spokesman said there were no plans at this stage for ground force operations, but if the need arose, Saudi and allied ground forces would repel "any aggression." (With additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Maha El Dahan, and Ali Abdelatti and Eric Beech in Washington; writing by William Maclean; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Giles Elgood and Andrew Heavens) ====== WASHINGTON | BY MATT SPETALNICK, WARREN STROBEL AND MARK HOSENBALL (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia kept some key details of its military action in Yemen from Washington until the last moment, U.S. officials said, as the kingdom takes a more assertive regional role to compensate for perceived U.S. disengagement. The Middle East's top oil power told the United States weeks ago it was weighing action in Yemen but only informed Washington of the exact details just before Thursday's unprecedented air strikes against Iran-allied Houthi rebels, the officials said. U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East policy increasingly relies on surrogates rather than direct U.S. military involvement. He is training Syrian rebels to take on the government of President Bashar Assad and this week launched air strikes to back up Iraqi forces trying to retain the city of Tikrit. To Obama's Republican critics, he is ceding the traditional U.S. leadership role. The White House denies it is disengaging from the region and says it has been in close contact with the Saudis over their plans in recent days. Although the Saudis spoke with top U.S. officials as they debated an air assault in support of embattled Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, U.S. officials acknowledged gaps in their knowledge of the kingdom’s battle plans and objectives. Asked when he was told by Saudi Arabia that it would take military action in Yemen, General Lloyd Austin, the head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, told a Senate hearing on Thursday he spoke with Saudi Arabia’s chief of defense "right before they took action." He added that he couldn't assess the likelihood of the campaign succeeding because he didn't know the "specific goals and objectives." Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, said Riyadh consulted closely with Washington on Yemen - but ultimately decided it had to act quickly as Houthi rebels moved toward Hadi's last redoubt in the southern city of Aden. "The concern was, if Aden falls, then what do you do?" al-Jubeir told a small group of reporters on Thursday. "The concern was that the situation was so dire you had to move." Saudi Arabia's air strikes point toward an aspiration to defend its regional interests with less reliance on the U.S. security umbrella that has long been the main thrust of Washington’s relations with the oil-rich kingdom. MORE ASSERTIVE Riyadh has been growing increasingly assertive since early 2011, when Washington's reluctance to back former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak in the face of mass protests led the Saudis to doubt its commitment to traditional Arab allies. Obama's decision in summer 2013 not to bomb Syria after the use of poison gas there, coupled with its sudden announcement it had conducted secret nuclear talks with Riyadh's nemesis Iran, further alarmed the Saudis. "If the operation is successful, I think we will see a major turn in Saudi foreign policy. It's going to be assertive, become more aggressive in dealing with the Iranian expansionism,” said Mustafa Alani, an Iraqi security analyst with ties to the Saudi Interior Ministry. The Obama administration is reluctant to get drawn into direct military action in another Arab conflict when it is already facing daunting challenges in Syria and Iraq. The worsening Yemen conflict forced Washington to evacuate all remaining U.S. special forces from the country, further undermining the U.S. campaign of drone strikes against the most lethal branch of al Qaeda based there. Sunni Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen is the latest front in a growing regional contest for power with Iran that is also playing out in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad’s government, and Iraq, where Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias are playing a major role in fighting. While U.S. officials have downplayed the scope of the relationship between Iran and Yemen’s Houthis, al-Jubeir said that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed Hezbollah are on the ground advising the Houthis. One senior U.S. official described Riyadh's operation as a "panic response" to the fast-deteriorating situation in Yemen that the Saudis feared could spill over its border. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that the 10-nation Saudi-led coalition had been patched together so quickly that its effectiveness was in doubt. The White House says it will not join directly in military operations in Yemen, but has set up a cell to coordinate U.S. military and intelligence support to the operation. But U.S. officials said they were sharing intelligence information on a limited basis so far. U.S. officials said they discussed the deteriorating situation in Yemen with Saudi Arabia over the course of recent weeks. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Yemen at length during a March 5 visit to Riyadh, but it was "not clear (the Saudis) had made any decisions about potential action at that point," said a senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We had been talking with the Saudis throughout the course of the last several days about what they were thinking and what type of support we could render with regards to their actions in Yemen," U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart in Washington and Angus McDowall in Riyadh. Editing Iran calls Saudi airstrikes in Yemen 'dangerous step' By AHMED AL-HAJ Mar. 26, 2015 5:14 AM EDT 720 11 photos Mideast Yemen People carry the body of a child they uncovered from under the rubble of houses destroyed by Saudi... Read more SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes Thursday targeting military installations in Yemen held by Shiite rebels who were taking over a key port city in the country's south and had driven the embattled president to flee by sea, security officials said. Some of the strikes hit positions in the country's capital, Sanaa. The airstrikes, which had the support of nine other countries, drew a strong reaction from Iran which called the operation an "invasion" and a "dangerous step" that will worsen the crisis in the country. The back-and-forth between the regional heavyweights was threatening to turn impoverished Yemen into a proxy battle between the Middle East's Sunni powers and Shiite-led Iran. Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya News reported that the kingdom had deployed 100 fighter jets, 150,000 soldiers and other navy units. The Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, were calling on their supporters to protest in the streets of Sanaa on Thursday afternoon, Yemen's Houthi-controlled state news agency SABA reported. On Wednesday President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a close U.S. ally, fled Yemen by sea as the rebels started taking over the southern port city of Aden where he had taken refuge. Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir announced the military operation in a news conference in Washington. He said his government had consulted closely with the U.S. and other allies but that the U.S. military was not involved in the operations. The White House said in a statement late Wednesday that the U.S. was coordinating military and intelligence support with the Saudis but not taking part directly in the strikes. Other regional players were involved in the Saudi operation: The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain joined Saudi Arabia in a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency, saying they would answer a request from Hadi "to protect Yemen and his dear people from the aggression of the Houthi militias which were and are still a tool in the hands of foreign powers that don't stop meddling with the security and stability of brotherly Yemen." Oman, the sixth member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, didn't sign onto the statement. Egypt also announced political and military support. "There is coordination ongoing now with Saudi Arabia and the brotherly gulf countries about preparations to participate with an Egyptian air and naval forces and ground troops if necessary," it said in a statement carried by the state news agency. Pakistan, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan were also joining the operation, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies believe the Houthis are tools for Iran to seize control of Yemen and say they intend to stop the takeover. The Houthis deny they are backed by Iran. Security officials in Yemen said the Saudi airstrikes targeted a camp for U.S.-trained special forces, which is controlled by generals loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The officials said the targets included the missile base in Sanaa that was controlled by the Houthis earlier this year. One of the Yemeni security officials said the strikes also targeted the fuel depot at the base. The Houthis said in a statement to reporters that Saudi jets hit the military base, known as al-Duleimi, and that they responded with anti-aircraft missiles. Riad Yassin, Yemen's foreign minister, told Saudi's Al-Hadath TV that the airstrikes were welcomed. "I hope the Houthis listen to the sound of reason. With what is happening, they forced us into this," he said. The crumbling of Hadi's government is a blow to Washington's counterterrorism strategy against al-Qaida's branch in Yemen, considered to be the most powerful in the terrorist network. Over the weekend, about 100 U.S. military advisers withdrew from the al-Annad air base where they had been leading a drone campaign against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. Yemen now faces fragmentation, with Houthis controlling much of the north, including the capital of Sanaa, and several southern provinces. In recent days, they took the third-largest city, Taiz, as well as much of the province of Lahj, both just to the north of Aden. The Houthis are backed by Saleh, the autocrat who ruled Yemen for three decades until he was removed amid a 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Some of the best-equipped and trained military and security units remained loyal to Saleh and they have helped the Houthis in their rapid advance. Hadi left Sanaa for Aden earlier this month after escaping house arrest under the Houthis, who overran the capital six months ago. In Aden, he had sought to make a last stand, claiming it as the temporary seat of what remained of his government, backed by allied militias and loyal army units. With Houthis and Saleh forces closing in on multiple fronts, Hadi and his aides left Aden Wednesday on two boats in the Gulf of Aden, security and port officials told The Associated Press. The officials would not specify his destination. Read more Florida teen dies after being shocked by police Associated Press AP PHOTOS: Brazil fans in shock after 7-1 loss Associated Press 'Simpsons' creator finds funny in his cancer fight Associated Press Zemanta Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen, launches coalition op against Houthi rebels Published time: March 25, 2015 23:49 Edited time: March 26, 2015 02:20 Get short URL Reuters / Fahad Shadeed Air Force, Army, Conflict, Middle East, Military, Religion, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian forces, joined by nine other countries, have launched a military operation in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels, the Saudi ambassador to the US said. The offensive, which started with airstrikes, will also involve “other military assets.” According to Ambassador Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, the military operation in Yemen started at 7 p.m. EST (11 p.m. GMT). The US is not participating in the operation, the envoy stressed. Al Arabiya reported that warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force bombed positions of Yemen’s Houthi militia, targeting their air defenses. Reports from the ground indicate that Saudi forces have bombed an office belonging to Houthi rebels in Sanaa’s Jiraf area, with many casualties. Residents are saying that warplanes are targeting the capital’s airport, according to Reuters. Houthis are using heavy anti-aircraft fire to respond to the bombing. Another warplane attack was said to have been launched on Sanaa’s Dulaimi military airbase. The bombers affiliation could not be immediately confirmed. Al-Jubair told Al Jazeera that Houthi fighters are in control of Yemeni’s ballistic and heavy weaponry and could be taking over the country’s air force. Hadi’s government officials have been calling on Gulf states to impose a no-fly zone over Yemen. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait issued a joint statement saying that they “decided to repel Houthi militias, Al-Qaeda and ISIS (Islamic State) in the country.” The Gulf states said they were responding to a “major threat” to the stability of the region, saying that their cause is to “repel Houthi aggression” in Yemen. Al-Jubeir said the 10-country coalition launched the campaign “to protect and defend the legitimate government” of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after his appeal to intervene. Hadi is believed to have fled the country as Houthi rebels captured the southern seaport of Aden, the deposed leader's stronghold. Egypt is providing political and military support for the operation, the country’s state media said. Cairo is prepared to take part in air, naval and ground operations if necessary, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has announced. While the Saudi envoy insisted Washington only “consulted” Riyadh, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that America has been supporting the military operation in an unspecified way. An unnamed US official confirmed to Reuters that the Saudis consulted with Washington about the military operation at the “highest levels” before proceeding with the attack, adding that US President Barack Obama knew of Riyadh’s plans to invade Yemen. Read more Saudi Arabia moves heavy arms to border with chaos-stricken Yemen Houthi leaders have in turn branded the Saudi offensive as “aggression” and warned that it will drag the entire Gulf region into conflict. “There is an aggression underway on Yemen and we will confront it valiantly,” a member of the Houthi political office, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, told Al Jazeera. “Military operations will drag the region to a wide war.” Ships in the region have been urged not to approach Yemen’s ports due to the ongoing military operation, Saudi-owned Al-Hadath TV reported. US President Obama has authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-led military operations in Yemen, the White House said in a statement, confirming that Washington had close communication with Hadi, the Saudis and other GCC states prior to the launch of the military operation. “While US forces are not taking direct military action in Yemen in support of this effort, we are establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate US military and intelligence support,” the statement said. Moreover, the White House urged the Houthis to immediately halt “destabilizing military actions” and to return to political dialogue with the deposed Yemeni government. Meanwhile, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told TASS that the UN is aware of Saudi Arabia launching a military operation in Yemen and is looking into more details. Just a few hours before the operation, Haq told journalists that the UN does not believe in military actions to resolve the conflict in Yemen. ===== Exclusive: Saudi Arabia building up military near Yemen border - U.S. officials Tue, Mar 24 19:49 PM EDT By Mark Hosenball, Phil Stewart and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is moving heavy military equipment including artillery to areas near its border with Yemen, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, raising the risk that the Middle East’s top oil power will be drawn into the worsening Yemeni conflict. The buildup follows a southward advance by Iranian-backed Houthi Shi'ite militants who took control of the capital Sanaa in September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they move closer to the new southern base of U.S.-supported President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The slide toward war in Yemen has made the country a crucial front in Saudi Arabia's region-wide rivalry with Iran, which Riyadh accuses of sowing sectarian strife through its support for the Houthis. The conflict risks spiraling into a proxy war with Shi'ite Iran backing the Houthis, whose leaders adhere to the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam, and Saudi Arabia and the other regional Sunni Muslim monarchies backing Hadi. The armor and artillery being moved by Saudi Arabia could be used for offensive or defensive purposes, two U.S. government sources said. Two other U.S. officials said the build-up appeared to be defensive. One U.S. government source described the size of the Saudi buildup on Yemen's border as "significant" and said the Saudis could be preparing air strikes to defend Hadi if the Houthis attack his refuge in the southern seaport of Aden. Another U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington had acquired intelligence about the Saudi build-up. But there was no immediate word on the precise location near the border or the exact size of the force deployed. Hadi, who supported Washington’s campaign of deadly drone strikes on a powerful al Qaeda branch based in Yemen, has been holed up in Aden with his loyalist forces since he fled Sanaa in February. On Tuesday, forces loyal to Hadi drove Houthi fighters from two towns they had seized hours earlier, residents said, apparently checking an advance by the Shi'ite fighters toward Aden. SAUDIS "DEEPLY CONCERNED" Saudi Arabia faces the risk of the turmoil spilling across its porous 1,800 km (1,100 mile)-long border with Yemen and into its Shi'ite Eastern Province where the kingdom's richest oil deposits lie. “The Saudis are just really deeply concerned about what they see as an Iranian stronghold in a failed state along their border,” U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller told Reuters on Monday at a conference hosted by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Washington. But a former senior U.S. official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the prospects for successful external intervention in Yemen appeared slim. He said Hadi’s prospects appeared to be worsening and that for now he was “pretty well pinned down.” Riyadh hosted top-level talks with Gulf Arab neighbors on Saturday that backed Hadi as Yemen's legitimate president and offered "all efforts" to preserve the country's stability. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said on Monday Arab countries would take necessary measures to protect the region against "aggression" by the Houthi movement if a peaceful solution could not be found. In March 2011, Saudi troops, along with those from the United Arab Emirates, entered neighboring Bahrain after weeks of protests by that country’s Shi’ite majority that Riyadh feared could lead to an expansion of Iran’s influence. A spokesman for the Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any military movements. Yemen asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to back military action by "willing countries" to combat Houthi militias, according to a letter from Hadi seen by Reuters. Hadi wants the 15-member body to adopt a resolution that would authorize "willing countries that wish to help Yemen to provide immediate support for the legitimate authority by all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter the Houthi aggression." Fighting has spread across the Arabian peninsula country since last September when the Houthis seized Sanaa and advanced into Sunni Muslim areas. U.S. officials said on Saturday that the United States had evacuated all its remaining personnel in Yemen, including about 100 special operations forces, because of the security situation. The end of a U.S. security presence inside the country has dealt a blow to Washington's ability to monitor and fight al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate. The Houthis have denied taking material and financial support from Tehran. But last year Yemeni, Western and Iranian sources gave Reuters details of Iranian military and financial support to the Houthis before and after their takeover of Sanaa last year. However, U.S. officials have said that Iranian backing for the Houthi rebels has been largely limited to funding. They say Iran has its hands full providing armed assistance to its allies in Syria and Iraq. (Additional reporting by Warren Strobel; Editing by Jason Szep and Stuart Grudgings) =============== AFP — Updated about an hour ago Whatsapp FM accused Tehran of continued meddling in the affairs of Arab countries and attempts to stoke sectarian conflicts. —AFP/File FM accused Tehran of continued meddling in the affairs of Arab countries and attempts to stoke sectarian conflicts. —AFP/File RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal said on Monday that Iran, which is negotiating with world powers on its nuclear programme, should not get “undeserved deals”. “It is impossible that Iran should get undeserved deals,” Prince Saud said at a joint news conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. Prince Saud called for guarantees that the programme “does not turn into a nuclear weapon that could pose a threat to the region and the world, especially in view of Iran’s aggressive politics in the region”. The minister also accused Tehran of “continued meddling in the affairs of Arab countries and attempts to stoke sectarian conflicts in the region”. Published in Dawn March 24th , 2015 On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play ========================= Yemen foes square off as fears of war, Saudi-Iran rivalry grow Mon, Mar 23 21:29 PM EDT image 1 of 7 By Angus McDowall and Noah Browning RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen's top factions are squaring off for battle after months of skirmishes, turning respectively to neighboring Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran for help in what may become all-out war. With President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi seeking a comeback from the port city of Aden while the Shi'ite Houthi movement controls the capital Sanaa, rival administrations are trading bellicose rhetoric as fighting intensifies and factions commandeer airfields for the next stage of the struggle. Somewhat on the sidelines, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Islamic State are waiting to exploit what some fear could become Yemen's worst conflict since a 1994 civil war. "For years Yemen has defied all the odds and proved wrong those who said it was on the brink of civil war and about to collapse," Farea al-Muslimi, a researcher with the Carnegie Middle East Center said. "But we may have run out of miracles." Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen called on Monday for Gulf Arab help to prevent the Houthis' getting air control. "We have expressed to the Gulf Cooperation Council, the United Nations as well as the international community that there should be a no-fly zone, and the use of military aircraft should be prevented at the airports controlled by the Houthis," he told the newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat. United Nations mediator Jamal Benomar said on Sunday that Yemen had been pushed "towards the edge of civil war" that he believed neither the Houthis nor Hadi could win. "Any side that would want to push the country in either direction would be inviting a protracted conflict in the vein of an Iraq-Libya-Syria combined scenario," he told the Security Council. Violence has spread across the Arabian peninsula country since last year, when Houthi militia seized Sanaa and effectively removed Hadi, a U.S. ally. This angered the Sunni-ruled Gulf states led by Riyadh, which regards the once obscure group from the northern highlands as terrorists. TEST OF STRENGTH The turmoil has made Yemen a front in Saudi Arabia's region-wide rivalry with Iran, mainly contested on sectarian lines, by creating an ally for Tehran in its backyard. Riyadh hosted top-level talks with Gulf Arab neighbors on Saturday that backed Hadi as Yemen's legitimate president and offered "all efforts" to preserve the country's stability. It was not clear if that included military aid. The Houthis, who share a Shi'ite ideology with Iran, have denied taking material and financial support from Tehran. But last year Yemeni, Western and Iranian sources gave Reuters details of Iranian military and financial support to the Houthis before and after their takeover of Sanaa on Sept. 21. The Houthis adhere to the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam, and despite Yemen's tradition of religious tolerance, their advance has alarmed many Sunnis, some of whom have allied with AQAP. In a blow to U.S. counter-terrorism operations, Washington said on Saturday it had evacuated its remaining personnel, including about 100 special operations forces, because of the deteriorating security situation. With both Hadi and the Houthis indulging in chest-beating propaganda and staking rival claims to be the rightful rulers, the stage now appears set for a military test of strength. Both have support in the factionalized military. In the past week the Houthis, backed by troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have advanced on Hadi's forces in the south and clashed with tribes in central provinces. Fighting has focused on gaining strategic positions and air bases but analysts fear the consequences should Saudi Arabia and Iran join in more openly. "So far in the crisis there has not been that tipping point towards war, partly because there has been no external backer to provide enough munitions," said Fernando Carvajal of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Britain's Exeter University, warning of the risks of more outside involvement. External help could prove decisive. Hadi's control of Aden's sea and air ports would allow his Gulf Arab allies to supply his now meager military forces with ease. Houthi control of the Red Sea port of Hodeida and the onset of direct Tehran-Sanaa flights last month means Iran could offer its allies similar assistance. RESISTANCE For now the Houthis and Saleh, a critic of Hadi, appear to hold the upper hand, but this may not last. Their forces, reckoned by analysts to represent around two thirds of the old Yemeni army, face three main enemies: units loyal to Hadi in Aden, Sunni tribes in Marib province and tribes fighting alongside AQAP in al-Bayda province. "The Houthis and Saleh might be able to win the initial battle but they'll lose the war, because they will be faced with a lot of resistance. They're already drowning in Bayda," said Nadwa Dawsari, a researcher on Yemen's tribes. Much of the past week's fighting has been over air power. Hadi built a power base in the air force when in Sanaa, replacing its commander and purging officers seen as disloyal. But last week the Houthis installed a new air force chief and unidentified jets bombed Hadi's Aden residence. Hadi's men then seized Aden's airport and radar station at al-Anad airbase. More immediate ground fighting may come in Marib, a big prize because of its oil facilities, where 12 people were killed on Saturday in clashes between the Houthis and Sunni tribes. Another fear of Arab and Western states is that either the Houthis or Sunni jihadi groups may gain the space to threaten regional energy facilities and the Bab al-Mandeb shipping route, a vital energy gateway for Europe, Asia and the United States. (Editing by William Maclean and David Stamp)

Suicide bombers kill 137 in Yemen mosque attacks, Fighting between Yemeni president supporters and opponents halts Aden flights

Allies of Yemen Houthis seize Aden airport, close in on president Wed, Mar 25 17:56 PM EDT image 1 of 3 By Sami Aboudi ADEN (Reuters) - Houthi militia forces and allied army units seized Aden airport and a nearby air base on Wednesday, tightening their grip on the outskirts of the southern Yemeni city after President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled his residence for a safer location. The United States said Hadi, holed up in Aden since fleeing the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa last month, was no longer at the compound he has been using as a base. It offered no other details on his movements. "We were in touch with him earlier today," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a briefing in Washington. "He is no longer at his residence. I'm not in position to confirm any additional details from here about his location." Residents later said looters had entered the residence hours after Hadi vacated it in mid-afternoon for an unknown location. Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen and Hadi's aides said Hadi remained in Aden, in a safe place, without elaborating. Local officials said troops loyal to Yemen's ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, a powerful ally of the Houthis, had captured Aden airport in late afternoon but that clashes with Hadi supporters were continuing in the vicinity. The airport was closed and all flights were canceled. Earlier the Houthis and their allies took al-Anad air base 60 km (37 miles) north of the city before continuing their southward advance. Yemen's slide toward civil war has made the country a crucial front in mostly Sunni Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Shi'ite Iran, which Riyadh accuses of stirring up sectarian strife through its support for the Houthis. Sunni Arab monarchies around the region have condemned the Shi'ite Houthi takeover as a coup and have mooted a military intervention in favor of Hadi in recent days. U.S. officials say Saudi Arabia is moving heavy military equipment including artillery to areas near its border with Yemen, raising the risk that the Middle East’s top oil power will be drawn into the worsening conflict. Saudi sources said the build-up, which also included tanks, was purely defensive. Soldiers at Aden's Jabal al-Hadeed barracks fired into the air to prevent residents from entering and arming themselves, witnesses said, suggesting that Hadi's control over the city was fraying. Five people were killed and 12 wounded in shooting at the barracks, medical sources said without elaborating. Earlier, unidentified warplanes fired missiles at the Aden neighborhood where Hadi's compound is located, residents said. Anti-aircraft batteries opened fire on the planes. While the battle for Aden is publicly being waged by the Houthi movement, many there believe that the real instigator of the campaign is former president Saleh, a fierce critic of Hadi. Saleh was the force behind Aden's previous humiliation in 1994, when as president he crushed a southern secessionist uprising in a short war. Unlike other regional leaders deposed in the Arab Spring, Saleh was allowed to remain in the country. HOUTHI ADVANCE Army loyalists close to Saleh on Wednesday warned against foreign interference, saying on his party website that Yemen would confront such a move "with all its strength". Diplomats say they suspect the Houthis want to take Aden before an Arab summit this weekend, to preempt an expected attempt by Hadi ally Saudi Arabia to rally Arab support at the gathering for military intervention in Yemen. The Arab League will discuss on Thursday a proposal by Yemen's foreign minister, who called on Arab states to intervene militarily to halt the Houthi advance, the regional body's deputy secretary general said. The Houthi advance was taking its toll. The bodies of fighters from both sides lay on the streets of the outskirts of Houta, capital of Lahej province north of Aden, residents said. In Houta, storefronts were shuttered and residents reported hearing bursts of machine gun fire and saw the bodies of fighters from both sides lying in the streets. Witnesses said Houthi fighters and allied soldiers largely bypassed the city center and traveled by dirt roads to the southern suburbs facing Aden. Heavy traffic clogged Aden as parents brought schoolchildren home and public sector employees obeyed orders to leave work. Witnesses said pro-Hadi militiamen and tribal gunmen were out in force throughout the city. "The war is imminent and there is no escape from it," said 21-year-old Mohammed Ahmed, standing outside a security compound in Aden's Khor Maksar district, where hundreds of young men have been signing up to fight the advancing Shi'ite fighters. "And we are ready for it. Houthi militants took control of Sanaa last September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they moved closer to Aden. Houthi leaders have said their advance is a revolution against Hadi and his corrupt government. Iran has blessed their rise as part of an "Islamic awakening" in the region. (Reporting By Mohammed Mukhashaf, Sami Aboudi, Mohammed Ghobari and Noah Browning,; Editing by William Maclean, Angus MacSwan and Gareth Jones) =============== Report: Iran-backed rebels in Yemen loot secret files about US spy operations, US officials tell @latimes Read more on latimes.com  Yemen crisis  2h More: US State Department says unable to confirm additional details on Yemeni President Hadi's location; says they have been in touch with him over last several days - @NBCNews End of alert  Yemen crisis  3h Witnesses: Residents are looting Yemeni presidential compound in Aden, which was vacated earlier by President Hadi - @Reuters Read more on yahoo.com  Yemen crisis  3h US State Department: Yemeni President Hadi left residence voluntarily - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  4h Editor's note: Sources in Saudi Arabia tell Reuters that there are no plans for military intervention in the Yemen crisis as Shiite rebels known as Houthis and allies advance on Aden. However, Saudi Arabia had previously warned that "if the Houthi coup does not end peacefully, we will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region," The Associated Press reports. There are reports Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has fled the country, but he is scheduled to attend an Arab summit in Egypt this weekend, where allies are set to discuss possible intervention against Houthis, the AP reports. - Stephanie Read more on bigstory.ap.org  Yemen crisis  5h Yemeni foreign minister denies reports President Hadi has fled Aden - @FrankRGardner see original on twitter.com  Yemen crisis  5h Yemen's Aden airport captured by troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, local officials say - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  5h White House calls on Houthi militia forces to stop fomenting instability in Yemen - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  6h Updated: Officials say Yemen's embattled president has left country on a boat from Aden; Yemen's foreign minister denies report in interview - @AP, @FrankRGardner End of alert  Yemen crisis  6h Yemeni officials: Forces allied with Shiite rebels have taken over airport in the city of Aden - @AP End of alert  Yemen crisis  7h Saudi Arabia's military buildup near its southern border with Yemen is purely defensive, 2 Saudi sources say - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  9h Aden airport in Yemen closed, all flights cancelled due to security concerns, guards say - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  9h Arab League deputy secretary general says body will discuss Yemen intervention plan tomorrow at foreign minister level - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen crisis  10h Yemen's foreign minister calls for Arab military intervention against advancing Shiite rebels - @AP End of alert Mar 25, 2015, 11:44 AM GMT 10h Warplanes flying over Aden fire missiles at district housing Yemen president's compound, residents say - @Reuters End of alert Alert my friends  Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi   Aden, `Adan, YE   war & conflict   Yemen   Yemen crisis   Yemen  11h Authorities say Shiite rebels have arrested Yemen's defense minister - @AP End of alert  Aden, `Adan, YE  11h Shiite rebels offer bounty for capture of embattled president as they near his last refuge - @AP End of alert  Aden, `Adan, YE  12h Officials say Yemen's embattled president has fled Aden home as Shiite rebels near - @AP End of alert  Aden, `Adan, YE  13h Public sector workers in Yemen's Aden told to go home, residents arm themselves, witnesses say - @Reuters End of alert  Al Anad, Lahij, YE  14h Officials loyal to Yemen's President Hadi had no immediate comment on claims rebels have 'secured' the al-Annad air base - @AP End of alert  Al Anad, Lahij, YE  14h Shiite rebel TV station says its fighters seize Yemen air base where US advised al-Qaida fight - @AP End of alert  Yemen  15h Army officers loyal to Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh say Yemen armed forces will confront any foreign intervention - @Reuters End of alert  Yemen  1d Yemen asks UN Security Council to authorize military action by 'willing countries' to deter Houthi militia aggression - @Reuters End of alert  Ad Dali, YE  1d Hadi loyalists reverse Houthi gains in 2 Yemen towns, residents say - @Reuters Read more on dailymail.co.uk  Yemen  1d Houthi official says al-Qaida exploiting southern separatism to stoke struggle between Yemen's regions - @Reuters End of alert  Fight against Islamic State militants  1d Houthi official says Houthis not targeting Aden, but defending Yemen against Islamist militants - @Reuters Yemen Huthi advance raises fears over key waterway . AFP By Mohamed Hasni 18 hours Yemeni supporters of the Shiite Huthi movement shout slogans during a rally in Sanaa against a US and Saudi intervention in Yemen, on March 6, 2015 (AFP Photo/Mohammed Huwais) . Aden (AFP) - As they advance south, Yemen's Iran-linked Huthi militiamen are moving within striking distance of the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital corridor through which much of the world's maritime trade passes. Only about 30 kilometres (20 miles) across at its narrowest point, the strait separates the Arabian Peninsula from east Africa and links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Nearly 40 percent of global maritime trade is estimated to pass through the strait, much of it on its way to and from the Suez Canal. As Yemen's Shiite Huthi militiamen have moved south after seizing the capital Sanaa last year, concern has been growing about their intentions for Bab al-Mandab. The militia on Sunday took control of the airport in the key central city of Taez, tightening the noose on President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in his refuge in the southern city of Aden only about 180 kilometres (110 miles) away. Hadi fled to Aden after escaping house arrest in Sanaa last month, and the country has increasingly been divided between the Huthi-controlled north and presidential loyalists in the south. Security sources say Huthi forces have been dispatched from Taez to the port of Mocha, some 80 kilometres to the west. From Mocha, a coastal road of around 100 kilometres leads to Bab al-Mandab. If the militia does make a move to take control the strait, experts say, Yemen's crisis could quickly become a global problem. The Huthis have been closely linked with Iran, which already overlooks another maritime chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz linking the Gulf with the Arabian Sea. If the militia takes control of Bab al-Mandab, "Iran would be the main winner," said Bassem al-Hakimi, a Yemeni political expert. - 38% of maritime trade - He said such a move would give Tehran an additional "card to play in the negotiations over its nuclear programme" with world powers. There is no doubt that the seizure of coastal areas on the strait would raise international concern. Both the United States and France maintain a military presence on the other side of the strait in Djibouti, and for Egypt the strait is of crucial importance. Egypt's ambassador to Yemen, Youssef al-Sharqawi, warned recently that threats to Bab al-Mandab would be a "red line" for Cairo. "More than 38 percent of global maritime trade passes through the strait," he told reporters in Aden. "The national security of Yemen is closely linked to the security of the Red Sea, the Gulf and Bab al-Mandab." Israel has also raised concerns, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of an Iranian threat to the strait in a speech to the US Congress earlier this month. "Backed by Iran, Huthis are seizing control of Yemen, threatening the strategic straits at the mouth of the Red Sea. Along with the Straits of Hormuz, that would give Iran a second chokepoint on the world's oil supply," he said. But some experts are sceptical about any danger to the strait posed by the Huthi advance. "The whole thing is a total red herring," said Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Iran and associate fellow at the Chatham House think tank. Dalton said there was no reason to believe that Tehran -- whose links with the Huthis he said have been exaggerated -- would want to complicate shipping through the strait. "The Iranians are pro-free passage and they play by the rules. They want to be respected so it is unlikely that either Iran or the Huthi movement would seek to disrupt shipping there," he added. ============= Houthis seize strategic Yemeni city, escalating power struggle Sun, Mar 22 17:34 PM EDT image 1 of 7 By Mohammed Mukhashef ADEN (Reuters) - Houthi fighters opposed to Yemen's president took over the central city of Taiz in an escalation of a power struggle diplomats say risks drawing in neighboring oil giant Saudi Arabia and its main regional rival Iran. Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, head of the powerful Shi'ite Muslim group, vowed to pursue Sunni militants behind suicide attacks on Houthi supporters and said the poor Arabian peninsula country was in danger of descending into Libya-style turmoil. In a live televised speech, Houthi said his decision to mobilize fighters amid accelerating violence in recent days was aimed at Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for bombings that killed more than 130 in the capital, Sanaa, on Friday, and al Qaeda. Conflict has been spreading across Yemen since last year when the Houthis seized Sanaa and effectively removed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who now seeks a comeback from his base in Aden. Residents of Taiz, on a main road from Sanaa to the country's second city, Aden, said Houthi militias took over the city's military airport without a struggle late on Saturday. Witnesses in the central province of Ibb reported seeing dozens of tanks and military vehicles headed southward from Houthi-controlled areas toward Taiz, while activists in the city said Houthi gunmen shot into the air to disperse protests by residents demonstrating against their presence. The advance of the Iranian-backed group has angered Sunni Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia. The Houthi expansion into mostly Sunni areas in the center and west has led to months of clashes with local tribes and al Qaeda, raising fears of civil war. INTERVENTION The U.N. mediator on Yemen said on Sunday that recent events "seem to be leading Yemen further away from a peaceful settlement and towards the edge of civil war." Saying it was illusory to think Houthi militia could take over all of Yemen or that Hadi could assemble enough troops to take back the country, mediator Jamal Benomar told the Security Council: "Any side that would want to push the country in either direction would be inviting a protracted conflict in the vein of an Iraq-Libya-Syria combined scenario." The Security Council condemned the takeover of much of Yemen and its institutions by the Houthis and warned of "further measures" if hostilities did not end. Iran called for dialogue, but suggested Hadi should leave to spare the country further bloodshed. "The expectation is that President ... Hadi will resign rather than repeat mistakes, to play a constructive role in preventing the breakup of Yemen and the transformation of Aden into a terrorist haven," said Iran's deputy foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, according to state news agency IRNA. But Gulf Arab leaders and security officials said on Saturday Hadi was Yemen's legitimate ruler and they were ready to make "all efforts" to defend the country's security. "Yemen is sliding into a dark tunnel, which would have serious consequences not only on Yemen but on security and stability in the region," the officials, who included Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, said. "The security of Yemen and of the GCC countries is an indivisible whole," it added. ESCALATING VIOLENCE On Sunday, anti-aircraft guns opened fire at an unidentified plane flying over Hadi's compound in Aden, witnesses said, in the third incident of its kind since last Thursday. U.S. officials said Washington had evacuated its remaining personnel from Yemen, including about 100 special operations forces, because of worsening security, marking a setback in U.S. efforts against a powerful al Qaeda branch. The Houthis are allied with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, still influential in the military despite having given up power in 2011 after mass protests against his rule. The Yemeni army has varied loyalties, with most units being controlled by the Houthis or Saleh, while some are loyal to Hadi. In his speech, Houthi criticized the U.N. Security Council, saying it was led by countries plotting "evil" against others. He also accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar - two among several Gulf Arab states opposed to the Houthis' rise to power - of fomenting "destruction" inside and outside the region. (Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Noah Browning, Mohammed Ghobari, Angus McDowall and Sam Wilkin, and Michelle Nichols at United Nations; Writing by William Maclean,; Editing by) ============================================ Houthis take parts of Yemeni city, Hadi sees 'coup' Sun, Mar 22 06:22 AM EDT By Mohammed Mukhashef ADEN (Reuters) - Houthi fighters opposed to Yemen's president seized parts of the country's third largest city of Taiz amid growing concern about a conflict diplomats say risks drawing in neighboring oil giant Saudi Arabia and its main regional rival Iran. The U.N. Security Council was set to meet to discuss Yemen after President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a U.S. ally, accused the Iranian-allied Houthi militia of staging a coup against him and appealed to the United Nations for “urgent intervention”. U.S. officials said Washington had evacuated its remaining personnel from Yemen, including about 100 special operations forces, because of worsening security, marking a setback in U.S. efforts against a powerful al Qaeda branch. Conflict has been spreading across Yemen since last year when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and removed Hadi from effective control of the state, angering Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, which regards the Shi'ite movement as a terrorist group. The Houthis then advanced into Sunni Muslim areas, leading to clashes with local tribes and al Qaeda and energizing a southern separatist movement. In Taiz, located on a main road from the capital Sanaa to the country's second city of Aden, residents said that Houthi militias took over the city's military airport from local authorities late on Saturday. PROTESTS The fighters also took control of a number of government buildings and a prison, they said. The takeover of the airport happened without a struggle, but later eyewitnesses reported Houthi gunmen firing tear gas and shooting into the air to disperse protests by residents demonstrating against the presence of Houthi forces. Eyewitnesses in the central province of Ibb described to Reuters seeing a column of dozens of tanks and military vehicles traveling from the Houthi-loyalist north on their way southward toward Taiz, 150 km (200 miles) northwest of Aden. On Sunday, anti-aircraft guns opened fire at an unidentified plane flying over Hadi's compound in Aden and appeared to force it away, witnesses said. It was the third incident of its kind in four days, in which aircraft have flown over the compound, where Hadi is based, on one occasion dropping bombs without causing any casualties. Aden's governor Abdulaziz bin Habtoor has accused the Houthi movement of ordering the flights over Aden, an allegation the group, which controls much of the north, has yet to address. The Houthis are allied with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who still has influence in the military despite having given up power in 2011 after mass protests against his rule. The Yemeni army has varied loyalties, with most units being controlled by the Houthis or Saleh, while some are loyal to Hadi. (Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Noah Browning, Angus McDowall, writing by William Maclean, editing by Louise Heavens) ================================== Haykal Bafana ‏@BaFana3 · 17m17 minutes ago Yemen | Hadi's Lahj frontline has 300km of border for possible Houthi incursions from Taiz, Al Baydha' and Al Dhale. Yes, Al Dhale'. #Yemen's South is extremely complicated. I doubt Hadi has enough army units & militia to defend this extended front. Tuesday, 24 March 2015 at 12:30:00 AM Yemeni president demands Houthis quit Sanaa amid new fighting Sat, Mar 21 13:31 PM EDT image By Mohammed Mukhashaf ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Saturday accused the Iranian-allied Houthi militia that controls the capital Sanaa of staging a coup against him, and said he would "raise Yemen's flag" in the Houthis' northern stronghold. In a call to arms from the southern city of Aden, where he fled last month after escaping house arrest by the Houthis, Hadi called on them to pull their forces out of state ministries, return weapons seized from the army, and quit Sanaa. "We shall deliver the country to safety and raise Yemen's flag on Mount Marran in Saadeh instead of the Iranian flag," he said in a televised speech, his first since reaching Aden. Iran is an ally of the Houthis, who belong to a Shi'ite Muslim sect. The Houthis, in a statement from their Supreme Revolutionary Committee, did not directly respond to the speech but called for a "general mobilization" of the armed forces against a "dirty war" they said was being waged by militias loyal to Hadi. Yemen has been hurtling towards civil war since last year when the Houthis seized Sanaa and advanced into Sunni areas, leading to clashes with local tribes and energizing a southern separatist movement. Hadi's flight to Aden has raised the prospect of armed confrontation between rival governments based in the north and south, creating chaos that could be exploited by the Yemen-based regional wing of al Qaeda. Fighting is spreading across the country, and 137 people were killed on Friday in the bombings of two Shi'ite mosques in Sanaa. They were claimed by Islamic State, an al Qaeda offshoot that controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria and said it was also behind an attack that killed 23 people in Tunisia on Wednesday. CALL FOR PEACE TALKS Hadi held open the door to a negotiated settlement with a call for the Houthis and other groups to attend peace talks in Saudi Arabia. He said Yemen must return to the political situation in place before the Houthis took control of Sanaa, restoring its constitution and implementing the results of a national dialogue process and Gulf-sponsored political transition. In his speech, he denounced the Houthis as "coup plotters" and said he wanted to confront sectarianism. Addressing Houthi accusations that he planned to back a southern secessionist movement, he said his flight to Aden had been intended to preserve the country's unity. Unidentified warplanes have bombed Hadi's Aden headquarters in recent days, and on Saturday forces loyal to the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is now allied to the Houthis, moved units to Taiz, 150 km (100 miles) northwest of Aden. In a reflection of the deteriorating security situation, Washington was withdrawing the last 100 of the special forces troops it had deployed to Yemen to conduct operations against al Qaeda and allied groups, CNN reported, citing sources in the region. Washington has been waging a drone war against the militants, who have alarmed Western and Gulf countries with their efforts to bomb international airliners and launch cross-border raids into top oil exporter Saudi Arabia. On Friday, al Qaeda militants killed 20 soldiers during a brief occupation of al-Houta, the capital of Lahj province, which is only 30 km (20 miles) from Aden, before being driven back by the army. There were also clashes between the Houthis and local tribes in the oil-producing area on the border of the Marib and al-Bayda provinces, which left 12 dead, according to tribal sources. Gunmen fired on anti-Houthi protesters in Taiz on Saturday, but no casualties were reported. Later on Saturday, Hadi appointed health minister Riyadh Yassin as acting foreign minister, Al Jazeera news reported. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari and Omar Fahmy in Cairo.; Writing by Angus McDowall in Riyadh; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mark Trevelyan) ================================= Suicide bombers kill 137 in Yemen mosque attacks Fri, Mar 20 19:22 PM EDT image 1 of 3 By Mohammed Ghobari and Mohammed Mukhashaf SANAA/ADEN (Reuters) - Suicide bombers killed at least 137 worshippers and wounded hundreds more during Friday prayers at two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, in coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic State. The attacks on mosques used by supporters of the Shi'ite Muslim Houthi fighters who control the city were the deadliest in a years-long campaign of violence in the country, where Washington has been waging a drone air war against a local branch of the Sunni Muslim militant group al Qaeda. Sectarian unrest has increased in recent months after the Iran-backed Shi'ite fighters seized the capital last year. Four bombers wearing explosive belts targeted worshippers in and around the crowded mosques. State news agency Saba, which is controlled by the Houthis, put the death toll at 137 and the number of wounded at 357. Hospitals were overwhelmed, appealing for blood donors to help treat the large number of casualties. A Reuters journalist at the Badr mosque counted at least 25 bloody bodies lying in the street and inside the building. One man carried a child in his arms. Islamic State, the al Qaeda offshoot that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq and has been attracting followers in other countries, considers Shi'ites to be heretics. Both groups have now rallied against the Houthis in Yemen, giving them the same enemies as the U.S.-backed government in a complex, multi-sided conflict in the Arab world's poorest country. "Let the polytheist Houthis know that the soldiers of the Islamic State will not rest and will not stay still until they extirpate them," the group said in a statement posted by supporters on Twitter, claiming responsibility for the attacks. "God willing, this operation is only a part of the coming flood." Among the dead was Almortada al-Mahatwary, a leading figure in Yemen's Shi'ite Zaidi sect, the Houthi-controlled al-Masirah television channel said. Badr mosque was hit by two bombers and two others struck a second mosque. A fifth bomber was killed when he tried to attack a mosque in Saada province, a northern Houthi stronghold, but the device went off prematurely, a security source told Reuters. "I was going to pray at the (Badr) mosque then I heard the first explosion, and a second later I heard another one," a witness told Reuters. Television footage showed young men in traditional Yemeni clothes carrying lifeless bodies, some dripping with blood, out of the mosque. In Washington, the White House condemned the bombings and said it could not confirm that the attackers were affiliated with Islamic State. HURTLING TOWARD CIVIL WAR Yemen has been hurtling toward civil war since last year, when the Houthis seized most of the north, including Sanaa. President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a U.S. ally, fled the capital in February after a month imprisoned by the Houthis under house arrest and has set up a power base in the southern city of Aden. Unidentified warplanes have attacked his Aden palace for the past two days. Anti-aircraft guns fired on two planes that dropped bombs on an area that includes his residence on Friday. He was unharmed, sources at the presidency said. While Yemen is one of the main bases of al Qaeda, it has not previously been known as a major base for Islamic State, the Al Qaeda offshoot also known as ISIS or ISIL. Since last year, when Islamic State swept across northern Iraq and declared a caliphate to rule over all Muslims, militants in other countries have expressed their support for the group, although it is not clear if it actually directs them. In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said there was no clear operational link between the people who carried out Friday's attacks in Yemen and Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned "the terrorist attacks" and called on all sides "to immediately cease all hostile actions and exercise maximum restraint." Yemen has been sliding into turmoil since its long serving ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh was toppled after "Arab Spring" protests that began in 2011. Saleh is now believed to have allied himself with the Houthi fighters that he tried to crush while president. Since fleeing the capital, Hadi has been trying to consolidate his hold over Aden to challenge the Houthis' ambitions to control the whole country. Thirteen people were killed on Thursday when forces loyal to Hadi fought their way into Aden's international airport and wrested an adjacent military base from a renegade officer, Aden governor Abdulaziz bin Habtoor said. (Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi in Dubai and Omar Fahmy in Cairo; Writing by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Peter Graff and John Stonestreet) ====== Suicide bombers attack Shiite mosques in Yemen, killing dozens Date March 20, 2015 - 10:45PM 63 reading now People injured in the bomb attack inside a mosque in Sanaa. Photo: Khaled Abdullah Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Yemen's capital Sanaa during Friday prayers, the local Al-Azal television channel said, amid spiralling sectarian clashes. At least 55 people were killed in the attacks on the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques, Agence France-Presse reported, citing emergency services. The mosques are controlled by supporters of the Shiite Houthi group that seized the capital in September after consolidating their grip on the north of the country. The attack came one day after President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi was evacuated from his palace in Aden during intense gun battles between his fighters and rival troops loyal to Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The fighting in the southern city, which marked a major escalation in the country's conflict, left at least 15 dead. Mr Hadi fled to Aden last month seeking to re-assert his authority from the south and the city had been relatively quiet since. His presidency was backed by the mainly Sunni states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The conflict threatens to split Yemen and political instability may allow al-Qaeda to expand its operations in the impoverished nation. One witness said he heard two successive blasts at one of the mosques, known as Badr mosque, in a busy neighbourhood in central Sanaa. "I was going to pray at the mosque then heard the first explosion, and a second later I heard another one," the witness told Reuters. Hospitals in Sanaa were appealing for blood donors to help treat the large number of casualties. The rise to power of the Iran-backed Houthis since September last year has deepened divisions in Yemen's complex web of political and religious allegiances, and left the country increasingly cut off from the outside world. ================= resident supporters and opponents halts Aden flights (Reuters) - Clashes broke out between militia loyal to Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and rival security forces on Thursday near the airport in the southern city of Aden, bringing air traffic to a halt, local officials said. They said both sides used medium and light weapons in the fighting near a base that is used by special forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Shi'ite Muslim Houthi movement that controls northern Yemen. The fighting around the base in the Khor Maksar district of Aden spread to residential districts and prompted roads to the airport to be closed. There were no details on casualties in the clashes. Airport authorities could not immediately be reached for comment. The rise to power of the Iran-backed Houthis since September has deepened divisions in Yemen's complex web of political and religious allegiances, and left the country increasingly cut off from the outside world. Tensions have been heightened in Aden since Hadi fled there in February after escaping a month of house arrest in Sanaa by Houthi forces who seized the capital in September 2014. Hadi has been trying to consolidate his control over Aden since he fled there, ordering the sacking of the commander of the city's garrison, General Abdel-Hafez al-Saqqaf, and replacing him with one of his officers. Saqqaf, however, has refused to hand over command of the force, estimated between 1,500-2,000 troops culminating in a standoff. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf, writing by Sami Aboudi, Editing by William Maclean and Michael Perry)