CNN's Hackjob Q&A On The Saudi-Yemen Border 

nice job soudi border guards.love from michigan usa and bangladesh

*Yemen port: Empty streets, the sound of shelling and desperation in the air (CNN, Apr 16, 2015):* "The streets were empty but not quiet. Shelling began to boom through the Yemeni city of Aden on Thursday afternoon as we hurried back to board the boat that had brought us here from Djibouti. Aden is a city gripped by fear, desperation and want. People line up for bread, they line up for cooking fuel, and the electricity only works a few hours a day. And from late afternoon onward, most people stay indoors. That is the time of the shelling, the daily aerial bombardment..."

*Yemen conflict: Saudi-led coalition resumes air strikes despite truce (BBC, July 27, 2015):* “A Saudi-led coalition has resumed air strikes in Yemen, hours after a humanitarian truce came into effect. The ceasefire started at midnight on Sunday, but was pierced by a strike on rebels after they attacked Aden airport with rockets. There was further fighting in the south on Monday, as Houthi militias shelled residential areas in the city of Taiz. The truce, agreed by Saudi Arabia, was originally called to allow aid agencies to access civilians….”

*Saudi-led coalition denies bombing Yemen heritage site (dailymail, June 12, 2015):* "The Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen denied claims that it carried out a strike Friday on the historic old quarter of the country's capital, suggesting a rebel ammunition cache may have exploded. " For sure we did not conduct any operation inside (the) city," Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri, the coalition spokesman, told AFP. The area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been inhabited for 2,500 years and Assiri said "we know that those sites are very important." He said rebels may have been hiding weapons or ammunition in the area. "Several days before they had an explosion in one of their storage" areas, he said of the Huthi rebels. "So it could be one of these.""

*Saudi joint forces ambush Houthi militias near Jazan (saudigazette, Aug 16, 2017):* "Joint Saudi forces, on Monday night, carried out a military operation on Houthi strongholds opposite the border region of Jazan, Al Arabiya reported. Military sources said that the Saudi forces were able to kill dozens of anti-government militants, and destroy supply lines and missile platforms. Saudi units struck Houthi militias as they were preparing to conduct a ground offensive on coalition forces’ positions close to the Al-Qarn village near Jazan. A military ambush took place besieging the militia. Artillery units shelled Houthi missile platforms as well as militia units. The source concluded that the military plan succeeded. - Al-Arabiya Engish"

*Yemen crisis: Saudi Arabia stops Houthi 'border attack' (BBC, Apr 30, 2015):* "Saudi troops have repelled a major attack on their border by Houthi rebels from Yemen, Saudi state media says. Air strikes carried out by a Saudi-led coalition have targeted the Shia Muslim rebels since late March. But this is the first major assault on Saudi territory since the strikes began. The Saudi reports say "dozens" of rebels were killed. As fighting continues, aid groups say a lack of fuel is severely hampering their operations in Yemen..."

*Yemen crisis: Multiple car bombings hit Sanaa (BBC, June 17, 2015):* "At least three explosions believed to be caused by car bombings have hit the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, residents and officials say. Several mosques and at least one building belonging to Houthi rebel officials were reportedly hit, causing dozens of casualties. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. In March, attacks by Islamic State (IS) on mosques in Sanaa left more than 130 people dead."

*Saudi Arabia says it won't rule out building nuclear weapons (independent, March 27, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia will not rule out building or acquiring nuclear weapons, the country’s ambassador to the United States has indicated. Asked whether Saudi Arabia would ever build nuclear weapons in an interview with US news channel CNN, Adel Al-Jubeir said the subject was “not something we would discuss publicly”. Pressed later on the issue he said: “This is not something that I can comment on, nor would I comment on.” The ambassador’s reticence to rule out a military nuclear programme may reignite concerns that the autocratic monarchy has its eye on a nuclear arsenal. Western intelligence agencies believe that the Saudi monarchy paid for up to 60% of Pakistan’s nuclear programme in return for the ability to buy warheads for itself at short notice, the Guardian newspaper reported in 2010. The two countries maintain close relations and are sometimes said to have a special relationship; they currently have close military ties and conduct joint exercises. The Saudi Arabian regime also already possesses medium-range ballistic missiles in the form of the Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force. In addition it has significant nuclear expertise in the form of a civilian nuclear programme of the kind Iran says it wants to develop. In 2012 the Saudi Arabian government threatened to acquire nuclear weapons were neighbouring regional power Iran ever to do so...."

*Saudi Arabia: 1 border guard killed by fire from Yemen (AP, Apr 20, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said on Monday that one of the kingdom's border guards was killed and two others were wounded from gunfire and mortar shells fired from inside Yemen. Saudi Arabia has been carrying out airstrikes for the past three weeks against Yemen's Iran-backed Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies, forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. It is also taking part in U.S.-led airstrikes targeting Islamic State group militants in Iraq and Syria...."

*Yemen crisis: Saudi Arabia 'shoots down' Scud missile (BBC, June 6, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia has shot down a Scud missile fired from across the border by Yemen's Houthi rebels and its allies, the state Saudi Press Agency says. It was intercepted by a Patriot missile battery near the south-western city of Khamis Mushait in the morning. On Friday, four Saudi soldiers and many Yemeni rebels died in fighting on the border, the Saudi-led coalition says. It says forces loyal to Yemen's former president, backed by the Houthis, attacked several Saudi positions. In a separate development, the Houthis have agreed to attend peace talks in Geneva...."

*Yemen conflict: Houthi rebels 'down Moroccan warplane' (BBC, May 11, 2015):* "Houthi rebels in Yemen say they have shot down a Moroccan fighter jet that was taking part in Saudi-led coalition air campaign against them. Rebel-controlled Al-Masirah TV reported that the F-16 was hit as it flew over Saada province, and broadcast pictures of what it said was the wreckage. The Moroccan Royal Armed Forces earlier said one of its planes was missing. If confirmed, it would be the first coalition aircraft to be shot down since air strikes began on 26 March. The bombardment has been stepped up in recent days ahead of the start of a proposed five-day humanitarian ceasefire...."

*Tribesmen seize Yemen’s only gas terminal in Shabwa (irib, Apr 14, 2015):* "Armed Yemeni tribesmen have reportedly taken control of Yemen’s sole gas export terminal at the Gulf of Aden as crisis continues unabated in the country. According to Yemeni military sources, the tribesmen managed to seize the Balhaf plant in the southern province of Shabwa on Tuesday after the soldiers in charge of protecting the gas terminal surrendered. The gas terminal is operated by the Yemen LNG firm, with Total, a French multinational integrated oil and gas company, having a stake of around 40 percent in it. Yemen LNG said it has stopped working at the terminal due to a “force majeure” and will begin evacuating the site of its personnel. The Yemeni energy firm added that due to “further degradation of the security situation in the vicinity of Balhaf,” it has decided to stop production and exporting operations." *Popular committees in Shabwa control 2nd Infantry Brigade (yementimes, Apr 14, 2015):* "SANA'A, April 13-Shabwa governorate, to the west of Yemen, is currently witnessing a tense security situation following the seizure of local armed tribesmen over the key battalion of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, positioned in Ataq city, the capital of Shabwa governorate. Fierce confrontationsbroke out on Sunday morning between the local tribesmenand Houthi fighters, who are fighting alongside military forces loyal to the former President Ali Abdulla Saleh, before the tribesmen were able to gain control over the battalion. The local tribesmen are also known as the popular committees and are loyal to President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. Salem Al-Sael, the director of the Ministry of Information's Office in Shabwa, Told Yemen Times that soldiers of the first battalion of the 2nd Infantry Brigade ceded to the popular committees after fierce clashes that claimed dozens of both sides. Although dozens of casualties were reported on both sides, no official death toll has been made public so far, according to Al-Sael. However, Al-Sael estimates that 200 people were killed and hundreds injured on both sides during the past three weeks...." قناة المسيرة ـ جريمة ذبح التكفيريين جنود من اللواء الثاني جبلي بمحافظة شبوة 14 04 2015 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WN7GFfDEOio.html

*Saudi border guard killed in gunfight near Yemen (CNN, Apr 2, 2015):* "Sanaa, Yemen (CNN)A border guard was killed in a cross-boundary fire exchange with militants in Yemen this week, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday -- marking Saudi Arabia's first publicly known military death since it launched airstrikes against rebels inside its southern neighbor. The clash occurred Wednesday night at the border in southwestern Saudi Arabia's Asir region, when militants in a mountainous area on the Yemeni side fired on Saudi border troops, prompting them to return fire, SPA reported. Besides the slain border guard -- identified as Cpl. Salman Ali Yahya al-Maliki -- 10 others suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, the Saudi media outlet said..."

*Saudi sentenced to death for abusing Islam (emirates247, Feb 23, 2015):* "A Saudi court sentenced a local man to death after he was found guilty of insulting Islam and its Prophet (PBUH), a newspaper reported on Monday. The unidentified man, in his 20s, was also charged with ripping a copy of the Holy Koran, filming the act and publishing it on social networks, ‘Sharq’ said. “The court sentenced the man to beheaded after finding him guilty in those charges,” the paper said in a report from the northeastern town of Hafr Albatin. It said a three-judge panel issued the death verdict against the defendant but it did not make clear if he can appeal."

*A rare look inside a Saudi prison that showers terrorists with perks (washingtonpost, March 1, 2015):* "Except for the machine guns and guard towers, the al-Hair high-security prison looks remarkably like a hotel - especially the conjugal-visit wing. Beyond a heavy iron gate, its bars painted a cheerful lavender, a red carpet stretches the length of a long hallway, where each of the 38 private cells has a queen-size bed, a fridge, a television and a shower. Here, just around the corner from the prison ATM, married inmates are allowed to spend three to five private hours with their wives at least once a month, with fresh linens and tea and sweets on the nightstand. Nearly 1,100 high-security prisoners, all of them jailed on terrorism-related charges, are serving time in this prison a few miles south of Riyadh. Al-Hair is the largest of five high-security Saudi prisons established in the past decade to deal with a growing terrorism threat, first from al-Qaeda and more recently from the Islamic State. Saudi prisons long have been largely off-limits to journalists and human rights monitors. But officials said Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef, the deputy crown prince, has ordered that journalists be allowed to visit, hoping to refute allegations from human rights groups that Saudi Arabia tortures prisoners. So on a recent Sunday afternoon, Warden Mohammed al-Ahmed led me on a rare visit inside the al-Hair prison...."

*Saudi Arabia's oil minister Ali al-Naimi: 'Only Allah can set the price of oil' (independent, May 5, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has turned to divinity over the issue of slumping prices in oil, claiming that “it’s up to Allah”. Speaking to CNBC, oil minister Ali al-Naimi said that “no one can set the price of oil - it’s up to Allah”...."

*Yemen conflict: Sanaa commando base strike kills dozens (BBC, May 27, 2015):* "Saudi-led coalition warplanes have bombed a special forces camp in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, killing at least 36 people, officials and witnesses say. At least 100 others were wounded in the strike, which reportedly struck a warehouse containing weapons. The commando unit is allied with Houthi rebels whose military capabilities the coalition has been trying to destroy. Casualties were also reported after air strikes in the northern province of Hajjah, near the Saudi border. Residents of the Bakeel al-Meer area told the Reuters news agency that at least 40 people had been killed, mostly civilians. "Houthi gunmen were attacking Saudi border positions from this area but the coalition's planes failed to hit the fighters and bombed civilians [instead]," one resident alleged..."

*Yemen conflict: Strikes rock Sanaa ahead of ceasefire (BBC, May 12, 2015):* "Saudi-led coalition aircraft carried out fresh air strikes on Yemen's capital, Sanaa, just hours before a five-day ceasefire was set to begin. An arms depot used by the Houthi rebel movement in the city's north-east was targeted for a second day, sending a column of smoke into the sky. The coalition also bombed rebel positions in the southern city of Aden. The proposed truce to allow deliveries of desperately needed humanitarian aid started at 23:00 (20:00 GMT). However, Saudi Arabia has said its offer of a pause in air strikes is conditional on the Houthis reciprocating and not exploiting the ceasefire for military advantage...."

*Yemen conflict: Aden boat shelling kills dozens (BBC, May 6, 2015):* "At least 32 people have been killed in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden while trying to flee heavy fighting in a boat, medics say. Witnesses told the Reuters news agency the boat was struck by shells fired by Houthi rebels as it left the al-Tawahi district for al-Buraiqa in the west. The Houthis have been battling southern militiamen for control of al-Tawahi. Earlier, rebel sources said at least 34 civilians were killed in Saudi-led coalition air strikes in north Yemen. Warplanes reportedly targeted more than 30 locations in the provinces of Saada and Hajjah...."

*Senegal to support Yemen campaign (BBC, May 5, 2015):* "Senegal is to send 2,100 troops to support the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, its foreign minister says. Mankeur Ndiaye said Senegal was responding to a Saudi request to help secure the kingdom's border with Yemen. Meanwhile, the Saudi foreign minister said his country was considering temporary truces to allow for aid to be delivered in specific areas. A Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels, who seized the capital, Sanaa. President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled and the declared aim of the Saudi-led campaign is to restore him. Foreign Minister Ndiaye told Senegal's parliament that the coalition was "aiming to protect and secure the holy sites of Islam, Medina and Mecca", Reuters reported..."

*Yemen crisis: UN appeals for $275m in humanitarian aid (BBC, Apr 17, 2015):* "The UN has launched an appeal for nearly $275m (£183m;€255m) of aid to help civilians caught up in Yemen's worsening conflict. About 150,000 people have been displaced by fighting, according to the UN, with 12 million short of food. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda militants overran an arms depot in Yemen's Hadramawt province, seizing heavy weapons. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels, who are advancing across the country. The coalition is bombing 18 of Yemen's 22 provinces, exacerbating an existing humanitarian crisis. The UN said 731 people had been killed and 2,754 injured - many of them civilians - in three weeks between March and April. The numbers were likely to be an underestimate, it warned. The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) is now calling for $273.7 million in donations..."

*Yemeni militiamen say captured two Iranian officers in Aden (reuters, Apr 11, 2015):* "Local militiamen in the Yemeni city of Aden said they captured two Iranian military officers advising Houthi rebels during fighting on Friday evening. Tehran has denied providing military support for Houthi fighters, whose advances have drawn air strikes by a regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic's main rival for influence in the Gulf. If confirmed, the presence of two Iranian officers, who the local militiamen said were from an elite unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, would further worsen relations between Tehran and Riyadh who are vying for dominance in the region. Three sources in the southern port city's anti-Houthi militias said the Iranians, identified as a colonel and a captain, were seized in two separate districts that have been rocked by heavy gun battles...."

الجزاء بتحصلوه

*U.N. rep accuses Saudi-led coalition of violating international law (CNN, May 10, 2015):* "A Saudi-led coalition rained down missiles in Yemen from Friday into Saturday, an intense attack that a U.N. official called a breach of international humanitarian law. The Saudis admitted that the latest attack against Houthi rebels in Yemen -- 130 airstrikes in a 24-hour period -- included the targeting of schools and hospitals. The hospitals and schools that were hit functioned as weapons storage sites, coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said in a statement. The operations were "targeting headquarters of the Houthi leaders," Asiri said. Civilians had been warned ahead of time to leave the cities of Sadaa, Maran, Albiqaa and the border area between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, Asiri said. In addition, the coalition spokesman accused the Houthi rebels of manning checkpoints that prevented civilians from leaving, in effect using them as human shields. That rationalization for Friday and Saturday airstrikes was rejected by Johannes Van Der Klaauw, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen...."

*Spokesman Says Saudi Coalition Not Bound by Yemen Truce (abcnews, July 11, 2015).* "The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemen's Shiite rebels in airstrikes since March says the coalition is not bound by a new truce deal. Saudi Brig. Gen Ahmed Asiri's comments, posted Saturday on the website of the semi-official Saudi newspaper al-Riyadh, cast doubt over the fragile truce that begin at midnight Friday. Asiri said the coalition is not interested in a unilateral truce, calling it "counterproductive." He added that the coalition is not bound to it because of a lack of commitment by the Shiite rebels known as Houthis. He called for U.N. observers on the ground to monitor for violations. The U.N.-declared truce is meant to last through the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Both sides have exchanged blame for violating the truce since it began. Saudi-led coalition airstrikes hit at least six provinces Saturday as fighting on the ground continued in at least four provinces. Meanwhile Saturday, the World Health Organization said the truce will allow it and other groups to provide aid. The U.N. declared its highest-level humanitarian emergency in Yemen on July 1. The U.N. humanitarian office says Yemen is on the brink of famine. Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, relies on imports for the bulk of its food and fuel, but the coalition has imposed a near-complete air and sea blockade during the fighting. More than 3,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the airstrikes began. The fighting in Yemen pits the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is now based in Saudi Arabia."

*Yemenis seek refuge in Somalia and Djibouti (BBC, Apr 1, 2015):* "Dozens of Yemenis have crossed the Gulf of Aden in small boats to get to Somalia, Djibouti and Somaliland to escape fighting and Saudi air strikes, the UN refugee agency has said. The UNHCR said it was looking for a possible site for the refugees in Djibouti in case the fighting worsens. At the same time Somali refugees are still continuing to arrive in Yemen to escape violence and poverty at home. Yemen hosts more than 238,000 Somali refugees, the UNHCR says. The UNHCR said that at least 32 Yemenis "fleeing conflict" landed on Somalia's northern coastline after crossing the treacherous Gulf of Aden and landing in the semi-autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland. BBC Africa analyst Mary Harper says that the idea of Yemenis seeking refuge on Somali soil is striking - because it is normally a place to run away from, not towards..."

*Report: Saudi Arabia used U.S.-supplied cluster bombs in Yemen (CNN, May 3, 2015):* "Human Rights Watch has accused Saudi Arabia of dropping U.S.-supplied cluster bombs in the fight against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The small bombs, if unexploded, can lay dormant and then detonate when people stumble upon one by chance, killing or maiming them as a result. An international treaty against cluster bombs has been adopted by 116 countries, but the United States, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are not among them. The particular cluster munition systems HRW said were used are CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons, which are guided bombs intended to take out tanks and other armored vehicles with a flurry of explosions spread out over an area. If the cluster bombs fail to detect their target, they are designed to self-destruct in the air, or if that fails, to deactivate themselves after a short time. But sometimes those mechanisms don't work, posing a lethal danger for those who later encounter them. Saudi Arabia has denied there are any coalition forces in Yemen and says there are only Yemeni forces that Saudi Arabia is supporting, according to Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, a Saudi military spokesman. He told CNN Saudi Arabia has been using CBU-105 in Yemen against armored vehicles and not in the city..."

*Saudi Arabia moves military equipment to border with Yemen (theguardian, March 25, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia is moving heavy military equipment including artillery to areas near its border with Yemen, US officials have said, raising the risk that the Middle East’s top oil power will be drawn into the worsening conflict. The buildup follows an advance by Iranian-backed Houthi Shia militants who took control of the capital Sana’a in September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they move closer to the new southern base of the US-backed president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The armour and artillery being moved by Saudi Arabia could be used for offensive or defensive purposes, two US government sources said, while two other US officials said the buildup appeared to be defensive. One US 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 US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington had acquired intelligence about the Saudi buildup - but there was no immediate word on the location of or size of the force deployed..."

*Yemen crisis: Dozens of soldiers killed in air strike (BBC, July 8, 2015):* "Dozens of soldiers have been killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike on an army base in southern Yemen. One military source said the soldiers were loyal to the exiled president and that the facility was hit in error. But another source claimed the strike was called in to stop the soldiers defecting to the Houthi rebel movement. More than 3,000 people have been killed since the coalition began an air campaign in March to drive back the rebels and restore the government. On Tuesday, the UN announced that at least 1,528 civilians were among the dead. Another one million civilians have been displaced by the conflict and more than 80% of Yemen's 25 million people now need some form of humanitarian aid. The incident in which the soldiers died reportedly took place on Tuesday night at the headquarters of the 23rd Mechanised Brigade in al-Abr, Hadramawt province, near the border with Saudi Arabia. A military source told the Spanish news agency Efe that coalition aircraft bombed the base, used by forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, while attempting to stop rebel forces taking control of a nearby border crossing. The source said that at least 70 soldiers were killed and 200 others wounded. Efe quoted a statement by army chief Gen Mohammed Ali al-Maqdisi as saying that the strikes had been carried out "in error" and caused fatalities...."

*Yemen conflict: President Hadi loyalists storm key air base (BBC, Aug 3, 2015):* “Pro-government forces in Yemen have launched a major offensive to oust Houthi rebels from an air base north of the port of Aden, military sources say. They say a number of rebels were killed as troops loyal to President Mansour Abdrabbuh Hadi and militia units stormed the strategic southern base. Al-Anad, 60km (37 miles) from Aden, had previously housed US troops overseeing drone attacks on al-Qaeda in Yemen. Government forces have recently made gains against the Houthis….”

*Yemen crisis: Air raid on president's palace in Aden (BBC, March 19, 2015):* "Warplanes have targeted the palace used by Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in the southern city of Aden. Officials said anti-aircraft guns prevented any direct hits on the hilltop compound. But witnesses saw smoke rising from the area afterwards. It is not clear if Mr Hadi was inside, but aides said he was now safe. Earlier, there were clashes at Aden's airport between troops and militiamen loyal to Mr Hadi and those backing his predecessor and the Houthi rebels. At least six people were killed as the president's forces repelled an assault, which forced the airport's temporary closure. Aden has been the president's base since he fled the Sanaa last month, after being placed under effective house arrest by the rebels when they took full control of the capital in January and declared that a five-member "presidential council" would rule the country...."

*Yemen: Aden 'liberated' from rebels, exiled leader says (BBC, July 17, 2015):* "Yemen's southern province of Aden has been "liberated" from Houthi rebel forces, the country's exiled vice-president has declared. Khaled Bahah, who is in Saudi Arabia, said his government would work to restore basic services there. Aden has for months seen heavy fighting between rebels and loyalist forces backed by Saudi-led air strikes. The government fled from its stronghold in Aden in March as the Houthis pushed towards the provincial capital. A major offensive to drive the Houthis out of Aden was launched earlier this week and made successive advances. However fighting was continuing in parts of Aden on Friday, and rebels still held the northern and eastern entrances to the city, witnesses said...."

*Yemen army base seized by Al-Qaeda linked fighters (BBC, Feb 12, 2015):* "Al-Qaeda linked fighters have captured an army base in southern Yemen, militants and officials say, as the UN warns the country is "collapsing". The Ansar al-Sharia group said they set off a bomb at the base in the central town Bayhan before capturing soldiers. Last week, Shia Houthis ousted the government in the capital Sanaa. They have been expanding south from their stronghold in the north, putting them in conflict with al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP) and other Sunni groups. "Yemen is collapsing before our eyes. We cannot stand by and watch," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told the Security Council. The UN's envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, warned that Yemen was at a crossroads between "civil war and disintegration". He also said the instability there could help the re-emergence of AQAP, one of the most active al-Qaeda branches..."

*Yemen crisis: Houthi rebels capture air base near Aden (BBC, March 25, 2015):* "Houthi rebels have taken a key air base from forces loyal to Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, continuing an advance towards his stronghold of Aden. Locals said rebel fighters backed by allied army units seized al-Anad early on Wednesday after heavy fighting. Hours after the fall of the base, only 60km (37 miles) north of Aden, there were reports that Mr Hadi had fled his palace for an undisclosed location. But aides to the president swiftly denied that he had left the country. Later, unidentified warplanes targeted the palace compound in Aden, officials and witnesses said, in the third such attack in a week...."

*ISIS claims car bombing in Yemen's capital (CNN, June 30, 2015):* "Sanaa, Yemen (CNN)ISIS has claimed responsibility for a car bombing in Yemen's capital city, Sanaa, on Monday night, according to a statement posted on social media, in the latest violence to erupt in the strife-torn country. The explosion injured 35 people, among them women and children, according to the Houthi-run Defense Ministry. Two people were critically injured. Yemen military spokesman Sharaf Luqman said the blast, which went off behind Sanaa's Military Hospital, apparently targeted a group of mourners. ISIS, a Sunni extremist group, has already claimed responsibility for a number of bombings in Sanaa this month...."

*Yemen crisis: Saudi Arabia air strikes kill 44 in Sanaa (BBC, June 7, 2015):* "Saudi-led air strikes have killed at least 44 people in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, rebels say. The strikes targeted the headquarters of Yemen's armed forces - controlled by Houthi rebels - and injured more than 100 people, the rebel news agency said. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia shot down a Scud missile fired by rebels. UN-brokered peace talks are due to take place in Geneva on 14 June aimed at ending weeks of conflict which have killed more than 2,000 people. The majority of those killed in Sunday's air strikes were soldiers who were at the headquarters to collect their pay cheques, Saba news agency said. The compound was shaken by four explosions while several nearby homes in the central Tahrir district were also destroyed..."

*AQAP issues bounty for key Yemen figures (CNN, Apr 9, 2015):* "Al Qaeda has fired a verbal salvo in a multifaction battle over Yemen, saying it's offering 20 kilograms of gold to anyone who kills or captures two prominent Shia Muslim opponents, including the leader of the rebels who overtook Yemen's capital. Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, in a news release and wanted poster distributed online, offers the reward for the death or capture of Houthi leader Abdelmalik Bedrudin Al-Houthi and former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Converted to currency, the gold reward would be worth about $774,000. AQAP referred to Al-Houthi and Saleh as the "two heads of evil." AQAP is one of several factions fighting to control Yemen. With Sunni Islamic roots, AQAP is a bitter enemy of the Houthi faction, which is Shia and widely believed to be supported by Iran...."

*Saudi King Vows Development, Stability Despite Low Oil Price (abcnews, March 10, 2015):* "Saudi King Salman vowed Tuesday that low oil prices would not halt progress in his country, and promised to defend Arab and Muslim causes around the world in his first major policy speech since assuming the throne. Salman, 79, said the kingdom would continue oil and gas exploration, despite crude prices being nearly half of what they were last summer. In an acknowledgement of the kingdom's burgeoning young population, he urged businesses to help create jobs, calling it a national duty. "Every citizen in the country and every region of our nation are of my concern, interest and care," he said, adding that all Saudis are equal before his eyes. He promised improvements in education and health care, and to find solutions for affordable housing shortages. Throughout the speech, he made it a point to address both men and women, referring to them as "brothers and sisters" and "my sons and daughters." "Security is a blessing and a pillar for the prosperity of a society and its stability," Salman said. "Security is the responsibility of all and we will not permit anyone to tamper with it or our stability." On foreign policy, he said the kingdom "would continue to defend Arab and Islamic issues" and the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Salman delivered the 10-minute speech from the al-Yamama palace in the capital, Riyadh. He was seated during the speech, reading from a paper underneath a large painting of his father, Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz. Next to him were his crown prince and deputy crown prince. The invitees, mostly men, included governors, senior royals, Cabinet ministers, military leaders and senior clerics, including the influential grand mufti of Saudi Arabia. Women, who were appointed to the advisory Shura Council by his predecessor and late half-brother King Abdullah, were shown seated in the hall where he spoke, though segregated and behind the men who were invited. Salman assumed the throne in January after Abdullah's death."

*Yemen clashes rage in south as peace talks postponed (BBC, May 25, 2015):* "There have been fierce clashes in southern Yemen, reportedly leaving dozens of people dead and wounded. In the city of Dhalea, militiamen allied to the exiled government have retaken positions from Houthi rebels. But in Taiz, to the west, the rebels are reported to have pushed back their opponents in heavy street fighting. Earlier, Yemeni officials said UN-sponsored peace talks that were due to start in Geneva later this week had been postponed indefinitely. No reason was given, but the government had demanded that the rebels recognise its authority and withdraw from cities they held, before being allowed to participate...."

*U.S. embassy in Yemen closing: staff, official (alarabiya, Feb 10, 2015):* “The United States is closing its embassy in Yemen, the Arabian penninsula state where a rebel group has seized control of the capital, embassy employees and a U.S. official in Washington said on Tuesday. Employees of the embassy in Sanaa said the U.S. mission had been getting rid of documents and weapons and staff had been leaving the capital over the past days with a view of closing down completely by Wednesday. The ambassador had informed them that Washington may ask the Turkish or Algerian embassies in Sanaa to look after U.S. interests in the country while the embassy was closed. “The ambassador and the rest of the staff will leave by Wednesday evening,” one employee, who asked not to be named, told Reuters. Employees at the British, French and German embassies said their missions had also been getting rid of documents and have given local staff two months’ paid leave. But there was no immediate word on the missions closing down…..”

*Yemen's Humanitarian Truce Barely Holds as Violence Resumes (abcnews, May 14, 2015):* "Yemen's humanitarian cease-fire came under significant strain in its first 24 hours Wednesday, disrupted by a Saudi-led coalition airstrike, fighting between rival sides in a strategic province and shelling by coalition warships west of the port city of Aden. The airstrike in Abyan province was in response to an attempt by the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, to send a military convoy to support their forces in Aden, according to Yemeni security officials. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the airstrike. The heaviest violence on the ground was in the southwestern province of Taiz, where the Iranian-backed rebels and their allies - forces loyal to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh - have for weeks been fighting forces loyal to the nation's internationally recognized president...."

*Al Qaeda freed 6 inmates in Yemen prison attack, officials say (CNN, Feb 13, 2015):* "Qaeda militants freed six of their fighters from a southern Yemeni prison during an attack on the facility Friday, just one day after the group took over a military camp in the same province, security officials said. These attacks by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has long clashed with Yemen's military, happened in the Arab nation's Shabwa province, more than 100 miles to the east of the capital, which has been in political strife for weeks after minority Houthi rebels took over. Also Friday, at least three more nations announced they were temporarily closing their embassies in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa because of deteriorating security conditions, including neighboring Saudi Arabia. Three of the six militants freed in Friday's prison attack in Shabwa had been sentenced to death, provincial security officials said. Information about casualties, and details about how the attack transpired, weren't immediately available. A day earlier, AQAP took over a military camp at the Sabwa town of Baihan, about 110 miles east of Sanaa, after two hours of clashes with government troops, three local security officials said. This gave AQAP control of all of the camp's weaponry, the officials said. Before the clashes ended, the camp's commander called on tribal fighters to intervene. When those fighters arrived, a ceasefire was called so that the tribal fighters could help evacuate Yemeni troops -- including dozens of injured -- from the camp, a tribal leader said...."

*U.N. Security Council slams Houthi rebel takeover in Yemen (CNN, Feb 16, 2015):* "Houthi rebels in Yemen should stop taking over democratic institutions and start negotiations, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted in an emergency meeting on Sunday. All parties in Yemen should cease armed hostilities, and the Houthis should withdraw their forces from government institutions, the council said. Sunday's 15-0 vote came several days after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that Yemen was "collapsing before our eyes." The rebels -- Shiite Muslims who have long felt marginalized in the majority Sunni country -- surrounded the presidential palace last month. Yemen's President and his Cabinet resigned days later..."

*‘Behind Sweden’s tirade is a hidden Western agenda to tarnish Islam’ (arabnews, March 19, 2015):* "Sweden and other Western countries have adopted double standards while dealing with human rights as they ignore the killing of thousands in Iraq, Syria and Palestine, and highlight the flogging of an individual in Saudi Arabia as a big issue, said Dr. Mohammed Badahdah, assistant secretary general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY). Speaking to Arab News, he emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s rules and regulations as well as its judicial system are based on the Qur’an and Sunnah or Shariah. “Shariah laws are not made by Parliament or people’s representatives. They are divine laws given by the Almighty for the welfare and security of the whole humanity,” he explained. “It’s the duty of all countries and societies to respect religious faiths, beliefs and cultures of different communities in order to promote peace and stability in the world,” Badahdah said while denouncing Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom’s anti-Saudi tirade. “We are not imposing Shariah on others. Why do then Sweden and other Western countries criticize the Kingdom when we are implementing Shariah in accordance with our faith? This is clear interference in our internal affairs and Saudi Arabia will not tolerate such attacks,” he said. Speaking about Western criticism of the death sentence applied on murderers, drug traffickers, terrorists and other dreaded criminals, Badahdah said: “People should study Islam as a whole. All its teachings are for the betterment of humanity. The Qur’an has clearly stated that capital punishment for murderers was imposed to ensure the safety of society. Compared to other countries crime rates in Saudi Arabia are much lower because of its implementation of the Shariah law, including capital punishment.” He questioned why some human rights activists and lawmakers sympathize with killers and other criminals by campaigning against application of capital punishment. “These criminals will not learn lessons from softer punishments. When they get out of jails after completing their terms they will still be a threat to security. That is the why God, who knows human nature better, has ordered capital punishment for such criminals.” Badahdah added: “Why do the Western countries make a big hue and cry when a few criminals are executed in the Kingdom while some of these countries have taken part in the killings of thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan and ignored the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza? How can they criticize Saudi Arabia’s human rights record?” He also denounced the move by the Western media to link Islam and Muslims with terrorism. “Islam is a religion of peace and Muslims are peace-loving people. Who started World War I? Not Muslims. Who started World War II? Not Muslims. Who killed millions of Aborigines in Australia? Not Muslims. Who dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Not Muslims.” He said all the so-called Muslim terrorists in the world would not reach more than 50,000. “How can they unfairly link Islam and Muslims with terrorism?” Wallstrom did not say anything about the crimes committed by US security officers against Abu Ghraib prisoners in Iraq, he said. “They can only attack countries like Saudi Arabia. They will not say a word against the US and Israel,” he added. Millions of children in Japan are still suffering as a result of US bombings in the country. Asked about the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, Badahdah said: “This ban is not based on Shariah or Saudi rules. It is Saudi society which is against women driving. If we conduct a survey or exit poll, we can find 80 percent of Saudi men and women oppose the move. I am not personally against women driving. What I am trying to say is that society is not yet prepared for women driving as they fear their women would get into harassments and accidents.” He said women driving is not a big issue. “There are many other issues that need greater attention. When we complete the public transport system in major cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Dammam the transport problem faced by men and women will be solved. Even in other GCC countries only a small percentage of women drive.” Western countries and organizations often raise human rights issues in Saudi Arabia not because of their love for the protection of human rights but because of their hidden agenda of tarnishing the image of Islam and Muslims, he said. “They want Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries to follow their cultures that allow free mixing of men and women, prostitution, homosexuality and same-sex marriages. They suffer disintegration of families and most of them keep their parents in homes for the elderly.” Badahdah said despite these strident smear campaigns, Islam is spreading all over the world. “It has become the fastest spreading religion in America and Europe. If Muslims properly follow the teachings of Islam and set a good example for others, it will spread even faster.” *There’s No Place for Terror in the Teachings of Islam (newsweek, March 17, 2015):* "Every Muslim is in utter shock about the senseless, appalling and cowardly attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris, and the other senseless violence against innocents we have seen since in Copenhagen and Libya. Let us say it plainly: These horrific acts are a complete violation of Islamic law and norms, and the perpetrators are in no way representative of Muslim people or the religion of Islam. God upholds the sanctity of life as a universal principle. The Koran states in 4:29: “And do not kill one another, for God is indeed merciful unto you.” Islam views murder as both a crime punishable by law in this world and as a major sin punishable in the Afterlife. As Prophet Muhammad said, “The first cases to be decided among the people on the Day of Judgment will be those of blood-shed.” This is in keeping as well with Muslim tradition, which rejects terror and violence. This teaching is best shown in the example of the Prophet Muhammad, whose honorable birth was recently celebrated by 1.6 billion Muslims. For Muslims, Prophet Muhammad is the beacon of mercy, the sparkle of compassion, the spring of wisdom and the perfect guide in their journey towards God. It is therefore ironic and sad that fanatics and extremists have reduced the prophetic example to a set of rituals, crooked projections and warped logic that run counter to the true essence and mission of the Prophet. They have reduced Islam to slitting throats, burning schools and oppressing women and to killing religious minorities, terrorizing communities and violating the human rights of people in the most blatant manner possible. They ignore the Prophet’s well-documented and indisputable example. They fail to comprehend that faith is ultimately about cultivating a relationship with God, one that cannot be complete unless humans abide by the Divine attributes of mercy, compassion and kindness and treat their fellow man accordingly. Prophet Muhammad was repeatedly subjected to terrible treatment by his enemies but he consistently disregarded these insults and instead took the path of forgiveness, mercy and compassion. This is why he is known to Muslims as “the Mercy to all worlds.” Indeed, this example is most succinctly summarized in the Koran itself, which instructs believers as follows: “The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better.” The world is sorely in need of such lessons, which represent the authentic teachings of the Koran and the Prophet of Islam. It is important to separate these noble messages from messages that are inappropriately used by those who have no competencies in religious interpretation, Koranic hermeneutics or the history of Islamic thought. Unfortunately, the current state of the Muslim world is such that institutions and structures of legitimate authority have been challenged to such an extent that inflammatory rhetoric has taken the place of thoughtful analysis as a motivator of action and a guide for religious sentiment. Let me be clear again: Islam is utterly against extremism and terrorism. But unless we understand the factors that provide a rationalization for terrorism and extremism, we will never be able to eradicate this scourge. These things must be understood in order to build a better future and bring an end to this grave situation that is threatening the world. It was unfortunate to see hasty responses and reactions in the news that immediately blamed the Islamic faith for recent incidents. Blaming an entire religion for the acts of these unwell men is clearly unfair and serves no purpose. It is important for us at this time of great sadness to stand together and process these horrific incidents in a way that is fair and reasonable. It is important that we do not demonize Muslims without cause-not because it is good for Muslims but because our future ability to coexist in peace depends on it. We are today in desperate need of serious religious leaders who understand the reality of the modern world, complete with its challenges and difficulties, in order to create an environment in which people can coexist. This must be a joint effort from members of all faith groups and cultures. Shawki Allam is the Grand Mufti of Egypt and the country's most influential Muslim cleric."

والتصوير هذا ضعف في اداء العمل عيب عليكم هذا جزيره محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم

*While warning Yemenis to flee, Saudi Arabia proposes a ceasefire (CNN, May 8, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia has two messages for the people of Yemen, it appears: Flee now, and get ready for a temporary ceasefire later. The first came in the form of leaflets that Saudi forces began dropping Thursday for residents of Yemen's Saada province, telling them to leave before evening -- a possible precursor to intensified military activity in the already flashpoint region. According to locals and two Houthi officials, the leaflets warn that the Saudis will consider Saada an enemy military zone beginning at 7 p.m. (noon ET) Friday. Thousands of families evacuated Saada province -- which is in northern Yemen, close to the Saudi border -- throughout Friday. And the deadline didn't stop the Saudi-led coalition that's been launching airstrikes against the Houthis, the Shiite minority rebel group that ousted Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi earlier this year that has taken over the capital Sanaa and many other parts of the Arab nation. According to Houthi officials and witnesses, dozens of airstrikes Friday morning hit several Houthi strongholds including Razeh and Marran. The latter locale, Marran, is the home of the late Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, the founder of the Houthi movement. More bombardments came after the deadline passed, with Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reporting at least nine strikes in Saada province's Razeh district...."

*Fighting in central Aden, mosques call for jihad: residents (dailystar, Apr 8, 2015):* "Dozens of Yemeni Houthi fighters clashed with local militiamen in the central Aden district of Crater Wednesday and mosques broadcast calls for jihad to combat the Houthi forces trying to take over the southern Yemeni port city, residents said. They said several houses were on fire after being hit by rockets, and families stayed indoors as fighting raged from street to street. The Houthis, who are allied to soldiers loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, advanced into Crater Wednesday morning with a tank and two armoured vehicles, one resident said. Mosques in Crater called on the population to wage holy war against the Houthis, their loudspeakers, usually reserved for sermons and the call to prayer, broadcasting: "God is the greatest! Rise for jihad!" The battle in the old center of Aden came a day after fighters from the city said they had pushed the Houthis and allied troops from positions in northern Aden neighborhoods, which they said cut Houthi supply lines into the center. One fighter, Yasser Mahmoud, said the Houthis had been pushed from the Dar Saad neighborhood at the northern approach to Aden. He said 22 Houthi fighters were killed when a tank and an armored vehicle were destroyed. Three explosions shook northern areas of Aden Wednesday, in what residents said were airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition which is two weeks into a campaign to stem Houthi advances. They said the attacks appeared to target weapons depots."

*Yemen kidnap: French woman seized in capital Sanaa (BBC, Feb 24, 2015):* "A French woman working for an international organisation in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, has been kidnapped, the French foreign ministry says. Security sources say gunmen seized the woman and her Yemeni driver on Tuesday morning as she was going to work. The French foreign ministry, which closed its embassy in Sanaa in February, said it was trying to locate and free the woman. It gave no further details, but urged French citizens to leave the country. Yemen is a base for al-Qaeda-affiliated militants and foreigners have been targets of kidnappings in the past. The security situation in the country sharply deteriorated after President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi resigned in January following a takeover by a Shia militia group, the Houthis..."

*Yemen could become 'protracted conflict' envoy warns (BBC, March 22, 2015):* "The conflict in Yemen could become "protracted in the vein of an Iraq, Syria, Libya combined scenario'' the UN's special envoy has warned. Jamal Benomar was speaking as the Security Council met in New York to express support for ousted President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi...."

*Al Qaeda Group Says Top Cleric Killed in Yemen (abcnews, Apr 14, 2015):* "Al Qaeda’s most lethal branch said today that its top cleric, a man with a $5 million American bounty on his head, has been killed in Yemen, as the Arab nation falls deeper into chaos. The group said in a statement posted online that former Guantanamo Bay detainee Ibrahim al-Rubaysh, also spelled al-Rubaish, was killed in a “crusader strike” over the weekend “after he spent almost two decades carrying out jihad against America and its agents.” The statement did not say who exactly AQAP believed carried out the purported strike. The U.S. has killed a number of high ranking AQAP leaders in recent years through targeted drone strikes, as part of its sustained counter-terrorism operations in the area. U.S. officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this report..."

*Saudi U.N. envoy: ISIS, Al Qaeda taint Islam’s image (al-arabiya, March 28, 2015):* "Groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Al-Qaeda and Hezbbollah taint the image of Islam, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday. Speaking at a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting addressing the rights of minorities in the Middle East Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said that Houthi militias and Hezbollah were forcefully imposing their will. Islam is a religion of tolerance, he said adding that the oppression of religious minorities is a blatant contradiction of Islam and its teachings. As to minority right abuses, Al-Mouallimi said fighting terrorism and establishing international justice are basic tenets in the fight against violations."

*Indonesia maid ban won't work in Mideast, migrant groups say (CNN, May 6, 2015):* "Migrant worker groups have reacted angrily to Indonesia's move to ban its citizens from working as domestic helpers in 21 countries, mainly in the Middle East. They say it'll do nothing to stop the abuse of Indonesian domestic workers, and will only drive the trade underground, exposing them to even greater risks. "(It's) a very desperate move after the government refused to provide genuine and necessary protection for their overseas domestic workers," said Eni Lestari, chairwoman of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA), which has more than 150 member organizations in 35 countries. Indonesian President Joko Widodo foreshadowed the move in February by announcing that he wanted to put an end to the export of the country's female workers. "The practice of Indonesian women going overseas to work as housemaids must stop immediately. We should have pride and dignity," he was quoted as saying. The government is wary of the safety of its citizens working abroad, particularly in countries in the Middle East, which has a poor record when it comes to the rights and treatment of foreign workers. Since Widodo's remarks, Saudi Arabia, one of the largest destination countries for Indonesia domestic workers, has executed two maids who were on death row for murder. Indonesia expressed its anger over the beheadings, and summoned the Saudi ambassador for talks, with the main complaint being that Indonesian officials hadn't been notified of the timing of the executions. The two women -- Karni Bt. Medi Tarsim, 37 and Siti Zaenab Bt. Duhri Rupa, 47 -- were both convicted of murder in two separate cases but rights groups cast doubt on their convictions and had appealed for them to be spared. On Monday, Indonesia's Minister of Manpower Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri said the country was trying to protect its workers from countries with inadequate labor laws. "The most important reason is there are no standardized labor regulations that bind the said countries, to the detriment of migrant workers," he said. *The banned countries are: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Jordan.* According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 630,000 Indonesians work in the Middle East. However, the government says that could be as high as 1.8 million when illegal workers are taken into account. The Indonesian government has laid some of the blame on the situation on the "kafalah" system in some Middle Eastern countries, which ties workers' visas to sponsorship from their employers. "This culture often leads to migrant workers becoming highly dependent on their employers. It also weakens their position, their working condition and lives," Dhakiri said. The ban will be brought in over a transition period of three months. Around 4,700 domestic workers in the process of being employed in the Middle East will still be allowed to travel, Dhakiri said. But he added that they'll be the last. Maids who are already there will be allowed to finish their contracts. Lestari, from the International Migrants Alliance, said the official ban wouldn't stop domestic workers who are determined to work abroad from entering banned countries. "It doesn't minimize (the problem). If fact, it puts all people in a very dangerous situation," she said, predicting that workers currently in those countries would overstay their visas in order to remain employed. She blamed the current situation on the Indonesian government, which she said had failed to offer adequate protection and advice to workers in foreign countries. "We believe that the reason why the government has committed to stopping the deployment is simply because there are too many cases that haven't been properly responded to by the government." Lestari said not enough was going down to punish unscrupulous recruiters, who she said were likely to keep sending workers to the Middle East despite the ban. Millions of Indonesian migrant workers are employed by foreign countries, and in 2013 they sent home remittances worth more than $7.3 billion. They choose to work away from their families because there are fewer job prospects at home. The Indonesian government said it would endeavor to create more opportunities for workers to stay in Indonesia, by providing entrepreneurial training. "The government also will shift these would be migrants to be legally employed in the formal sector, based on their capabilities and competencies," Manpower Minister Dhakiri said."

*Kingdom calls for more efforts to address religious defamation (arabnews, March 4, 2015):* "The Kingdom recently confirmed its commitment to promote and protect human rights as per the principles of Shariah law, with a especial emphasis on security, stability, and prosperity. Authorities consider these are essential factors to support sustainable development and ensure human rights are protected through sound laws and regulations. The President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission and head of the Saudi delegation in Geneva, Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, addressed the 28th session of the Human Rights Council meeting in that city. During his speech, Al-Aiban called for redoubling efforts to address the growing phenomenon of defamation of religions and religious symbols. “As part of the overall framework to develop the judiciary system and promote human rights, a royal order was recently issued calling for the formation of an ad hoc committee to prepare a draft code of judicial verdicts based on the Islamic jurisprudence, as well as bylaws for a revised criminal procedures system,” Al-Aiban explained. “The bylaws include special executive provisions for arrest procedures of defendants, as well as procedures for searching individuals and homes as part of investigative processes.” He said a comprehensive child protection system was also issued, which establishes a system that ensures the protection of individuals under the age of 18, as well as regulations to protect women and children from abuse and domestic violence. Al-Aiban said King Salman also ordered the additional support of all registered civil society institutions, allocating SR2 billion to support these organizations, as well as 200 millions for the Board of Cooperative Societies. Another 10 million riyals will be allocated to help professional associations, and further generous support will be provided to literary and sports clubs throughout the Kingdom. “In line with international treaties and cooperative efforts, the Kingdom has provided period reports to respective committees as per these agreements, and is currently working on preparing periodic reports related to the International Covenant for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the International Covenant for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,” he added. As for the Kingdom’s position in light of increased terrorism threats, Al-Aiban stated work is ongoing to address the increasing rise in extremism and called for the strengthening of international cooperation and support for such efforts. He also called for continuous support to the United National Centers for Counter-Terrorism to carry out its work, to which the Kingdom recently provided 100 billion dollars in financial support. “The Government of Saudi Arabia has condemned the recent terrorist attacks, such as the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine, the burning of Jordanian pilot Moaz Al-Kassasbeh, the killing of Japanese citizens, and the killing of 21 Egyptian citizens in Libya,” said Al-Aidan. “These are examples of terrorist acts that are contrary to the principles of Islam, which calls for justice, human protection, and tolerance.” Al-Aiban went on to discuss the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and the killing of civilian women and children, calling the situation “one of the worst human rights violations of our time.” He said the torture, demolition, settlement expansion, and Judaization of Jerusalem has stripped Palestinian people of their most basic right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and is clearly a violation of international human rights. On the situation in Syria, Al-Aidan asked for more support from the international community to help the country out its current quagmire. “The international community is standing idle as the Syrian people suffer from heinous crimes at the hands of an illegitimate regime, which is still waging brutal attacks against thousands of innocent people, mostly children, women, and elderly people,” the envoy said. According to the Saudi representative, the main reason for the emergence of armed terrorist groups in Syria is the international community’s inability to take a decisive stand to put an end to the brutal crimes committed by the Syrian regime."

*Yemen unrest: Saudi Arabia closes embassy (BBC, Feb 13, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia has suspended operations at its embassy in Yemen, as the security situation in the country deteriorates. It is the first Arab country to suspend its diplomatic mission. Many Western embassies have also closed. The Saudis have long played a key role in Yemen, but their influence has been shaken by a recent political takeover by the Houthis, a Shia rebel group. The Houthis ousted the US-backed government last week. In a statement Saudi Arabia said its staff had been evacuated from the embassy and had "arrived safely in the kingdom [Saudi Arabia]". Germany and Italy also joined the diplomatic exodus on Friday, following decisions by the US, Britain and France to end their missions. The German foreign ministry said the situation in Yemen had become "unacceptably dangerous". The Houthis seized power from the government in the capital Sanaa last week. On Friday, hundreds of Yemenis gathered after prayers in the central cities of Taaz and Ibb to denounce the takeover, witnesses said. The Houthis, made up of minority Shias, have been expanding south from their stronghold in the north, putting them in conflict with al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP) and other Sunni groups. On Thursday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told the Security Council: "Yemen is collapsing before our eyes. We cannot stand by and watch." Meanwhile, UN enjoy Jamal Benomar warned that the country was at a crossroads between "civil war and disintegration"...."

*Yemen ex-leader Saleh 'amassed up to $60bn' - UN probe (BBC, Feb 25, 2015):* "Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh is suspected of amassing $30bn-$62bn of assets during and after his time in power, UN experts have said. They said Mr Saleh was believed to have transferred much of the wealth abroad under other names. Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East. It is in political turmoil, with Mr Saleh widely thought to retain a key role behind the scenes. Mr Saleh has in the past denied allegations of corruption. He was Yemen's leader for 33 years before being forced from power in one of the 2011 Arab uprisings. The report said Mr Saleh's assets included property, cash, shares, gold and other valuable commodities spread across at least 20 countries. "The origin of the funds used to generate Ali Abdullah Saleh's wealth is believed to be partly from his corrupt practices as president of Yemen, particularly relating to gas and oil contracts," it says. Illegal activities produced private gain amounting to "nearly $2 billion a year over the last three decades", it alleges. "Many have argued that the country's spiralling debt and economic problems would be alleviated with a repatriation of these alleged stolen assets," the report noted. It was authored by a panel of experts who monitor UN sanctions on Yemen. The security situation in Yemen deteriorated sharply after President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi resigned in January following a takeover by a Shia militia group, the Houthis. The UN experts said Mr Saleh, with the backing of large parts of the army, had "colluded with the Houthis in what resulted in a coup d'etat" against Mr Hadi."

*Yemen conflict: Over 115 children killed in month - UN (BBC, Apr 24, 2015):* "At least 115 children have been killed and 172 maimed in a month of fighting and air strikes in Yemen, the UN children's agency Unicef says. About half were killed by coalition bombing, the agency said, and others by mines, gunshots, and shelling. The Saudi-led coalition has continued air strikes on rebel forces, despite announcing the end of its air campaign. Houthi rebels and allied forces have been fighting forces allied to the government for several months. Saudi Arabia and allied Arab states have been carrying out air strikes since March with the declared aim of restoring exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The UN said on Friday that at least 551 civilians had been killed in the conflict - more than half the overall estimated death toll. "There are hundreds of thousands of children in Yemen who continue to live in the most dangerous circumstances," Julien Harneis, Unicef's Yemen representative, said. "The number of child casualties shows clearly how devastating this conflict continues to be for the country's children," he added. A Unicef spokesman in Geneva said the agency believed its figure of 115 was a conservative estimate..." *Kerry Backs Saudi Strikes in Yemen as Long as Houthis Fight (abcnews, Apr 24, 2015):* "Secretary of State John Kerry is backing Saudi Arabian airstrikes against Houthi rebels as long as the rebels persist in attacking Yemeni government forces. Kerry is crediting the Saudis with making an important shift from a full-scale air campaign to hitting targets only when militants present a threat or try to seize more areas in Yemen. He says the Houthis must give up fighting and enter negotiations. Kerry was speaking to reporters Friday after an eight-nation Arctic meeting in northern Canada. He said everyone is concerned about civilian casualties in Yemen. The U.N. says more than 500 civilians have been killed since Saudi airstrikes began last month. Kerry expressed hope violence would ease in coming days and U.N.-brokered talks might begin."

*Saudi king: ‘terrorism fueled international opinion against Islam’ (alarabiya, Feb 22, 2015):* "Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Sunday denounced terrorism and radical Islamists who he said were not only “threatening Muslims” but also tainting and vilifying the image of Islam to non-Muslims. King Salman’s statement was presented by Prince Khaled al-Faisal bin Abudlaziz, the royal’s Makka region advisor at the opening of an international conference titled “Islam and Combatting Terrorism” that is organized by the international Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). King Salman described “Muslim nations” as being “threatened by the infiltration of Islamized terrorism with its killing, oppression, pillaging and other ranges of aggression that have trespassed the borders of our Islamic world.” He said these radicals, who are carrying “a falsified Islamic banner,” have promoted a version of Islam which is “fueling the international opinion to hate Muslims.” Muslims are now seen as “culprits and as a source of fear and concern.” The terrorist militants have also caused “embracement and nervousness to the Islamic nations, its organizations and its people in front of other nations which we are connected to through cooperation.” He said ties between Muslim nations and other non-Muslim states were “almost shaken and had gone backward because of these terrorists.” In addition to the “catastrophic loss in people and infrastructure, and the shattering and division of nations, the greatest danger to our nations are these misguided and misled terrorists, who have given an opportunity to those eying to hurt Islam to vilify its followers, who are one billion and a half, in crimes Islam is innocent of.” He said Saudi Arabia has “tried hard to fight terrorism as an ideology and practice and used its national security apparatus to combat terrorism relentlessly.” “They paid with their lives in their fight against terrorism. And our air force is part of the international coalition fighting these terrorists,” the Saudi leader said. Meanwhile, the king said “our clerics” have confronted these terrorist elements with a “decisive response” that their rhetoric and practice is “false and mischievous.” He said these clerics have warned people “from violence and extremism in religion as it only polarizes the Muslim nations.” The king also called for “moderation and forgiveness as a character of Islam, and whomever left this [character] cannot serve the Muslim nations and will only bring hatred and division.” He also said “researchers at our universities and other institutes have offered succinct studies on terrorism as phenomenon, and they analyzed in an objective manner these groups while showcasing their dangers to societies.” Saudi Arabia, which has strived for regional and international cooperation to fight terrorism, also established centers and organized conferences to further dialogue not only between Muslim sects but also between Muslims and people of other faiths, he said. While its strategy to combat terrorism led to a “positive outcome,” “terrorism is still tampering with people, especially in Arab and Muslim countries that are still experiencing disturbances.” He said Muslims should increase awareness of the dangers and risks coming from terrorism and “individuals and organizations should double their efforts” to fight it. He urged people to defeat terrorism and warned “not to give any helpline to these terrorists or even sympathize with them.”"

*Yemeni civilians killed in Saudi airstrikes, officials say (CNN, May 1, 2015):* "A series of Saudi airstrikes hit a hospital and medical camp in southwestern Yemen on Friday, killing at least 58 civilians and injuring at least 67, two local Yemeni government officials said. Most of the dead and injured were medics and patients, they said. The hospital that was hit, Raheda Hospital, is one of the largest and busiest in the area. The medical camp is part of the hospital. They are in Saqee Dam, a small town outside the city of Taiz in Taiz Province. Three local Yemeni government officials said the hospital was not being used by Houthi rebels and that none of the dead was a rebel fighter. Houthi rebels seized the Taiz international airport last month, days before Saudi Arabia and its allies began airstrikes against rebel positions across the country. The Saudis say they want to restore the Yemeni government, which the Houthis overthrew earlier this year."

*Yemen crisis: Houthi rebels are Iran stooges, says Hadi (BBC, March 28, 2015):* "Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi has accused Iran of destabilising the country, calling Houthi rebels the "stooges of Iran". Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia says military intervention in Yemen will continue until the country is "stable and safe". The move comes after a third night of airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition hit cities across the country. The conflict has been described by correspondents as a proxy war between Sunni Arab nations and Shia Iran. President Hadi was speaking at an Arab League summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to discuss the crisis, days after having to flee Yemen as rebels advanced on his stronghold of Aden...."

*Yemeni Troops Battle Shiite Rebels in Aden Neighborhoods (abcnews, July 15, 2015):* "Yemeni troops, backed by Saudi-led airstrikes, battled Shiite rebels Wednesday in neighborhoods they previously controlled in the southern port city of Aden, a day after they pushed them out of the local airport, military officials said. The offensive, closely coordinated with the Saudi-led coalition, is a serious blow to the Shiite rebels and allied forces who have been trying to seize control of the strategic city since March. Houthi officials said they were taken by surprise by the new push. A senior military official said the troops involved have been trained in Saudi Arabia, a program that began about two months ago. He said the troops also received new equipment, including armored vehicles. The official said fighting intensified Wednesday in Crater and Mualla, neighborhoods that house the presidential palace, government offices and ports. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations. Late Wednesday, exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's office said he was sending several government officials, including the ministers of transport and interior, to Aden. Saudi-led airstrikes continued across the country Wednesday, and the Houthis said in an announcement that their forces fired rockets across the border into Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition has been targeting the Iran-allied Houthis and their allies since March in a bid to stop their power grab across Yemen. The strikes and ground fighting came despite a U.N.-brokered truce - which is due to expire Thursday at the end of Ramadan...."

*Yemen conflict: Houthi rebels make gains in Aden (BBC, Apr 5, 2015):* "Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels have made more gains in the city of Aden, despite air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition. Fighting in the southern city has intensified as rebels and forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi battle for control. Countries including China have stepped up efforts to evacuate their citizens amid the worsening humanitarian crisis. The Red Cross has been given permission by the coalition to bring aid into Yemen by plane...."

*Yemen capital Sanaa hit by car bomb attack (BBC, June 29, 2015):* "A car bomb has exploded in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, causing an unknown number of casualties, officials say. There are conflicting reports over who was the target of the attack. AP says it was targeting the homes of several Shia Houthi rebel leaders, but Reuters reports that a group of mourners were hit, wounding 28 people. Shia Houthi rebel fighters have been fighting forces loyal to Yemen's exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadifor several months. Saudi-led air strikes targeting Houthi positions, which launched in March, have had a devastating impact on civilians. In a separate development on Monday, the rebels said in a statement they had launched a Scud missile across the border at a Saudi military base "in response to the crimes of the brutal Saudi aggression". If confirmed, it would be the second such attack since fighting began. An attempt to send a Scud missile earlier this month was intercepted and shot down by Saudi Arabia before causing any damage...."

*Yemen crisis: Pro-Hadi militiamen seize Aden buildings (BBC, Feb 16, 2015):* "Clashes have erupted in Yemen's second city of Aden between militiamen loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and forces allied to Houthi rebels .At least three people were killed after members of the Popular Resistance Committees attacked pro-rebel police guarding several government buildings .The PRC now control an intelligence headquarters and television building..."

WTF is that British accent?

*Yemen crisis: Many die in Saudi-led coalition air strike (BBC, July 6, 2015):* “An air strike by the Saudi-led coalition has killed at least 30 people in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, witnesses there have said. It is unclear how many of the dead were were civilians or Houthi rebels who the coalition planes have been targeting. The rebels captured the capital, Sanaa last year, forcing President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi into exile. Some 3,000 people have been killed since the Saudi-led campaign began in March, the UN says. The latest strike hit a marketplace in Fayoush, a suburb of Aden, witnesses there said. “[There was] blood from people mixed with that of the sheep and other livestock at the market,” one resident told the Associated Press news agency…”

*Houthis claim to seize villages in Saudi Arabia (memo, Nov 11, 2016):* "Yemen’s Houthi militia claim to have seized several villages in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jizan province, the Houthi-run SABA news agency reported. SABA quoted a military source as saying yesterday that Houthi militiamen had taken control of the villages of Al-Kars and Al-Dafiniya - along with other villages - east of Al-Bahtit and south of Al-Qarn. The same source also said that Houthi militiamen had captured a bridge linking Jizan’s Qaem Zubaid and Al-Ibadiya areas and the road to the nearby Al-Khubah area. According to the source, who was not named, “scores” of Saudi soldiers were killed and injured in what he described as a “large scale” Houthi operation that also saw six Saudi armoured vehicles and two combat tanks destroyed. The news agency went on to report that Saudi army helicopters had bombarded the Al-Khubah area in response. The claims, however, could not be verified by independent sources, while the Saudi authorities have yet to comment on the reports. According to unofficial Saudi accounts on social media, meanwhile, Saudi forces managed to repel a Houthi attack on Al-Khubah. Earlier, Saudi authorities said at least 14 people had been injured in the kingdom’s southwestern Dhahran Al-Janoub province by “projectiles” fired from Yemen..."

*Saudi-Led Airstrikes Bomb Yemen's Shiite Rebels in 6 Cities (abcnews, Apr 23, 2015):* "Attempts to ease fighting in Yemen appeared to falter Thursday, as Shiite rebels pressed an offensive in the south and a Saudi Arabia-led coalition intensified its airstrikes less than two days after it said it was scaling back the campaign. All sides have declared their willingness to enter talks, but none has taken any steps to end the conflict that has killed more than 1,000 people. Still, the head of U.N. operations in Yemen said in an interview with The Associated Press that a renewal of such talks is "inevitable," and behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts could bring results in the coming weeks. The battle in the Arab world's poorest country pits the Iranian-backed rebels known as Houthis and their allies - military units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh - against the Saudi-led coalition and the forces of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Although Hadi is the internationally recognized leader, he was forced to flee his southern stronghold of Aden last month as the Houthis advanced toward the port. He is in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Western governments and the Sunni Arab countries in the coalition say the Houthis get their arms from Shiite powerhouse Iran. Tehran and the rebels deny that, although the Islamic Republic has provided political and humanitarian support to the Shiite group. Warplanes hammered Aden, hitting hotels and a police club occupied by the Houthis and their allies. Heavy strikes also hit positions in five other cities, many of them gateways to Aden, officials said. At least six airstrikes targeted an air base, a military camp, and weapon caches in the western port of Houdida. In the western city of Taiz, jets bombed the headquarters of Battalion 35, led by pro-Saleh commanders. In the nearby city of Ibb, the planes targeted educational facilities suspected of storing weapons, officials said. Rebel reinforcements were bombed in the central province of Marib, while in the city of Dhale, another gateway to the south, airstrikes targeted suspected weapons depots and assembly points for fighters. Residents of Dahle said the city was being shelled by the Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh, Yemen's longtime authoritarian leader who was a staunch U.S. ally. All the Yemeni officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, and witnesses asked not to be identified, fearing for their safety..."

Saudi Arabia zindabad

*Top UN Official: 10,000 Civilians Killed in Yemen Conflict (abcnews, Jan 16, 2017):* "The United Nations' humanitarian aid official in Yemen said Monday that the civilian death toll in the nearly two-year conflict has reached 10,000, with 40,000 others wounded. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Jamie McGoldrick told reporters the figure is based on lists of victims gathered by health facilities and the actual number might be higher. This announcement marks the first time a U.N. official has confirmed such a high death toll in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest nation. Earlier, the U.N. reported 4,200 civilians were killed in the war. "This once more underscores the need to resolve the situation in Yemen without any further delay," U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said in New York. "There's been a huge humanitarian cost." The Yemen conflict pits Shiite Houthi rebels and allied forces against a Saudi-led coalition. The coalition began an air campaign in March 2015 to restore the internationally recognized government that fled the country after Houthis seized the capital..."

*Al-Qaida leader says group fought alongside US-backed forces (abcnews, May 1, 2017):* "The leader of al-Qaida' branch in Yemen said that his militants have often fought alongside Yemeni government factions - remarks that could embarrass the U.S.-backed coalition fighting the impoverished Arab country's Shiite rebels. Qasim al-Rimi leads the group known as Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, considered by Washington to be the most dangerous offshoot of the global terror network. He succeeded Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike nearly two years ago. On the U.S. most-wanted list with a $5 million reward for his capture, al-Rimi has been a top target of U.S. airstrikes, which have soared in the past four months in southern Yemen. He spoke on Sunday to AQAP's media arm al-Malahem from an undisclosed location in Yemen. "We fight along all Muslims in Yemen, together with different Islamic groups," he said, adding that his followers have teamed up with an array of factions - including the ultraconservative Salafis, "the Muslim Brotherhood and also our brothers among the sons of (Sunni) tribes" - against Yemen's Shiite rebels known as Houthis. Al-Rimi did not elaborate on what exactly fighting "alongside" meant but al-Qaida has emerged as a de facto ally of the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his backers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against the Houthis in a grueling civil war that has wreaked devastation, caused widespread hunger and killed more than 10,000 since late 2014. Over the past decade, the terror group has built up ties of one degree or another with the country's many tribes - and has often used anger over civilians killed in American airstrikes to gain recruits. The Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis are some of the key militias on Hadi's side, and regularly receive funds and weapons from the U.S.-backed Saudi led coalition..."

*Yemeni Officials Say Car Bomb Exploded in Sanaa (abcnews, June 20, 2015):* "A car bomb exploded in front of a mosque in the capital Sanaa Saturday afternoon, killing at least two people and wounding six others, security officials said. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters, said the bomb targeted the Qabat al-Mahdi mosque in the old city of Sanaa. No group took immediate responsibility for the attack. On Wednesday a series of Islamic State-claimed bombings in the capital killed at least four people and wounded 60. This comes as Saudi-led coalition airstrikes continued Saturday, hitting the Sanaa International Airport and a nearby air force base. Warplanes also hit targets in Aden, Lahj, Jawf, and Saada. The campaign, aimed at pushing back Shiite Houthi rebels, started on March 26. Yemen's conflict pits the Houthis and their allies against an array of forces, including southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Yemen's exiled government and Shiite rebels who control the capital failed to come to terms on even a temporary cease-fire Friday as U.N.-brokered talks in Geneva ended without an agreement."

*Yemen conflict: Loyalists 'enter last Aden district' (BBC, July 20, 2015):* "Forces loyal to Yemen's exiled government say they have advanced into the last part of the southern city of Aden still held by Houthi rebels. A spokesman said on Monday that local militias and army units, backed by Saudi-led coalition air strikes, had taken most of the Tawahi district. On Friday, the government declared that the city had been "liberated" after four months of fierce fighting. Clashes continued over the weekend, however, leaving dozens of people dead. On Sunday, rebel artillery fire struck the densely-populated northern suburb of Dar Saad, where many displaced people live, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said. The medical charity said its hospital in the area received 150 casualties, among them women, children and elderly people. Forty-two people were dead on arrival and tens of other bodies had to be turned away because the hospital was overwhelmed. MSF added that it had witnessed "massive retaliation against civilians by the Houthis" and warned that it feared targeted killings of civilian populations would recur in the south of Yemen as the rebels were driven out of areas they control. The Houthis denied targeting civilians in Dar Saad and blamed "media deception". Fighters from the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and soldiers advanced into Tawahi, at the western tip of the Aden peninsula, late on Sunday after securing the neighbouring Crater district, militia spokesman Ali al-Ahmedi said...."

*Yemen minister urges swift end to air strikes on Houthis (BBC, March 27, 2015):* "Yemen's foreign minister has said air strikes being carried out by a Saudi-led coalition against Shia Houthi rebels should end as soon as possible. Riad Yassin told the BBC a "short, sharp" campaign was needed to weaken the rebels, who have forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad. Fresh overnight air raids reportedly targeted a number of Houthi positions. Rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has vowed not to surrender to what he called the "unjustified aggression". Regional Shia power Iran, who Mr Yassin accused of backing the rebels, denounced the US-backed air strikes as an attempt "to foment civil war in Yemen or disintegrate the country". Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia has said it will "do whatever it takes in order to protect the legitimate government of Yemen from falling"...." *President Hadi leaves Yemen as Saudi-led raids continue (BBC, March 27, 2015):* "Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi has arrived in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, officials say, as a Saudi-led coalition continues to launch air strikes against Shia Houthi rebels. It is the first confirmation of his whereabouts since Wednesday, when he fled rebel forces in the city of Aden. The officials say he will go to Egypt for an Arab league summit on Saturday. The Saudi authorities began air strikes in Yemen on Wednesday night, a step Iran called "dangerous". During the second night of raids warplanes again targeted rebel positions in Yemen's capital Sanaa and an air base near the southern port city of Aden. Reports say there were civilian casualties. Clashes were also reported in Aden between troops loyal to President Hadi and the rebels. Saudi Arabia says it is "defending the legitimate government" of Mr Hadi...." *Saudi Airstrikes in Yemen Target Rebel Stronghold in North (abcnews, March 27, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia bombed the northern stronghold of Yemen's Shiite rebels and other key military installations on Friday as a coalition led by the Gulf kingdom carried out airstrikes for a second day. The military action is turning impoverished and chaotic Yemen into a new front in the rivalry between Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Shiite power Iran, which supports the rebels known as Houthis. Heavy airstrikes early Friday targeted Saada, the stronghold of the Houthis, focusing on locations where rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi might be, military officials said. Saudi warplanes also bombed the al-Sana army camp in the Arhab region northeast of Sanaa, run by commanders loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The military official said other strikes targeted army camps outside Sanaa in al-Dhale and Lahj provinces, including al-Annad base, where about 100 U.S. military advisers had been based but were forced to withdraw last weekend due to deteriorating security conditions. The military officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief reporters...."

*Yemen conflict: Houthi rebels condemn UN arms embargo (BBC, Apr 14, 2015):* "Houthi rebels have condemned Tuesday's UN Security Council arms embargo imposed on them and their allies.They called for protests against what they termed UN support of "aggression".The Houthis have made rapid advances across the country, sparking air strikes on their strongholds by a Saudi-led coalition. The UN says at least 736 people have been killed and 2,700 injured since 26 March, but officials believe the actual death toll may be far higher. The Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee "called on the masses of the Yemeni people to rally and protest on Thursday to condemn the Security Council resolution in support of the aggression". Saudi Arabia's UN Ambassador, Abdallah al-Moualimi, said the resolution was "a very clear endorsement" of the air strikes. When asked about a possible ground offensive, he warned that the air strikes were a response to Houthi military action and if the Houthis failed to comply with the resolution, "they will continue to face more of the same". The Egyptian presidency said on Tuesday that Egypt and Saudi Arabia had discussed holding a "major military manoeuvre" in Saudi Arabia with other Gulf states..."

*Saudi Arabia flexing its muscles in Middle East (BBC, Aug 8, 2015):* "Something is stirring in Saudi Arabia. Gone is the historically conservative, don't-rock-the-boat, tip-toeing approach to the big, strategic issues of the Middle East. In its place has come a new, assertive attitude that is seeing the oil-rich kingdom set off on previously untried and potentially risky ventures. In Yemen, the Saudi military has now been at war with Houthi rebels for more than four months. In Syria, Saudi patronage for Islamist rebels opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad has been stepped up dramatically - and, on the Iran nuclear deal, well-placed Saudi sources have let it be known that if they assess Tehran as likely to acquire nuclear weapons in the future, then Saudi Arabia will go down the same path, triggering a Middle Eastern arms race. So, what's behind this? Jeddah, September 2013, and I am sitting in an air-conditioned reception room in a well-guarded palace, close to the shores of the Red Sea. There are only two other people in the room, Crown Prince - now King - Salman Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and his most favoured son, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. On that day, Prince Salman was still 16 months away from succeeding his brother King Abdullah to the throne. But as the country's defence minister, he had just rushed back from holiday in Morocco to take charge of Saudi forces, which were then poised to support the Americans in launching punitive missile strikes on Assad. The missile strikes were supposed to be an international response to the widely-held belief that the Syrian regime was behind the massive nerve gas attack at Ghouta that summer, which killed hundreds of Syrian civilians. But thanks to a Russian-brokered deal that saw Assad give up his chemical arsenal - or most of it - the missile strikes were called off at the eleventh hour. For the Saudi leadership, this was a seminal moment and a turning point in its dealings with the US. The Saudis felt utterly let down by their long-time American allies. They had been hoping that combined international military action against the Assad regime would finally turn the corner in that country's civil war, removing Iran's only allied Arab ruler, President Assad, and replacing him with a Sunni-led government. When this did not happen, the senior Saudi princes and decision-makers resolved that, from then on, they would have to take matters into their own hands. Step forward the young, militarily inexperienced, but highly ambitious Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the younger man present in that meeting in Jeddah. At about 30 years old, he is possibly the world's youngest defence minister. He is also the visible face of the massive Saudi-led military campaign to push back the Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen and restore the exiled President Hadi, a Saudi ally, to power. In Saudi news bulletins, the tall and often unshaven Prince Mohammed can be seen visiting operations rooms, inspecting plans, conferring with his generals. To the surprise of many, his gamble appears to be paying off, although the hapless Yemeni population has paid a heavy price. After four months of relentless pounding of Houthi positions with air strikes, the blockading of Yemeni ports and airports and the landing in Aden of an entire UAE armoured brigade, the Houthis are now on the back foot. Despite an estimated 3,000 people killed and 80% of the Yemeni population now reliant on aid, the Saudi leadership appears determined to see the campaign through and force the Houthis to sue for peace. For Saudi Arabia, this is about more than just securing its southern flank. The Saudis fear they are being steadily encircled by Iranian allies and this is something they want to reverse. In Yemen, they see the Shia Houthis as being a proxy militia for Iran, although in reality the Houthis owed their earlier gains to support they got from the ousted former President Saleh, not the Iranians. In Iraq, they have watched in dismay as the Sunni regime of Saddam Hussein has given way to a Shia-led government with extremely close ties to Tehran. Iranian-trained militias were instrumental in helping Iraq retake the town of Tikrit from IS. In Syria, the Saudis see Iran's proxy, Hezbollah, battling Sunni rebels - and in Bahrain and their own eastern province, they have long suspected Iran's Quds Force of encouraging unrest amongst the Shia population. So how will this end? Badly, say Saudi Arabia's detractors. They think the country is over-reaching itself and backing some dangerous players in places like Syria, feeding into a wave of Sunni jihadism that will bring more violence from IS supporters to the streets of Saudi Arabia, as well as elsewhere. But some seasoned observers who have been watching the newfound Saudi assertiveness say that, in the wake of the disastrous Arab Spring that has brought such misery to much of the Arab world, Saudi Arabia had no choice but to look after its own interests, form its own alliances and forge its own path, irrespective of what Washington is up to."

*Al-Qaeda in Yemen releases Saudi diplomat (BBC, March 2, 2015):* "A Saudi diplomat held hostage in Yemen for almost three years by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has been freed, officials say. Abdullah al-Khalidi, Saudi Arabia's deputy consul in the southern port city of Aden, was seized in March 2012. He appeared in several AQAP videos that called on the Saudi authorities to do more to secure his release. An interior ministry statement carried by Saudi state media on Monday said that Mr Khalidi was now back in Riyadh. It did not say how he came to be released but that it was a result of "intensive efforts" made by the kingdom's security services. The jihadist group had sought the release of all its members detained in Saudi Arabia as well as a ransom in exchange for freeing Mr Khalidi. AQAP initially asked for $10m (£6.5m) in ransom, but later doubled its demand to $20m (£13m), tribal mediators said in August 2012. In December, AQAP militants shot dead two hostages - American journalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie - during a failed attempt by US commandos to rescue them in south-eastern Yemen."

*Official: Houthis seize U.S. Embassy vehicles, Marines' weapons at airport (CNN, Feb 11, 2015):* "Houthi rebels took all U.S. Embassy vehicles parked at the Yemeni capital's airport and wouldn't let departing U.S. Marines take their weapons with them, a top Sanaa airport official said about the latest evidence of unrest in an Arab nation long seen as key in America's fight against terrorists. The actions come after the United States, along with Britain, suspended operations at their embassies and moved out staffers because of the instability in Yemen. According to the official, the Houthis seized many U.S. Marines' weapons at the airport, and the American troops also handed over some to random airport officials Wednesday. The previous night, embassy officials burned tens of thousands of documents and destroyed weapons that were inside the Sanaa embassy's storage warehouses, Yemeni employees of the embassy said. Yemen has long been an important country to the United States as the home of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most feared, influential and operational terrorist organizations in the world. U.S. officials have had a long relationship with Yemeni leaders, working with them to target AQAP militants...." *Yemen crisis: US, UK and France close Sanaa embassies (BBC, Feb 11, 2015):* "The US, UK and France are closing their embassies in Yemen due to the deteriorating security situation and political crisis in the country. The US and UK governments have withdrawn diplomatic staff from Sanaa and urged their citizens to leave. France's embassy in the capital has announced that it will close on Friday. The moves come as the UN attempts to broker talks between political factions and Shia rebels who control Sanaa and dissolved parliament last week. President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and his cabinet resigned on 22 January after the rebels, known as Houthis, overran the presidential palace and placed them under effective house arrest. The Houthis have taken over predominantly Sunni parts of central and western Yemen in recent months, sparking battles with tribesmen and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), after advancing from their stronghold in the far north and seizing Sanaa in September. The crisis has threatened to derail the UN-backed transition to democracy launched after mass protests forced long time President Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power to Mr Hadi in 2011..."

*Yemen crisis: Saudi-led air raids 'kill 65' in Taiz (BBC, Aug 21, 2015):* "At least 65 civilians have reportedly been killed in air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition on the Yemeni city of Taiz. More than half of the dead were women and children,according to aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Taiz has been the scene of intense clashes between Houthi rebels and pro-government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies. The coalition began targeting the Houthis in March. It wants to defeat the rebel group, which controls much of Yemen, and restore the government of exiled President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi. The conflict has killed about 4,000 people so far, nearly half of them civilians,according to the United Nations. Seventeen of those who lost their lives in air strikes late on Thursday were members of the same family, MSF said. A number of civilians also died in rebel shelling in Taiz. "We call on the warring parties to stop attacking civilian targets, especially hospitals, ambulances and densely populated neighbourhoods," MSF said in a statement. The Houthis - backed by forces loyal to the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh - say they are fighting against corruption and marginalisation of their northern powerbase by Mr Hadi's government. Sunni power Saudi Arabia alleges its Shia rival Iran is providing the rebels with weapons. Tehran and the Houthis deny this..."

*Saudi Arabia Enlists Imams In Yemen War (vocativ, March 29, 2015):* "The Saudi Arabian government sent memos to mosques across the country this week ordering religious leaders to use their sermons to create fear about the Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen as a way to build support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign there. The country’s top imams responded by doing just that in their all-important Friday addresses to their followers. Their speeches often quoted directly from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ memo, which referred to the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen as “enemies of Islam” and “terrorists.” Vocativ discovered the document, its trafficking and the general reaction to it by analyzing the social media of Saudis discussing the issue on Facebook and Twitter. The Saudi ministry asked Imams to emphasize how the Gulf States must fight against the Houthi rebels in order to save Yemen and its people from “the Houthi aggression and oppression.” The memo highlighted the violent methods used by Iranian-backed rebels to conquer large swaths of Yemen, including killing civilians and destroying mosques and Islamic institutes. The Friday prayer is the most important religious event of the week, and since the early days of Islam, the Friday sermons have been a traditional platform for spreading messages from the khalif, or Islamic leader. After the Friday sermons this week, the government’s document started circulating on Saudi forums and social media groups. The document itself matches up with the sermons, which were widely quoted by Saudi media, showing that Saudi Imams literally repeated the government’s prescribed talking points word for word...."

*Iran-backed rebels loot Yemen files about U.S. spy operations (latimes, March 25, 2015):* "Secret files held by Yemeni security forces that contain details of American intelligence operations in the country have been looted by Iran-backed militia leaders, exposing names of confidential informants and plans for U.S.-backed counter-terrorism strikes, U.S. officials say. U.S. intelligence officials believe additional files were handed directly to Iranian advisors by Yemeni officials who have sided with the Houthi militias that seized control of Sana, the capital, in September, which led the U.S.-backed president to flee to Aden. For American intelligence networks in Yemen, the damage has been severe. Until recently, U.S. forces deployed in Yemen had worked closely with President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi’s government to track and kill Al Qaeda operatives, and President Obama had hailed Yemen last fall as a model for counter-terrorism operations elsewhere. But the identities of local agents were considered compromised after Houthi leaders in Sana took over the offices of Yemen’s National Security Bureau, which had worked closely with the CIA and other intelligence agencies, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations...."

*200,000 illegals deported in 120 days (arabnews, March 6, 2015):* "More than 200,000 foreigners have been deported over the first four months of 1436 AH, which started on Oct. 25, for violating the Kingdom’s residency and labor regulations, sources said. According to figures released by the Passport Department recently, 58,710 illegal expatriates were deported in the first month of Muharram (Oct. 25 to Nov. 22), 63,762 in Safar (Nov. 23 to Dec. 22) and 59,569 in Rabi Al-Awwal (Dec. 23 to Jan. 20). Maj. Gen. Khalafallah Al-Tuwaireqi, director of the Passports Department in Makkah region, said more than 41,000 violators have been deported in the fourth month of Rabi Al-Thani from this region alone. “The deportees included different nationalities,” said Al-Tuwaireqi, adding that the deportations took place from Jan. 21 to March 3. Every day the department deports 1,500 to 2,000 violators, he said. Meanwhile, the police in Madinah and Baha arrested 6,654 illegal workers last month, senior officials confirmed on Thursday. According to security spokesman Col. Fahd Al-Ghannam, the Madinah raids included several neighborhoods, with 5,389 people arrested. A total of 48,773 people have now been arrested in the region since the campaign began. Last month, the police in the Baha region arrested 1,267 expats who violated regulations, said Col. Saad bin Saleh Al-Tarrad, media spokesman for the region’s police. The officials said that the workers had flouted the country’s work and residency laws and would now face prosecution and deportation at the expense of the government. They said the raids would continue in the regions, including operations to apprehend criminals involved in theft, sorcery and brewing liquor. Security agencies have, meanwhile, stepped up preparations to carry out the second phase of a major campaign to flush out illegal aliens as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security and create jobs for citizens....."

*New gold Grand Mosque Kaaba door to cost $3.6m (arabianbusiness, Apr 6, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia will spend $3.6 million renovating the door of the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s holiest site, local media have reported. The Kaaba is a sacred cubic box inside the Mosque where Muslim pilgrims commonly repent their sins. Made from heavy gold, it is more than 3 metres high and features 15 of the 99 names of Allah embroidered in gold and silver Thuluth (an Arabic calligraphy style), according to the Makkah Daily. At the centre, Quranic verses, Islamic phrases and historical annotations are inscribed; even the door’s lock is embroidered. Only the best and most prestigious designers and calligraphers have worked on the Kaaba door. According to the report, the Kaaba door was first renovated during the reign of King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, in 1944. Its second renovation was during the reigns of King Khalid and King Fahd. In 1977, King Khalid noticed scratches at the bottom of the door while he was praying inside the Grand Mosque and immediately ordered for the door to be remade and for a Tobah (which means repentance) door to be installed inside the Kaaba and coated with gold. The kingdom is spending more than $20 billion renovating and expanding the site so it can accommodate two million pilgrims at one time."

*Yemen says Saudi airstrikes hit school, injuring students (CNN, Apr 8, 2015):* "Yemeni officials said Saudi airstrikes targeting a military base on Tuesday hit a nearby school, injuring at least a half dozen students. The information came from two officials with the governor's office in Ibb province, where the school is located, as well as Houthi sources from the rebel group that is fighting for control of the country. A third source, with the Education Ministry in Ibb, said three students had been killed at the Al Bastain School in Maitam, in southwestern Yemen, as a result of an airstrike. The officials from Ibb's governor's office said the Al Hamza military base was targeted because Houthis have been sending reinforcements from Ibb to nearby provinces. There were no casualties on the base, the officials said, but it was heavily damaged..." *Yemen conflict: US boosts arms supplies for Saudi-led coalition (BBC, Apr 7, 2015):* "The US says it is speeding up weapons deliveries to a Saudi-led coalition bombing Houthi rebels who have taken up arms against the government in Yemen. The US is also boosting intelligence sharing with the coalition, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Aid agencies have warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in the Yemeni port of Aden, which has seen street battles between rebels and government allies..." *Yemen crisis: Civilians suffer amid battle for Aden (BBC, Apr 7, 2015):* "Fierce fighting is continuing around the port city of Aden in Yemen, where a coalition of forces, led by Saudi Arabia, is trying to stop the advance of Houthi rebel forces. The fighting has got worse over the last few weeks, with more than 500 people killed, including at least 70 children. The Red Cross has warned there is war "on every street"...."

*68 killed in battles near Yemen's strategic strait (ahram, Jan 8, 2017):* "At least 68 fighters have been killed in two days of fierce battles between Yemeni forces and Shiite Huthi rebels near the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, military officials said Sunday. Government forces launched an assault Saturday, recapturing the coastal Dhubab district, just 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Bab al-Mandab which links the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Since then at least 55 Huthis have been killed in fighting and 72 others wounded, military and medical sources said. Clashes since Saturday have also killed 13 loyalists forces, including an army general, Brigadier-General Abdul Aziz al-Majidi, a loyalist commander, told AFP. They said fighting was still underway Sunday as loyalist forces were trying to retake from the rebels a key military base in the Dhubab region. Al-Omari base is located in a mountainous region that overlooks the coastal road linking Bab al-Mandab region to Dhubab, and opens the way to rebel-held Hudaida port on the Red Sea. The Huthis, and allied fighters, on Sunday fired two ballistic missiles that were intercepted by the Saudi-led coalition that backs the Yemen government, a loyalist military source said. Landmines planted by the rebels had slowed down the advance of government forces, military officials said. The government and its allies in the Saudi-led coalition recaptured Bab al-Mandab strait in October 2015, pushing the Iran-backed rebels further north. But the rebels still control nearly all of Yemen's Red Sea coast to the north, posing what the coalition says is a threat to international shipping..."

*Saudi Arabia resumes airstrikes in Yemen (CNN, Apr 22, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia resumed airstrikes in Yemen on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after announcing the end of its "Operation Decisive Storm," a nearly month-long campaign against Houthi positions. The strikes returned after rebel forces launched an attack on a government military brigade not under Houthi control, security sources in Taiz said. The brigade quickly fell to the rebels, they said. It was unclear if the fighting represented a resumption of the operation or was a short-term resumption of hostilities...."

*Al-Qaida in Yemen Takes Massive Weapons Depot From Army (abcnews, Apr 17, 2015):* "Al-Qaida's Yemen branch routed government forces from a large weapons depot in the country's east on Friday, seizing dozens of tanks, Katyusha rocket launchers and small arms, security officials said, as airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition intensified in the capital, Sanaa, and also in Yemen's second-largest city. The seized depot is located in Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt - Yemen's largest province where al-Qaida has been consolidating its control. Only the day before, the militants captured a major airport, an oil terminal and the area's main military base. The gains highlight how al-Qaida has exploited the chaos in Yemen, where Shiite rebels are battling forces loyal to exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The Saudi-led air campaign in support of Hadi, now in its fourth week, has so far failed to halt the rebels' advance..."

*King's absence from U.S. summit shows Saudi displeasure over Iran push (reuters, May 11, 2015):* "The Saudi king's absence from a regional summit to be hosted by President Barack Obama shows how Gulf states, displeased by what they see as U.S. indifference to Iranian meddling in the Arab world, may hesitate to bless any nuclear deal with Tehran. Analysts and diplomats in the Middle East described King Salman's decision to skip the meeting at Camp David this week as a snub, despite denials from U.S. officials as well as Riyadh's new foreign minister and other Saudi insiders. Riyadh announced the monarch's no-show on Sunday, only two days after the White House had said he would attend the summit of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states - some of which have long doubted Obama's commitment to confronting Iranian backing of Shi'ite Muslim militias across the region. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who has strong ties with the U.S. political and security establishment, will represent Saudi Arabia at the May 13-14 gathering along with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king's son who serves as the defence minister. Since Salman took power in January, the pair have determined most aspects of Saudi policy. The Saudi government said one of the main reasons Salman was skipping the summit was because it overlapped with a five-day humanitarian ceasefire in neighboring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is waging a bombing campaign against Iran-allied Houthi rebels. The leading Gulf Arab power has complained for years that Washington does not take its concerns seriously. It thinks a focus on settling the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme has distracted the United States from more urgent problems. Secretary of State John Kerry has tried to reassure the Gulf states that Washington will not accept a bad nuclear deal, saying the Camp David discussions would flesh out commitments that will create "a new security understanding" with the GCC. Washington is also poised to offer new weapons under a push for a GCC-shared missile defence system, senior U.S. officials said last week. "The conspiracy theorists of old have been proven right. The U.S. creates threats for us and then offers us more weapons systems. That does not bode well for us," said Sami Alfaraj, a Kuwaiti security adviser to the six-nation GCC."

*Yemen crisis: President Hadi flees as Houthi rebels advance (BBC, March 25, 2015):* "Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi has fled his palace in Aden as Houthi rebels advance towards the city. Gunfire could be heard around the city centre, and security forces allied to the Houthis have taken over the international airport. The rebels have made rapid gains since seizing a key airbase only 60km (37 miles) from Aden on Wednesday morning. Government officials deny reports that the president has fled the country, and say he remains in Aden. The US State Department says it was in touch with President Hadi earlier in the day. It said he is no longer at the compound but could not confirm any "additional details" about his location. State television, which is controlled by the rebels, announced a reward of 20m Yemeni riyals ($93,000; £62,500) for anyone who captures the "fugitive" president..."

*Yemen conflict: Rebels 'driven out of southern city' (BBC, May 26, 2015):* "Militiamen allied to Yemen's exiled government are reported to have driven Houthi rebels out of a southern city. Southern separatist fighters and Sunni tribesmen had regained control of Dhalea following heavy fighting on Monday, officials and residents said. It is the first major advance by the Houthis' opponents since Saudi-led coalition air strikes began in March. Overnight, seven members of the same family were said to have been killed in an air strike in a northern village. Residents of al-Mohssam, which is close to the border with Saudi Arabia, told the Reuters news agency that two children were among those who died. Cross-border clashes were also reported after medics said one person was killed by suspected Houthi shellfire that targeted the Saudi city of Najran on Monday...."

*Yemeni city Taiz 'seized by Shia rebels' (BBC, March 22, 2015):* "Parts of Yemen's third largest city Taiz have been seized by Shia rebels, reports quoting security officials say. The city's airport was among the areas seized by Houthi rebels, reports said. There has been mounting violence by rival armed groups in Yemen, including Houthi rebels, al-Qaeda and Islamic State militants. On Saturday, the US said it was withdrawing its troops from the country due to the worsening security situation. Houthi fighters dressed in military uniform could be seen arriving at the airport, while dozens of tanks and military vehicles could be seen heading south towards Taiz, eyewitnesses told reporters. The Houthi fighters were said to be supported by fighters loyal to former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. The strategic city of Taiz is located between the capital, Sanaa, and the southern city of Aden. The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on Yemen's security situation on Sunday."

*Yemen crisis: Heavy fighting for Zinjibar (BBC, Aug 8, 2015):* "Pro-government forces in Yemen have launched an offensive on the rebel-held capital of southern Abyan province, military sources say. They say the troops, using tanks and other military equipment supplied by a Saudi-led coalition, were attacking Zinjibar from the north and south. The fall of the city would deal another blow to the Houthi rebels, who have suffered a number of recent defeats. They were driven out of a key airbase this week, following the loss of Aden. Heavy casualties were reported during the fighting for al-Anad airbase, north of Aden. Separately, the United Arab Emirates' official WAM agency said on Saturday that three Emirati soldiers were killed while taking part in the Saudi-led campaign to defeat the rebels who still control much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The Houthis advanced south in March, forcing President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia...."

*Nuclear deal: Saudis signal they'll act before Iran gets the money (yahoo, July 17, 2015):* "The nuclear deal that will lift tough sanctions on Iran is mobilizing Saudi Arabia to turn the tide against its regional rival in Yemen and Syria before it makes an economic recovery, military officials and analysts say. According to the sources, the military component of the Saudi offensive will include the use of special forces on the ground in Yemen, and a potentially widened use of Saudi and allied Sunni air power in Syria. The Saudis have signaled their intent to employ ground forces in Yemen previously, but have not done so. But the potential military initiatives, coupled with signs that the Saudis are cultivating better diplomatic ties with Russia and China, would be a strong indication of how the Iran nuclear deal could impact the regional order in the Middle East. While many Arab leaders, including UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, were quick to welcome Tuesday’s historic deal bringing Iran back into the international fold, Saudi Arabia’s silence spoke volumes. Rather than reporting remarks from King Salman, the state-run Saudi Press Agency carried a short statement attributed to an “official source” maintaining that Saudi Arabia was “always in favor of an agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group [the US, France, China, Russia, the UK, and Germany]” but stressing the need to continue “the sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism.” State-run newspapers were even more critical of the deal. The "Riyadh" warned that the lifting of sanctions will allow Iran to “persist in its expansionist policies and extend their influence in the Arab region” and “spread conflict” - a theme that has become the Saudi narrative. “An Iran without sanctions will pump billions of dollars to its proxies, which are destabilizing Yemen, Syria, and Iraq,” says Jasser al Jasser, managing editor of the pro-government Al Jazeerah daily. “Saudi Arabia will not allow Iran to take advantage of this deal.” According to the military officials and analysts, the nuclear deal has left the Saudis scrambling to make as many battlefield gains in neighboring states as possible before sanctions are lifted over the next year, potentially leaving Iran flush with more than $100 billion in unfrozen funds and new revenues - resources they say Tehran will use to expand its proxy wars. The first priority for Riyadh’s new offensive is Yemen, observers say, where it has been embroiled in a mostly ineffectual but deadly four-month campaign of airstrikes to secure a foothold for the pro-Saudi government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, currently in exile in Saudi Arabia. “Yemen is the red line for Saudi Arabia. We will see military escalations in Yemen in the coming days in order to prevent what Saudi sees as an Iranian foothold in the Gulf,” says Mustafa Alani, director of security and defense studies at the Jeddah-based Gulf Research Center. Buoyed by this week’s gains by pro-government forces, who seized the airport and other neighborhoods in Aden, and pressured by the Iranian deal, Riyadh is set to dispatch dozens of special forces to Yemen to take part in a ground fight to capture and secure the southern port city, military officials say. “The tide of the war is turning, and the coalition is prepared to take the next step to secure southern Yemen,” says a Saudi official close to the operation but who is unauthorized to speak to the press. According to military officials and observers, once the Saudi-led coalition makes headway in Yemen, Riyadh and its Sunni allies will shift their focus to Syria, where Iran has dispatched an estimated 7,000 troops and is providing billions of dollars in annual support to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. “If the coalition is successful in Yemen, we will very likely see it entering Syria,” Mr. Alani says, referring to the Sunni alliance of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, and Kuwait. Saudi military officials refused to discuss in detail any potential plans for Syria, adding only that Riyadh is willing to use air power to provide cover for the anti-Assad Free Syrian Army, which currently receives funding and arms from the Saudis, and to target “Hezbollah and Iranian targets.” Until now the Saudi Air Force has engaged in limited sorties against Islamic State targets in Syria. Concerns that Saudi Arabia has communicated privately to the United States have been enough to prompt US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to announce a trip to Riyadh designed to allay the House of Saud’s fears and avert any military escalation. However, observers say the visit will not be enough to prevent a fundamental shift in Saudi foreign policy. Analysts say Riyadh will now put substantial resources and effort into its own diplomacy to expand its influence beyond the US and Europe - namely with Russia and China. “You have heard the word ‘diversify’ recently in relation to Saudi foreign relations, and the Obama administration has brought home the thought that Saudi must branch out and see the support of other powers,” says Salman Sheikh, director of the Brookings Doha Center. “With this deal, Saudi by necessity will reach out to other world powers,” he says. “Now the only question is how Russia and China will respond.” The shift began in the lead-up to the nuclear deal, with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman making a high-profile visit to St. Petersburg in June and inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to Riyadh. Now, rather than sending a “warning signal” to the US, officials say Riyadh is preparing to go all-in, embarking on a full diplomatic push to build alliances with Moscow and Beijing. The hope, Saudi officials say, is that in return for oil supplies as well as trade and investment opportunities - such as the government’s $10 billion investment in the Moscow-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund this month - Russia and China would lessen their support for Iranian-backed Shiite proxies in Syria and Yemen. “After four decades, we are finally realizing the importance of world powers beside the US - and this is the key to ending the Iranian-supported conflicts in the region,” the Saudi military official said. “If Iran can expand its influence in the region through diplomacy and negotiations, so can we.”"

*Yemen Militia Says It Is Besieging Rebels at Strategic Base (abcnews, Apr 18, 2015):* "Militiamen loyal to Yemen's exiled president besieged an air base Saturday once crucial to the U.S. drone program targeting al-Qaida militants in the country, trying to dislodge the Shiite rebels holding the complex, a spokesman said. Qa'ed Nasser, a spokesman for the pro-Hadi militia, said his fighters launched several attacks on the Al-Annad air base amid airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition targeting the rebels, known as Houthis. He said that the Houthis have been forced to abandon parts of the base due to the attacks. Houthi rebels declined to comment on the fighting at the base, only 60 kilometers (35 miles) away from Aden, the port city where President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi had established a temporary capital before fleeing the country. The base was crucial in the U.S. drone campaign against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which America considers to be the most dangerous branch of the terror group. U.S. operations against the militants have been scaled back dramatically amid the chaos in Yemen. U.S. officials have said CIA drone strikes will continue in the country, though there will be fewer of them. The agency's ability to collect intelligence on the ground in Yemen, while not completely gone, is also much diminished. About 100 U.S. military advisers based at Al-Annad withdrew last month due to deteriorating security conditions..." *Yemen crisis: Saudi Arabia pledges $274m to meet UN call for aid (BBC, Apr 18, 2015):* "Saudi Arabia, which is leading an air campaign against rebels in Yemen, has pledged to provide exactly the amount of emergency aid to the country as called for in a UN appeal on Friday. The official Saudi news agency said it has promised $274m (£183m; €255m) in humanitarian aid. Yemen has been wracked by fighting between Houthi rebels and government troops. The UN says 150,000 people have been displaced by fighting. It also says 12 million are short of food. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud announced the aid late on Friday, saying his country would "stand fully by the brotherly people of Yemen". A Saudi-led coalition has been launching air strikes against the rebels in 18 of Yemen's 22 provinces, exacerbating an existing humanitarian crisis..."

*Yemen conflict: Dozens killed in Aden heavy shelling (BBC, July 19, 2015):* "At least 43 people have been killed in shelling by Yemeni Houthi rebels in the southern city of Aden, officials say. They say at least 120 others were wounded in Sunday's bombardment, which came amid attempts by government forces to tighten their grip on the city. Aden has seen months of heavy fighting between rebels and loyalists. Pro-government forces, backed by air strikes from a Saudi-led coalition, last week recaptured most of the port city, including the airport. On Sunday, fierce clashes raged in Aden's northern district of Dar Saad. A Houthi rebel leader denied bombarding the district, but Yemeni medics said the shelling came from the rebel-held areas, the Associated Press news agency reports. Overnight pro-government militias failed to capture the last remaining rebel stronghold in the city - the Tawahi peninsula in the south. The government fled Aden in March, as the Houthis - Shia Muslims from the north who control the capital Sanaa - pushed towards the provincial capital. Following the recent advances by loyalist forces, the exiled government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi declared the area "liberated" on Thursday...."

*Iran promoting terrorism, taking over Iraq: KSA (arabnews, March 6, 2015):* "Iran’s belligerent policies, which are hampering all plans for restoring peace and security in the Middle East, came under fire during talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and the foreign ministers of the GCC states on Thursday. Kerry also called on Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and discussed key regional issues, including the Iranian nuclear negotiations. Kerry’s talks with King Salman mainly focused on bilateral and regional issues, including an emerging nuclear deal with Iran, Syria and Iran’s role in Iraq. On the Iranian nuclear negotiations, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal categorically stated that Kerry had given full assurances that the US would continue to monitor Iran’s “destabilizing” actions and behavior. Referring to the Iranian nuclear negotiations, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom extended support to the negotiations between Iran and P+5 bloc of countries. “But, the Kingdom also supports a strong international inspection to ensure that Iran is not seeking to manufacture or possess nuclear weapons,” said Prince Saud, while renewing his support for peaceful use of nuclear energy by Iran or any other country of the region. He also reminded Kerry that the GCC leaders had voiced their concerns time and again about Tehran’s covert support to the Syrian regime. He accused Iran of meddling in the affairs of the Arab world, saying that “Tehran today promotes terrorism (and) it occupies lands ... these are not the features of a country that seeks to improve its relations with its neighbors.” Prince Saud made these remarks, while addressing a joint press conference with Kerry at the Riyadh Airbase. Calling his talks with Kerry “fruitful, constructive and transparent,” Prince Saud said that he discussed several regional issues with the US secretary of state, including Iran, Syria, Yemen, Libya and the Middle East peace process. Kerry, who also met the GCC foreign ministers on Thursday, briefed them about the nuclear talks with Iran and discussed ways to bring peace and stability to Yemen. Speaking alongside Kerry at the press conference, Prince Saud gave a detailed account of the problems posed by Iran. He said that the involvement of Iran in the push being made by Iraqi forces alongside militias to retake the Iraqi city of Tikrit from the Islamic State was a prime example of what worries Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. Prince Saud, in clear terms, said that “Iran was taking over Iraq.” The foreign minister also called on the US-led coalition conducting airstrikes against the IS in Syria and Iraq to fight the militants on the ground. “Saudi Arabia, which is part of the coalition, stresses the need to provide military means and support required to face this challenge on the ground,” said Prince Saud. He reiterated the Kingdom’s support to the legitimate government of Yemen led by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. “The Saudi support to Hadi is in line with the support and policies expressed by the GCC, the Arab League and the UN Security Council,” he said. The foreign minister also expressed his strong concerns over the Middle East peace process, which is not making any headway. Prince Saud renewed the call for an independent Palestinian state. The two leaders touched on the prospects of reviving peace negotiations between Israel and Palestinians. Prince Saud, however, lamented that all efforts to revive the negotiations are failing. “It is mainly because of Israel’s policy of stubbornness and procrastination,” said the prince. Asked about the regional turmoil for which Syrian regime is greatly responsible, Kerry said: “Military pressure may be needed to oust Syria’s President Bashar Assad ... He has lost any semblance of legitimacy, but we have no higher priority than disrupting and defeating the IS and other terror networks.” On the question of Iranian nuclear negotiations, Kerry said Washington was not seeking a “grand bargain” with Iran that would involve wider political and security cooperation with Iran, and insisted that a nuclear deal with Iran would address security concerns of Gulf countries. Kerry’s visit to Saudi Arabia follows three days of talks this week with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Switzerland aimed at persuading Iran to restrain its nuclear enrichment program. On Yemen, Kerry stated that the US supports “the peace process led by the UN” and within the framework of the GCC initiative for Yemen. The UN-mediated talks, that have failed to progress substantially of late, are aimed at breaking the political stalemate between the Houthis and the legitimate faction led by Yemeni President Hadi, he added. Kerry also conveyed to King Salman the greetings of US President Barack Obama. On his part, the king sent his greetings to the US president. The audience was attended by Prince Saud; Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif and Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On the American side, the talks were attended by US Ambassador to the Kingdom Joseph W. Westphal, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Kurt Ted, US State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki and other high-ranking American officials." *Iran’s hunger for regional hegemony (arabnews, March 3, 2015):* "Iran's fingerprints are everywhere. Its activities expand throughout the region, mostly around Saudi Arabia, in Iraq, Yemen, the Gulf, Syria and Lebanon, where it is involved in politics, media, oil, weaponry and religion. So is it an expanded confrontation, or are the region’s disturbances, resulting from the Arab Spring and its collapses, the only reason for what is happening? The dispute with Iran is old. Some of it has been inherited, and most is the result of a policy followed by Iran’s leadership, which does not hide its aspiration to expand and export its revolution to the region. Despite the enthusiasm and propaganda, it took Iran 34 years to expand. As such, its gains have been humble given the long period. Riyadh and Tehran previously met in the wake of confronting Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, and reached a reconciliation agreement under Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani. Tensions did end, but reconciliation did not last more than five years, after the Saudis realized that Iran had not stopped its expansionism. Iran is currently in an offensive state, the likes of which we have not seen in modern history. It is directly fighting in Syria and Iraq, and has proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen and elsewhere. It also has a presence in Sudan, although President Omar Bashir claims he has shut down all Iranian offices. Yemen is the latest Iranian venture, but Tehran is incapable of succeeding there. Regardless of how much effort it makes via the Houthi rebels and ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen remains socially and politically close to Saudi Arabia. Yemen will cost Iran more than it thinks as time passes and as the struggle worsens. Foreign parties, such as western countries, will realize that Iran’s expansionist appetite is not only a threat to countries in the region but it also targets areas of stability and supports violent groups that threaten the world. This has been the nature of the Iranian regime since the 1980s. It imitates the old Soviet model by supporting what it calls “liberation movements in the Third World,” for the sake of harming regimes that do not agree with its political path. Iran also focuses on supporting certain groups in the region against central governments. In Lebanon, it supports Hezbollah and has weakened the central government, although the latter does not oppose Iran in Lebanon’s surroundings. Similarly, Iran has supported Hamas against the Palestinian Authority, although the latter was never against Tehran. Iran has supported the Houthis for years, although Saleh’s regime then had good relations with Tehran. In Iraq, Iran’s policy and involvement is much clearer. It supports militias and parties more than it supports the central government. Tehran supports the so-called popular mobilization forces in Iraq as an alternative to the national army, parts of which do not agree with Iran. In this context, and that of an arms race, all parties are re-evaluating their military capabilities and looking to strengthen them. If Iran does not end its incursions in the Gulf and beyond, and if it continues to reject solutions to major struggles such as Syria’s, then confrontations will increase and their severity will worsen. It will become harder to control disputes and their repercussions. Why do we ask Iran, and not Saudi Arabia, to stop? Because Tehran is always on the offensive while Riyadh is on the defensive, just like what is happening in Yemen."

*Yemen Officials Say Al-Qaida Seizes Key Areas of Aden (abcnews, Aug 22, 2015):* “High-ranking officials in Yemen’s port city of Aden say al-Qaida militants have taken control of key areas of the city. They said Saturday the fighters have seized the Tawahi district entirely and were patrolling the streets. The area is home to a presidential palace and a port. The officials, who hail from the military, security forces and police, spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to journalists. Al-Qaida’s Yemen branch is considered by Washington to be the most dangerous offshoot of the terror network. Yemen’s conflict pits the Iran-allied Houthis and troops loyal to the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, against an array of forces including southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants as well as troops loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.”

*Rival Yemeni Camps Entrench as Iran Flights Arrive (abcnews, March 1, 2015):* "An Iranian airplane delivered supplies to Yemen's Shiite rebel-held capital on Sunday, while the president gained support from influential tribal and provincial leaders in signs that the rival camps seeking to rule the rapidly unravelling country are entrenching their positions. The first direct flight from Shiite powerhouse Iran to Sanaa was carrying 12 tons of medical supplies as well as tents and Red Crescent aid workers, Iran's deputy ambassador Rasai Ebadi told The Associated Press. It came a day after rebel Houthi representatives signed an agreement in Tehran to set up 14 direct weekly flights between the two countries. The move underscored how the rebels, who are widely suspected of being backed by Iran, are strengthening their grip over state institutions and exercising sovereign power in Sanaa even as the country's president insists he is still in charge after fleeing to the south..."

*Major Arab countries should help solve regional problems: Bahrain FM (gulfnews, Dec 10, 2016):* "Manama: Major Arab countries should be involved in solving the region’s problems, Bahrain’s foreign minister has said. Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Jordan and Egypt, as well other ‘modern’ states could help to spread peace and establish security, Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa said. The GCC, established in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Iraq will hopefully re-emerge as a strong nation in the Arab world because it is one of the major countries and active actors in the region, and its strength, unity and stability are essential elements in the stability of the whole region, the minister said as he addressed the Manama Dialogue, an international security conference held annually in the Bahraini capital. Shaikh Khalid said that the 37th GCC Summit held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Bahrain was an important stage in the progress of joint work. Its outcomes will give a strong impetus to GCC countries to move forward towards wider and closer cooperation in the defense and security fields, as well as further economic integration. In his speech, Shaikh Khalid lauded the outcome of the meeting on Wednesday between the GCC leaders and British Prime Minister Theresa May who was making her first visit to the region since she moved into Downing Street in July. May made history by becoming the first British Prime Minister and the first woman to attend a GCC summit. The meeting affirmed the importance of bolstering the strong historic relations between the GCC and the UK that stretch over 200 years and expressed a shared keenness to create further opportunities for economic and security cooperation for the interest of both sides, Shaikh Khalid said. The foreign minister added that Bahrain and the other GCC countries were keen on their international partnerships and alliances with the United States, the United Kingdom and friendly countries and regional and international organizations. These partnerships will continue to serve the interests of all parties, as well as strengthen the international role of the GCC as an active partner to achieve security, peace and stability in the region and the world, he said. However, Shaikh Khalid criticised the role of Iran in undermining the security and stability of the region, pointing out that Tehran has been playing this dangerous role for more than 30 years, exploiting every conflict in the region in an effort to extend its influence. Iran also supported terrorism in the region and the formation of proxy armies in the Arab states to undermine security and stability, and used Wilayat Al Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) to get followers across the world, he said. Good relations cannot be built with Iran unless it drastically changes its policies and cooperates transparently and seriously with the countries of the region, the minister added."

*U.S. Forces Evacuate Yemen After Al Qaeda Seizes City (nbcnews, March 21, 2015):* "About 100 U.S. Special Operations Forces have been ordered to evacuate Yemen because of a dramatic increase in sectarian violence, sources told NBC News on Saturday. The U.S. commandos, including Green Berets and Navy Seals, have been training Yemeni military forces in counterterrorism operations, but the Americans have not been involved in direct ground combat maneuvers against militants. The move comes as al Qaeda fighters captured the capital of a southern Yemen province late Friday, leading to the deaths of about 20 soldiers, Reuters reported. Earlier, four suicide bombers hit a pair of crowded mosques in the capital of Sanaa, killing at least 137 people and injuring more than 300 others, officials said. The American forces in Yemen have also been gathering intelligence to target al Qaeda-linked terrorists and other militants for U.S. airstrikes in the region...." *Al Qaeda Driven Out of Yemen City After Killing 20 Soldiers (nbcnews, March 21, 2015):* "Al Qaeda fighters captured the capital of a province in southern Yemen late on Friday, killing about 20 soldiers, before they were driven out by the army, local officials and residents said. The fighting came hours after suicide bombers killed 137 people in the national capital Sanaa, in coordinated attacks claimed by ISIS, an al Qaeda offshoot that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq. Fighters from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) were forced to withdraw late on Friday night from al-Houta after holding it for several hours, the officials and residents said. Two army brigades then entered the city, capital of Lahj Province. There were no reports of any militant casualties...."

*Yemen: Millions in Counterfeit Currency Run by Coup Militias (aawsat, May 29, 2017):* "Coup militias in Yemen have staged multiple attempts for running and laundering millions of counterfeit Yemeni Riyals, as well as illegal arms, a military source said. The trafficking largely was directed towards Sa’ada, where the Houthi insurgency leader Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi is based. It also comes a few days after government forces seized hundreds of millions of counterfeit cash in the Jawf province, northeast the country. Jawf’s National Army and Popular Resistance Spokesman Abdullah al-Ashraf told Asharq Al-Awsat that anti-government militias try, on almost daily basis, to smuggle large sums of counterfeit money, illegal arms and drugs..."