Hadi government loses Taiz – Visit to Yemen – Cholera – No more wheat can be imported to Yemen – Famine – US and Saudi – Yemeni war wounded treated in Oman – Saudi arms purchases – UK foreign policy – Secret british arms sales – Bomb attack at Aden – and more
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
Klassifizierung / Classification
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche/ UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp9 USA
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
cp13b Flüchtlinge / Refugees
cp13c Finanzen / Finances
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
Klassifizierung / Classification
***
**
*
(Kein Stern / No star)
A = Aktuell / Current news
B = Hintergrund / Background
C = Chronik / Chronicle
D = Details
E = Wirtschaft / Economy
H = Humanitäre Fragen / Humanitarian questions
K = Krieg / War
P = Politik / Politics
PH = Pro-Houthi
PS = Pro-Saudi
T = Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
17.12.2016 – Middle East Eye (** A P)
Yemen government kicked out of Taiz by Popular Resistance
Fighters say they now run the province after expelling Hadi-appointed civil servants, amid claims of corruption and abandonment
Armed groups belonging to the "Popular Resistance" have taken over the government of large areas of Taiz province, kicking out civil directors appointed by the internationally recognised Yemen government and claiming corruption and lack of support in the battle against the Houthi rebels.
In an interview with Middle East Eye in the battle-scarred government compound in al-Turbah, Abu Hamza, the local leader of the Salafi "Hasm" group, said loyalists of President Abd Rabbuh Monsour Hadi had diverted taxes back to his powerbase in Aden, refused to pay public workers, and had done nothing to support the Popular Resistance as it fought to break a Houthi siege earlier this year.
In response, Abu Hamza and his men took control, kicking out the Hadi-appointed governors and taking over local ministries including health and education.
The 43-year-old is now the effective governor of al-Turbah and the surrounding al-Shimayateen district. It is a rise from humble beginnings. Abu Hamza worked as a restaurant cashier in Sanaa, the country's capital, before the war after gaining a management certificate at the the city's university.
"The government did not send us enough support, not even one minister has visited us in Taiz, and they are only sending us decisions of new appointments in different offices. This is ridiculous behaviour," he said.
"There are educated people inside the Popular Resistance, and we can manage everything in Taiz province, and do not need any appointments, neither from the Houthis nor Hadi's government."
The Popular Resistance groups were formed to defend against the advances of the Houthi rebels after they kicked out Hadi and took over Sanaa in September 2014.
But resistance leaders say they have received little aid from Hadi and his Saudi backers, even as Taiz fell under Houthi siege earlier this year. Local resistance fighters say they were left to break the stranglehold.
As a result, they are now the pre-eminent force in liberated areas, and there is deep resentment for the Hadi government among many in the resistance.
Abu Hamza stated that the Popular Resistance had worked hard to co-operate with the government, but it had failed to supply any local offices with a budget, and the government-appointed directors were interested only in sending local taxes to Aden.
The Hasm group's control of power is not welcomed by many spoken to by MEE.
Hashim stated that some of the government-appointed directors had mostly left for Aden, while others were stuck at home without work.
The militarised nature of the Popular Resistance means their power is on display in al-Turbah and beyond; men with guns dominate civic institutions.
There is not a single street free from armed men. The resistance says they are stationed here for security. To ordinary civilians, their presence brings the possibility of violence.
There are about 10 groups of the resistance in Taiz province, meaning competing agendas and a difficult reconciliation when the war against the Houthis ends.
Hasm is one of the biggest groups inside the Taiz resistance, though its chief, Adnan Rozaiq, is originally from Shabwa. The province is a stronghold of al-Qaeda in Yemen, but Hasm rejects any links to the group.
While the arguments between local resistance fighters and the Hadi government continue, those stuck in the middle get nothing: no one is getting paid.
The resistance does not pay government employees in areas it controls. Nor does the Hadi government. Nor do the Houthis.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-taiz-rival-governments-888607796
My comment: Something like that could be expected since quite a long time. There already showed up the idea of an independent Taiz ca. half a year ago. – The move of the “popular resistance” shows how little backing “president” Hadi and his international recognized “government” really do have in Yemen. – And it shows that the Houthis certainly had been right when objecting corruption and nepotism to Hadi and his government. – The anger in Taiz had increased because there was no more payment of state employees: a direct consequence of Hadi’s politically motivated Central Bank maneuvers. – And this article also makes clear what a militant, gun wearing militia this “popular Resistance” is. For the civilians living at Taiz, they certainly are not a touch better than the Houthis, certainly shelling no less. The only thing is that pro-Hadi propaganda is better and is more reflected in the western media.
16.12.2016 – The New York Times (** A K)
We visited the place the world has forgotten
Yemen is mired in conflict, with rebels holding the capital and Saudi Arabia bombing them, with American help. Our reporters witnessed the devastating effects – by Ben Hubbard and Tyler Hicks
[Show, with texts, photos, and films from refugee camps]
16.12.2016 – World Health Organisation (** A H)
Weekly update - Cholera cases in Yemen
The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen has reported new cases of cholera in Yemen.
Since the last update on 6 December, 1173 new suspected cases of acute watery diarrhoea/ cholera and 3 additional deaths have been reported. As of 13 December, a cumulative total of 10 148 suspected cases of cholera, including 92 associated deaths have been reported across all affected governorates, with a case–fatality rate of 1%. The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae 01 has risen to 156.
The affected areas include 135 districts in the governorates of Abyan, Aden, Al-Bayda'a, Al-Dhale'a, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Amran, Dhamar, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Raymah, Sana'a, Ta'izz as well as Sana'a City. However, over 65% of the reported cases were from Aden, Al-Bayda, Al Hudaydah and Ta’izz. About 70% of the reported deaths occurred in the governorates of Aden, Al Bayda’a, Al Hudaydah, Ibb and Ta’izz.
The cholera taskforce led by WHO, in partnership with the Ministry, UNICEF, OCHA and other partner organizations, continues to strengthen cholera response activities at the national and governorate levels.
Acute watery diarrhoeal diseases are endemic in Yemen, however the ongoing conflict has stretched the capacity of the national health systems.
More than 7.6 million people, and more than 3 million internally displaced persons currently live in areas affected by the outbreak.
http://www.emro.who.int/surveillance-forecasting-response/outbreaks/cholera-update-yemen.html
16.12.2016 – Reuters (** A E H)
Yemen traders halt new wheat imports as famine approaches
Yemen's biggest traders have stopped new wheat imports due to a crisis at the central bank, documents seen by Reuters show, another blow to the war-torn country where millions are suffering acute malnutrition.
Trade and aid sources say the situation was compounded in September when Yemen's exiled president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, ordered the central bank's headquarters moved from the capital Sanaa, controlled by Houthi rebels in the north, to the southern port of Aden, the seat of the new government.
This has led in effect to a de facto partition, with rival institutions in the north and south.
In a Nov. 30 letter addressed to Yemen's trade ministry in Saana, which the company had dealt with before Hadi's decree to move, leading trader Fahem Group, said: "We would like to inform you that we have been unable to conduct any new contracts for wheat as local banks cannot transfer dollars for the value of any wheat cargoes."
Fahem Group said in the letter, seen by Reuters, that it wanted to continue importing wheat to cover the population's needs but was unable to open letters of credit.
Bread forms a major part of people's diet in Yemen.
Even before the move, the central bank, aiming to shore up dwindling foreign currency, had stopped providing guarantees for importers, leaving them to finance shipments themselves.
Fahem Group imported an estimated 1.2 million tonnes of wheat into the Red Sea port of Saleef between April 2015 and April 2016, which accounted for between 30 to 40 percent of Yemen's total wheat imports, according to trade estimates.
A separate letter, also addressed to the Houthi-run authorities in Sanaa by major importer Hayel Saeed Group and other large traders, said those firms had stopped new wheat shipments and urged resolution of the financing problems. Together, those groups accounted for almost all the rest of the wheat imports.
CENTRAL BANK CRISIS
A source with the central bank in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa said it had no access to foreign reserves at all.
"Importers will have to turn to the Aden central bank for access. This is something outside of its control," the source said. "Wheat imports have stopped since a little less than a month (ago) and the reserves are around two months now as some prior deals are arriving."
Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, told Reuters, when contacted about the letters: "With this notification by these food importers, they are going to find it challenging, difficult, and maybe even impossible to bring in the wheat for a period of time now."
Salah Hajj Hassan, representative in Yemen for UN food agency FAO, said the decision to transfer the central bank to Aden "will have a devastating effect on the already deteriorating economic performance".
"Traders who are engaged in importing food are worried that, unless, alternative arrangement is foreseen, this decision will leave them financially exposed and make it harder to bring in supplies in Yemen," Hassan told Reuters.
Shipping and aid sources said even ships that are prepared to berth must wait in line to offload their cargoes. This, together with mounting insurance costs and uncertainty about exchange rates and accepted currencies at the ports, has led to more delays, and higher and more volatile prices – By Jonathan Saul and Maha El Dahan
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-food-exclusive-idUSKBN1450H6
16.12.2016 – AFP (** A E H)
Yemen wheat traders raise fears about imports
One of the trading companies, owned by the Fahem Group, has been lobbying UK parliamentarians, including Keith Vaz, chairman of the parliamentary group on Yemen, seeking a solution to free up dollar funds so traders can resume shipments and ward off the prospect of famine. “Surely food has to be a neutral issue,” said a Fahem spokesman.
The Fahem Group has one 50,000 metric tonne vessel waiting to discharge at the Red Sea port of Salif and another 30,000 tonne ship at nearby Hodeida. Wheat stocks in the country are estimated to be sufficient for no more than two months. “So these are literally the final shipments of wheat into Yemen for the foreseeable future,” said the Fahem spokesman.
Traders, who need $12.5m to fund a single 50,000 metric tonne shipment, have relied on the central bank to guarantee an exchange rate on staples such as wheat and rice, allowing traders to change riyals into dollars to purchase commodities abroad.
Fahem says it has lodged Yemeni riyals for seven shipments valued at about $100m, or most of its trading capital, but has not received dollars yet.
The central bank’s assets have declined to less than $1bn, and the institution was already struggling to fund food imports before the Hadi government in September announced it was moving the bank to Aden from Sanaa.
“The move seems to have compounded these problems, with traders saying they have no clarity on the availability of foreign exchange and no guarantees on currency stability,” said Peter Salisbury of Chatham House.
The central bank’s move to Aden has also led to months of non-payment of salaries to more than a million Yemeni civil servants, deepening the food crisis and further closing down a health system that is on the verge of collapse, with fewer than one in three of the population having access to medical care.
Hunger is acutest in the rugged northern regions that form the powerbase of the Houthi movement. In these mountain provinces, stunting — delayed growth in children caused by chronic malnutrition — affects eight in 10 children – by Simeon Kerr
https://www.ft.com/content/181372e0-c376-11e6-9bca-2b93a6856354
16.12.2016 – Reuters (** A H)
Jemen steht nach fast zwei Jahren Krieg vor einer Hungersnot.
Im ganzen Land sterben die Kinder, sagte der UN-Koordinator für humanitäre Hilfe in dem Land, Jamie McGoldrick, am Freitag. Für mehr als die Hälfte der 28 Millionen Jemeniten sei die Versorgung mit Nahrungsmitteln nicht gesichert, sieben Millionen seien akut von Hunger bedroht. Erschwert wird die Lage dadurch, dass die großen Getreidehändler den Import von Weizen wegen Finanzierungsproblemen infolge der chaotischen Situation der Notenbank Jemens eingestellt haben.
Nach Informationen der Vereinten Nationen (UN) sind in Jemen acht von zehn Kindern unterernährt. Alle zehn Minuten stirbt eines an vermeidbaren Krankheiten. Die UN schätzen, dass 18,8 Millionen Menschen in dem Land humanitäre Hilfe benötigen.
http://de.reuters.com/article/jemen-hunger-idDEKBN14517K und hier mit einigen Bildern http://www.watson.ch/International/Saudi-Arabien/575271774-Bilder--die-wehtun--Im-Jemen-droht-Hungersnot
Mein Kommentar: „steht … vor“ ist schon eine Untertreibung.
16.12.2016 – Save the Children (** A H)
Im Jemen benötigen 21 Millionen Menschen dringend humanitäre Hilfe
– das sind 82 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung. Das Land ist Schauplatz einer der größten humanitären Krise der Welt, doch kaum jemand schaut hin.
Save the Children ist vor Ort, um Kindern und ihren Familien zu helfen. Doch wir müssen unsere Arbeit dringend ausweiten. Bitte unterstützen Sie unsere Nothilfe in Jemen mit Ihrer Spende!
Seit März 2015 herrscht Krieg im Jemen – eine dramatische Situation für die Kinder. Bei Kämpfen und Luftangriffen wurden bereits mehr als 6.500 Menschen getötet, 95 Prozent von ihnen waren Zivilisten, mindestens davon 1.188 Kinder.
Infolge des Konflikts haben Hunderttausende Familien weder genug zu essen noch zu trinken; die Menschen leiden Hunger. Ein Drittel aller Kinder unter fünf Jahren sind akut mangelernährt. Sie müssen dringend medizinisch versorgt werden. Doch das Gesundheitssystem im Land ist zusammengebrochen – Krankenhäuser wurden zerstört, es fehlen Ärzte und Medikamente. Das Leben von Millionen Kindern steht auf dem Spiel.
Trotz der extrem unsicheren Lage im Jemen sind unsere Teams vor Ort im Einsatz und arbeiten rund um die Uhr, um Kindern und ihren Familien zu helfen.
Wir behandeln mangelernährte Kinder und versorgen sie mit Spezialnahrung und Vitaminpräparaten.
Wir bauen Gesundheitseinrichtungen wieder auf und sind mit mobilen Gesundheitsteams in abgelegenen Regionen im Einsatz.
Wir versorgen Gemeinden mit sauberem Trinkwasser, Hygiene-Sets und Geld für Nahrungsmittel.
Wir errichten Schutzräume für Kinder, in denen sie spielen und lernen können.
Save the Children arbeitet seit 1963 im Jemen, unter anderem in den Bereichen Bildung, Kinderschutz, Gesundheit und Ernährung. Seit der Konflikt im März 2015 eskaliert ist, haben wir mehr als eine Million Menschen mit unserer Nothilfe erreicht – darunter 576.000 Kinder.
Doch wir müssen dringen mehr tun. Bitte unterstützen Sie unsere Arbeit im Jemen mit Ihrer Spende. Vielen Dank.
http://www.savethechildren.de/wege-zu-helfen/ihr-engagement/nothilfe/nothilfe-jemen/
16.12.2016 – Reuters (**A H)
Yemen edging nearer famine as war, 'shredded economy' take toll: U.N. official
Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe is set to worsen as the war has ruined the economy and is stopping food supplies getting through, driving the country to the brink of famine, the top U.N. aid official in the country told Reuters.
"Throughout the whole of this country kids are dying," said Jamie McGoldrick. U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen.
Nearly two years of war between a Saudi-led Arab coalition and the Iran-allied Houthi movement has left more than half of Yemen's 28 million people "food insecure", with 7 million of them enduring hunger, according to the United Nations.
In the latest setback, Yemen's biggest traders have stopped new wheat imports due to a crisis at the central bank, documents seen by Reuters show.
Already, eight out of 10 children are stunted by malnutrition and every 10 minutes a child dies due to preventable diseases, U.N. agency figures show. To scrape by, several families often rely on one salary-earner, and child marriage is increasing, with girls married off at the age of 15 on average, and often younger.
The U.N. estimates that 18.8 million people need some form of humanitarian aid but it struggles to deliver supplies, partly because of the war and partly due to a lack of funding. The disruption of wheat shipments will exacerbate the problem.
"We know that early next year we will face significant problems," said McGoldrick, who described the economy as "shredded".
Almost half of Yemen's 22 governorates are already officially rated as being in an emergency food situation, he said. That is four on a five-point scale, where five is famine.
"I know there are some worrying developments and the deterioration we’ve seen in the economy and the health services and the ability to supply food would only give us an estimate that things are going to get much worse," McGoldrick said.
"Famine" means more than two people dying per day for every 10,000 in the population, or about 5,500 deaths per day across a country of Yemen's size, according to a Reuters calculation. The current "emergency" across much of Yemen still means 1-2 deaths per 10,000, suggesting thousands may die of hunger every day – By Tom Miles
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-un-idUSKBN1450X1
16.12.2016 – Oxfam (** A H)
Film: Half a million children in #Yemen are fighting for life, fighting for breath. Every day that passes, more lives are lost. #YemenCrisis
https://twitter.com/OxfamYemen/status/809724963611705344
16.12.2016 – PRI (** B P)
The US just made it harder for Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen. The people of Yemen barely noticed.
President Barack Obama signaled his concern about civilian casualties in the Yemen war on Tuesday, when he halted a major resupply of smart bombs to the Saudi Arabian air force.
Experts say the move could put Saudi Arabia in a serious bind when it comes to acquiring the munitions it needs to carry out its controversial air campaign in Yemen.
But observers have been quick to temper optimism about the move. People in Yemen barely noticed. After all, the bombing there has not stopped. And the same day the United States announced it was halting the weapons shipment, the US Air Force delivered the Saudis four new fighter jets — aircraft designed to launch the same precision-guided munitions that the Obama administration had just withheld.
Under the Obama administration, the United States has offered the Saudis $115 billion in planes, bombs, missiles and support services. That includes the strap-on guided munition kits that convert the traditional "dumb bombs," in use for the past century, into "smart bombs" — high-tech weapons which, dropped from a passing plane, can independently zero in on a target through laser, radio and radar guidance.
In Yemen, where airstrikes continued unabated this week, a hold on the sale of 16,000 Raytheon guided bomb kits seemed almost irrelevant.
It's hard to know what kind of effect the hold on the sale will have. No one but the Saudis, and possibly the US Department of Defense, knows for sure how many smart bombs the Saudis still have on hand.
But by withholding smart bomb kits, says Wezeman, the US is putting its Saudi allies in a bind.
SIPRI's Wezeman suggests that optimism may be premature.
He points out that on the same day the White House signaled its displeasure with the Saudis by halting the sale of smart bombs, four brand-new Boeing F-15SA fighter jets were delivered by the US Air Force to Saudi Arabia.
"These aircraft are optimized to drop these same precision-guided munitions that Washington has put on hold," Wezeman says.
There are 150 more Boeing F-15SA fighters in the pipeline.
On Jan. 20, a new president could choose to deliver smart bombs to go with the planes – by Stephen Snyder
Comment: [referring to headline] No, they didn't. US will be 'teaching' Saudis to be less clumpsy and be more precise when bombing. The US will advise on targets, intelligence will be more coordinated. Obviously no one in Yemen has noticed. Yemen has been equally under the bombs and, important: US has not halted arms deals with other members of the Saudi led Coalition. This is just propaganda.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1204110589641969
My comment: In addition to this article, look:
15.12.2016 – In the Now (*A K P)
Film: The U.S. supplies Saudi Arabia with bombs knowing they kill civilians in Yemen – HRW
The U.S. ships weapons to Saudis knowing they kill civilians in Yemen. One of the U.S.-made bombs that killed 31 civilians was manufactured in October 2015, months after it was clear the Saudi-led coalition was committing war crimes. The U.S. approved over $20 billion of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in 2015 alone, which may make “America complicit in unlawful strikes on civilians”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9U-MFd-IYE
16.12.2016 – Aljazeera (** B H K P)
Yemen's war wounded find comfort in 'brotherly' Oman
Civilians injured in air strikes are being treated free of charge in the neutral neighbouring country.
Oman has been lauded by the United Nations and the European Union for its assistance to those affected by the conflict.
As the fighting in Yemen continues, observers say the growing humanitarian crisis in the country could become increasingly challenging for Oman.
Oman's significant humanitarian role has not gone unnoticed among Yemenis from all sides, and will stand the Sultanate in good stead in terms of its future relations with Yemen," political analyst Leon T Goldsmith told Al Jazeera.
However, Goldsmith - who taught political science at Muscat's Sultan Qaboos University until recently - said the financial burden of providing medical assistance could become much more onerous if the conflict escalates. "The UN may be asked to assist Oman in this regard, as part of negotiations," he said.
The office of Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, declined to comment on Oman's role in the conflict, or to offer figures on the number of patients being treated in Omani hospitals.
Unofficially, however, thousands of Yemenis have been treated in Oman and then returned.
Health ministry sources said that two weeks ago, some 113 patients injured by Saudi-led coalition air strikes were given medical care in Oman. "On October 20, 130 more patients reached Oman for medical help," the sources added.
One Yemeni politician, who was recently in Oman for peace talks, told Al Jazeera that "Oman keeps its role silent, and that's the reason why they are accepted by all Yemeni factions".
Other observers say Oman is the "only" Arab country that the Houthi rebels trust. "This trust [that] Yemen factions, including Houthis, have for Oman did not come instantly, but rather with experience and by time. Yemeni factions are convinced that Oman seeks to help end the war in neighbouring Yemen and they let their actions speak for their intentions," Hakim Almasmari, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Yemen Post newspaper, told Al Jazeera. "If not for Oman, there would be no hope to end the current Yemen war."
Although Oman is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, it also maintains cordial relations with Iran and the Houthis.
Oman, the only GCC country not participating in the Saudi-led coalition, sees itself as a regional mediator bound to neutrality – by Baba Umar
14.12.2016 – Shephard Media (** B K)
Analysis: Saudi Arabia - A close customer (part 1 - land)
With Saudi Arabia engaged in military action in the Yemen, the kingdom is taking an active part in the wider Middle East conflict between Sunni and Shi’ite regimes that are fighting it out for dominance in the region. As the fighting gets ugly and atrocities are committed, questions are raised about the role of the West.
Although just a bit-part player with its own limited intervention, the West still has a significant role in supporting the military capabilities of the Middle East regimes, in particular Saudi Arabia.
Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at the Washington DC-based Brookings Institute said that President Obama was the ‘most enthusiastic arms salesman to Saudi Arabia in American history’, with sales totalling $110 billion since his term in office began.
But it is not just the United States. The amount that Riyadh spends on Western military equipment has meant they are a very valued customer, which governments will bend over backwards to support.
This is ironic as the Wahhabist form of Islam that Saudi Arabia is exporting around the world, funded by their oil riches, is the source of most of the extremism we see today that poses such a threat. The country is also one of the most repressive and runs counter to most of the democratic values held by the West.
So if you want to get a more detailed idea about why the Saudi regime is such a valuable customer and how deep the West and industry is involved here are some facts and figures about recent procurement activity in the land domain:
The Saudi Arabian Army is keen to expand its main battle tank fleet to 700.
This is just some of the more recent activity. The defence relationship with Western governments and the military has gone on for decades. In the land sector the more interesting dynamic is that equipment is being bought for two separate armies, Saudi Arabian Army – also known as the Royal Saudi Land Force – and the SANG.
The latter is a force loyal directly to the royal family and designed to keep them in power should the army’s allegiance get tested in the event of any internal difficulties.
The rate at which SANG [Saudi Arabian National Guard] has developed – with significant levels of funding – is telling that the regime is concerned about the recent fall of other dictators and wants to guarantee its own survival. This is just in the land domain. It could be argued that the most significant investment and closer relationship between the House of Saud and the West is based on procurement of warplanes, which will be covered on 16 December in part 2 – air – by Tim Fish
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/analysis-saudi-arabia-difficult-customer/
16.12.2016 – Shephard Media (** B K)
Analysis: Saudi Arabia - A close customer (part 2 - air)
The money spent on ground equipment is chicken feed compared to that spent on the air force. The helicopters, fighters and bombers and the transport aircraft bought from the US and Europe far exceed the land and maritime domains and is where the relationship is closest with industry.
On 13 December, Saudi Arabia recieved its first four of 152 upgraded Boeing F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) fighter jets, which illustrates this neatly.
But, the most high profile in recent years has been the procurement of fast jets, particularly when the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) selected the Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighter to replace Tornado and supplement its existing fleet of US-built F-15C/D fighters.
These Typhoons were taken from a batch that was due to be delivered by BAE Systems to the UK Royal Air Force so it shows the priority given to the Saudis. The initial was deal signed in 2007 for 72 aircraft at a cost of $8.86 billion to be delivered in three batches (three sets of 24). As of this year the second batch was delivered with the third underway. BAE is in negotiation for a further 48 aircraft but concerns over human rights have strained relations and it is unlikely to go through.
However, in 2012, BAE Systems secured a $2.5 billion contract for training aircraft including 22 Hawk, 55 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft, simulators and support, with the Hawk deliveries due to start this year after the PC-21s are completed. The company is also providing Cirrus SR22 aircraft as part of the deal.
Elsewhere upgrades to existing fighter aircraft remain the most lucrative for industry. The RSAF wants to keep some 84 Tornados in service until 2025 and includes the aircraft and supporting weapon and electronic systems. Stage three of the upgrade was signed in 2014 and is worth $2.5 billion to BAE Systems. Raytheon is providing its Paveway IV bombs, MBDA its Storm Shadow munition and Thales Damocles pods.
The biggest deal however was announced in 2010 with a $60 billion aircraft deal between the US and Saudi Arabia. The largest section of this deal was signed in 2011 in a contract worth $29.4 billion for 84 new Boeing F-15SA Strike Eagle aircraft and also included upgrades to the existing fleet. The arrival of the first four aircraft on 13 December included two new build F015SA and two upgraded F-15S. The RSAF already has 59 F-15C, 21 F-15D and 68 F-15S aircraft.
Saudi Arabia is also in a process of modernising it helicopter fleets and has a healthy inventory of western attack, multirole, utility and light helicopters.
The operation of a modern and well-funded air force makes Saudi Arabia a major regional power. By purchasing the latest aircraft, weapons, sensors and computer systems from Western suppliers the Saudi regime is making some powerful friends and is becoming an invaluable customer.
Until recently Saudi Arabia has avoided military operations but it is becoming more openly proactive rather than just working behind the scenes. By flexing its muscles in Yemen alongside its backing of some rebel groups in Syria it is becoming a more uncomfortable relationship for Western governments and industry to manage – by Tim Fish
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/analysis-saudi-arabia-close-customer-part-2-air/
16.12.2016 – Middle East Eye (** B P)
Why the UK is on a collision course with the US for the first time in living memory
May's foreign policy is clear but it's also full on contradictions. And that sets her against the new incumbent of the White House.
Nearly six months into her premiership, and we have a crystal clear understanding of UK prime minister Theresa May’s foreign policy – and its contradictions.
Her two recent speeches - one to the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain last weekend and another at the Conservative Friends of Israel lunch on Monday – have left room for ambiguity.
The prime minister will give limitless support and diplomatic cover to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States.
This extends to a public defence of the Saudi coalition airstrikes on Yemen, and a point-blank refusal to acknowledge that the Saudis have breached international humanitarian law.
May showed she will allow no deviation from the position when she slapped down her foreign secretary Boris Johnson after he made uncontroversial comments last month about Saudi Arabia's involvement in proxy wars.
Alliance with Saudi Arabia means being against Iran: May said so in her speech last weekend. The alliance with Saudi also explains the third leg of May's foreign policy: Britain will continue to do its best to undermine the Assad regime by military and other means.
The prime minister will countenance no criticism of Israel.
Russia remains an enemy.
Finally we come to the United States. May wants to break with the US alliance – by Peter Oborne
http://www.middleeasteye.net/Peter%20Oborne%20UK%20and%20US%20on%20collision%20course
16.12.2016 – I News (** A K P)
Revealed: Britain’s secret arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other authoritarian regimes
The Government is concealing the true extent of Britain’s sales of weaponry to authoritarian regimes – including Saudi Arabia – by encouraging a sharp rise in the use of secretive arms export rules, it is claimed today. Ministers are under increasingly intense pressure to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia after Washington this week announced it was cancelling a consignment of precision-guided bombs previously destined for use in the oil-rich kingdom’s heavily-criticised campaign in Yemen.
Figures shown to i suggest that far from scaling back sales, Britain is selling multiple consignments of military equipment without declaring its value to countries with questionable human rights records such as Saudi Arabia.
In a little-publicised move, the Government agency overseeing the export of military and other sensitive equipment last year asked manufacturers to seek more “open” licences which allow multiple consignments to be sent to a single destination over a period of five years without the value of the goods being publicly declared.
In a little-publicised move, the Government agency overseeing the export of military and other sensitive equipment last year asked manufacturers to seek more “open” licences which allow multiple consignments to be sent to a single destination over a period of five years without the value of the goods being publicly declared. “Reduced transparency” MPs criticised the development, saying it would “inescapably reduce” the transparency of Britain’s arms exports and increase the risk that inappropriate sales would be waived through. They have demanded that ministers produce quarterly figures for the value of these licences, known in Whitehall jargon as Open Individual Export Licences or OIELs. No such figures have been forthcoming and the i can now reveal that hundreds of items, including components for Saudi combat aircraft and riot control devices to be used by Egyptian security forces, have been cleared for export since new rules to simplify the OIEL process and encourage their use were brought in 22 months ago.
The number of OIELs increased by nearly a third from 1,439 in 2014 to 1,866 in 2015 – by Cahal Milmo
https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/revealed-britains-secret-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-authoritarian-regimes/ and by The Independent, referring to I News: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-arm-trade-exports-saudi-arabia-yemen-airstrikes-open-individual-export-licence-a7481136.html
16.12.2016 – BBC (** B K P)
Film: Site of Yemen's deadliest attack - BBC News
President Obama has cancelled some arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of the Saudis' conduct in the war in Yemen. His administration said it was concerned over "flaws" in the way air strikes are targeted in Yemen. In October, more than 140 people were killed in a strike on a funeral in the country. BBC Arabic's Nawal al-Maghafi reports from Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
w/ drone-camera, BBC's @Nawalf shows the devastation following Saudis' deadliest attack in Yemen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NY51OhGrw0
cp2 Allgemein / General
17.12.2016 – SRF (* B K P)
Stilles Sterben im Jemen
Seit zwei Jahren herrscht Krieg im Jemen. Nun warnt die UNO vor einer Hungersnot. Alle paar Minuten stirbt ein Kind.
In Jemen kämpfen Huthi-Rebellen gegen die vertriebene Regierung von Präsident Hadi. Die Huthis werden von Iran, Hadi von Saudi-Arabien unterstützt. Handelt es sich also vor allem um einen Stellvertreterkrieg?
Das kann man so nicht sagen. Vor allem aus saudischer Sicht ist es vielleicht ein Stellvertreterkrieg. Riad glaubt, es müsse die Südflanke gegen die mit Iran verbündeten Rebellen verteidigen. Tatsächlich aber geht es vor allem um Macht und den Zugang zu Ressourcen.
Was wären die Voraussetzungen für einen Frieden in Jemen?
Beide Parteien müssten gewillt und dazu in der Lage sein, sich auf eine Regierung zu einigen, die von allen akzeptiert wird. Das scheint sehr schwierig zu sein. Beide Seiten sind derzeit damit beschäftigt, eigene Regierungsstrukturen aufzubauen.
Die Huthi tun dies gemeinsam mit dem früheren Präsidenten Saleh in Sanaa und im Norden des Landes. Er verfügt über starken Rückhalt bei den jemenitischen Sicherheitskräften und bei den einfachen Jemeniten. Im Süden des Landes dagegen hat die Exilregierung in Aden eine Übergangshauptstadt eingerichtet und versucht dort, Regierungsstrukturen aufzubauen.
Exilpräsident Hadi ist nicht bereit, die Macht an einen Vizepräsidenten abzugeben, auf den sich beide Seiten einigen könnten. Seine Haltung wird durch eine Resolution des UNO-Sicherheitsrats gestützt, die verlangt, dass sich die Huthi-Rebellen aus Sanaa zurückziehen, die Waffen abgeben und die legitime Regierung anerkennen. Aber so lange es keine neue Sicherheitsrats-Resolution gibt, sind beide Seiten auch nicht bereit, einen Kompromiss zu schliessen – Roman Fillinger interviewt Marie-Christine Heinze
http://www.srf.ch/news/international/stilles-sterben-im-jemen
Mein Kommentar: Interview zur allgemeinen Situation. Die beiden hier zitierten Aussagen treffen es genau. Die Aussage „In Jemens Hauptstadt Sanaa werden derzeit von Saudi-Arabien immer wieder militärische Einrichtungen angegriffen. Wenn man sich nicht in der Nähe dieser Ziele aufhält, ist man persönlich nicht direkt gefährdet.“ Ist freilich simpel gesagt: Quatsch. Leider.
17.12.2016 – Al Arabiya (A K P)
Yemen: Militias Open Fire on Worshipers in Al-Bayda
Houthi and Saleh rebel militias committed on Friday a new crime after entering a mosque in the city of al-Bayda, sporadically firing live ammunition at civilians and kidnapping a number of worshipers.
Local sources and eyewitnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that, “Militias infringed Al-Tawhid Mosque in central al-Bayda with tens of armed men and tried to kidnap the Friday preacher and replace him with a preacher allied to them.”
However, the sources said worshipers gathered to prevent Houthis from replacing the preacher. “The armed militias therefore started shooting inside the mosque, injuring a number of worshipers, and kidnapping others,” the sources added.
The incident comes amid fierce battles in al-Bayda governorate at several fronts
Political activist Ahmad al-Hamzi who is from al-Bayda told Asharq Al-Awsat that residents were angry with Houthi and Saleh militias after breaking into the mosque during the Friday prayers. “Those militias incite sectarian works against civilians as they try to enforce their ideas by the use of force,” al-Hamzi said.
The activist asserted that rebel militias had hysterically launched Katyusha missiles and mortars on civilian houses in the areas of Al ‘Ajradi and Al-Qawa’a in Az Zahir district.
http://english.aawsat.com/2016/12/article55364046/militias-open-fire-worshipers-al-bayda and by Almasdar Onlien: http://almasdaronline.com/article/87223
17.12.2016 – Press TV Iran /* B K)
Film: Infography: Targeting civilians in Yemen
Over 600 days of relentless Saudi airstrikes against Yemen have reduced the poorest Arab county to ruins. Thousands of civilians have already been killed and millions displaced in the forgotten war.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/12/17/498253/targeting-civilians-in-Yemen
16.12.2016 – John Pilger (* B K)
Film: @johnpilger on Yemen media blackout. Today #Yemen is expendable, who will be tomorrow? Third world countries "Yemen war is your war".
https://twitter.com/HussamSanabani/status/809925248451690496
16.12.2016 – Critical Threats (* A K P)
Gulf of Aden Security Review
[Events day by day, from Dec. 15 backwards]
http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/gulf-aden-security-review
16.12.2016 – Middle East Eye (* B P)
Three rounds of negotiations later, peace in Yemen is nowhere in sight
As rivals dig in their heels and diplomatic efforts repeatedly fail, it's hard to see how fighting will end in what was already an impoverished country
Yemen is split both geographically and politically between the two warring parties, divides that have only deepened as the sides have taken unilateral decisions.
For example, in July, the Houthis and allied forces formed the Supreme Political Council to run the state authorities in areas under their control. Then late last month, the Houthis and Saleh announced that they had formed a "national salvation" government.
On the other hand, in September, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government decided to relocate Yemen's Central Bank from Houthi-held Sanaa to Aden, used by the government as the temporary capital.
These political manoeuvres are stark escalations which have only added to the complexities of this conflict.
One reason behind the unsteady performance of the pro-government forces is the apparent lack of unity and compatibility in the battlefield. Reports have emerged, for example, of infighting in Taiz, which certainly weakens the progress of the differing factions.
Another reason which makes the legitimate government unreliable is the fragile security situation in Houthi-free areas. Aden, Yemen's second-largest city, has been the epicentre of the internationally recognised government. In comparison with Houthi-held Sanaa, Aden is unsecure.
Al-Qaeda operatives continue wreaking havoc in some southern cities and the government cannot carry out decisive deterrent actions to protect civilians.
Peace is contingent on the positive initiatives of the warring sides, but it is also reliant on the serious undivided efforts of the world's powers – by Khalid al-Karimi, staff member of the Sanaa-based Yemeni Media Centre and previously full-time editor and reporter for the Yemen Times newspaper
16.12.2016 – Radiocentre (A H)
Radiocentre urges stations to play Yemen ads
Radiocentre is helping to co-ordinate the latest appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee across commercial radio, in response to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Radiocentre and DEC have recorded 20 and 30-second messages, voiced by the presenter and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig, which are now available to all stations via the Audiotrack system.
“Stations are not obliged to take any action, but we hope they feel able to participate,” Radiocentre told RadioToday. “The DEC would be grateful for the copy to be played as often as possible with a particular emphasis on the next week.”
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2016/12/radiocentre-urges-stations-to-play-yemen-ads/
Comment: We ask radio stations to push it further: play a STOP THE WAR ON #Yemen ad.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1203772106342484
My comment to comment: And exactly that will not happen. The Western guilt for what happens in Yemen is a taboo. It directly would be faced if telling the people wherefrom all this disaster came. Thus, the Yemen drama now is presented as a charity story.
16.12.2016 – Living in Yemen on the edge (B H K)
Though we thank everyone donating for #Yemen we are very critical:
- aid will not help Yemenis if bombs and aggression perdure
- a small portion of money donated will physically reach Yemen
- stop arming Saudis and Coalition supporting the unjust war
- stop providing intelligence to Saudis and Coalition
- lift the siege and open airports + ports
15.12.2016 – Washington Institute (* B K)
Saudi Arms Restrictions Reflect U.S. Exasperation Over Yemen War
In private, American officials have scathingly criticized the performance of the Saudi military, which is the responsibility of Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the thirty-one-year-old defense minister and favorite son of King Salman. At the start of the campaign, MbS, as he is known, was happy to be portrayed as its architect. Now he is keeping his distance from any blame.
Theoretically, the Saudi military is one of the best equipped in the world. But in reality it is a paper tiger that has been a huge disappointment to its foreign suppliers, of which the United States is the biggest. The Saudi air force has performed very poorly, while the Saudi ground forces have made a dismal showing at safeguarding the kingdom's southwest border region. Riyadh has heaped blame on Iran for supporting the rebels in what amounts to a proxy war, but the kingdom's failure to win any military advantage seems to stem even more from its own inadequacy than from Tehran's meddling – by Simon Henderson, Baker fellow and director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at The Washington Institute
15.12.2016 – FDIK Blog (* B K P)
Saudi-Arabien und seine 40 Alliierten – Was die Islamische Allianz wirklich bedeutet
Dieses Papier der Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik hat's in sich (Sicherungskopie). Zynisch wird hier mit Krieg und Mord umgegangen, so z.B. auf Seite 4 oben:
Der letzte Auslandseinsatz vor dem arabischen Frühling war 1991 gegen Irak, doch auch in den Jahrzehnten davor war das saudische Militär wenig im Einsatz. Seine Operation im Jemen hat unter anderem diese Funktion: Es dient nicht nur den saudischen Piloten als Bombardierungs- und Aufklärungspraktikum, sondern auch der Koordinierung von verschiedenen Einheiten am Boden – und der Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Staaten.
Die NATO-Staaten, angeführt von den USA und Deutschland, bewaffnen also den Hort des islamistischen Terrors, Saudi Arabien, bis an die Zähne, bilden die Soldaten dieses “Königreiches” aus, und geben ihm ein anderes Land, den Jemen, als militärisches Übungsgelände – mit der Zivilbevölkerung dort zum Tontaubenschiessen.
All das selbstverständlich nur, um die westlichen Werte zu schützen – über die Saudi Arabien in Höhe von 268 Millarden Barrel verfügt.
https://blog.fdik.org/2016-12/s1481732499.html
15.12.2016 – The Real News (* B P)
War in Yemen Tests Influence of Saudi Royal Family
while Obama's decision to limit shipment of armaments may effect the standing of royal family, the prolonged nature of the war and dissatisfaction of its junior partners that's weakening the family's influence in the state. Interview: Sharmini Peries asks Zenab Ahmed of Souciant.com
SHARMINI PERIES: Zenab, in the conservative magazine, National Review, Tom Rogan writes that Obama's decision to suspend sales could actually be damaging to long-term interests of the US in the Middle East via Saudi Arabia. He says that undermining the monarchy of Saudi Arabia could empower hardliners within Saudi Arabia to rise up. What do you make of that statement?
ZENAB AHMED: Well, it's a ridiculous statement. I know why Tom Rogan would say something like that, but it's a ridiculous thing to say. First of all, just because of the fact that the Obama Administration is not going to make as critical a role in empowering Saudi hardliners with just one decision, no matter what it is. But the fact of the matter is that it also ignores the complex contours of this war.
The Saudi royal family has lost its influence within the state as a result of this conflict, but it isn't because the United States is now reconsidering the weapons that it gives it to use in its bombing campaigns -- it's a result of the fact that, one, the war in Yemen wasn't supposed to last this long; two, it's getting a great deal of domestic criticism within Saudi Arabia because the war in Yemen wasn't supposed to last this long, even if that criticism is regulated and even if it is regularly censored in order to keep a control on things. And, three, it's also getting criticism from its junior partners in the rest of the Gulf monarchies, mainly because they are, for the first time, seeing members of their military forces -- you have to remember that these are young countries -- they are for the first time seeing members of their military forces dying in large numbers as a result of their involvement with Saudi Arabia in the war in Yemen.
So, it's absurd to say that the Obama Administration is empowering hardliners as a result of its decision, because the fact of the matter is that if those hardline critics of the regime are able to gain influence at the expense of the current monarch, King Salman and his sons, it's because those individuals decided to invade Yemen and bomb Yemen in the first place, rather than anything the individual international state does within its relationship to Saudi Arabia -- although that doesn't mean that the international community's view of Saudi Arabia, which will be affected by the Obama Administration's decision, isn't significant.
ZENAB AHMED: There have been news reports of Iranian freighters being caught with light and heavy weapons that are headed for the regional black market. It's difficult to discern whether or not those news reports are particularly truthful, simply because it serves a very obvious propaganda victory for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and its American backers to be saying that Iran is intimately involved in supporting the Houthis -- whether materially or logistically.
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=17939#pop1
15.12.2016 – BBC (** B K P)
Audio: Yemen: A Global Conflict
Yemen is in crisis. After 20 months of conflict, children are dying of malnutrition. This week the Disasters Emergency Committee launched a major appeal for aid.
But what are the causes of Yemen's civil war and who is fighting? Is it correct to describe it as a "proxy war" between Saudi Arabia and Iran?
David Aaronovitch is joined by two experts with intimate knowledge of Yemen.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic at the University of Oxford
Safa al-Ahmad, journalist and documentary maker.
Producer: Hannah Sander
Researchers: Beth Sagar-Fenton & Kirsteen Knight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085014v
14.4.2014 – Rolling Stone (** B K P)
Death From Above: How American Drone Strikes Are Devastating Yemen
On the ground in a country where unmanned missile attacks are a terrifyingly regular occurrence
Such quite literal existential uncertainty is coming at a deep psychological cost for the Yemeni people. For Americans, this military campaign is an abstraction. The drone strikes don't require U.S. troops on the ground, and thus are easy to keep out of sight and out of mind. Over half of Yemen's 24.8 million citizens – militants and civilians alike – are impacted every day. A war is happening, and one of the unforeseen casualties is the Yemeni mind – By Vivian Salama
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
Siehe / Look at cp1
17.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (B H)
Getting Dressed for Death
The crucial role in keeping the Yemeni society together is mostly done by the women.
In a conservative Yemeni society, women have to cover-up their bodies when they are in public, but they can wear what they please in the privacy of their homes. Now under the aggression, they have also been dispossessed of that right too. When the airstrikes intensified their attacks and bombarded civilian areas at night, victims have to be rescued from under the wreckage. Some women bodies were retrieved while wearing their night gowns and pajamas. Those corpses made the society and especially women to feel exposed and undignified. That was when women decided to start their movement of getting dressed for their death that can happen at any moment under the hostility of the blood-thirsty enemy. They had to go through the thought of how will they look if their corpses are to be shown in public. Some began to wear their Abayas and some began to look for what can cover up their bodies, without being exposed in case they were to be dead, and at the same time still look elegant and attractive for their loved ones. Shops started altering their designs and women began altering dresses they already have. Some started designing and some started to recommend what is good in the market. That is when getting dressed for death became normal in Yemen and that’s what Yemeni women have to wear till the war is put to sleep.
I know that might sound preposterous and sad for many people, but for me, I believe those women created the most profound and selfless act of all. Getting dressed was not only about covering up but it was a symbol of bravery and dignity. Those women despite the misery, managed to send a message that was more powerful than the enemy with all its jets and weapons. Their message reassured the society and humanity in general that even in the worst of conditions, we can still live – by Ameera Abutaleb
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57933&lang=en = http://www.alzawaya.net/?p=39535&lang=en
My comment: Interesting, apart from the propaganda bias of the rest of the text.
17.12.2016 – In the now (* B H)
Film: US & Saudi deliberately bombing of #Yemen leading to starvation
At least 357 strikes in 20 provinces targeted farms, animals, water infrastructure, markets in #Yemen.
https://twitter.com/Rasa171a/status/807058802583310336
17.12.2016 – Living in Yemen on the edge (A H)
1.16 am in #Yemen. Some of our children are out, in the cold. Many will be kissed only by the sun tomorrow morning. Others will not wake up. The world has failed. (photo)
17.12.2016 – Your Ability (A H)
Mayassa had three cancers, she lives with her family in atent in yard, with your support we can save lives (photo)
https://twitter.com/YourAbility_org/status/810235858565627904
17.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A H)
Handicap Child Become Orphan Because of Raid Aggression
Mohammed Alprashi is 7 years old has three sisters and he is fatherless.
Moreover, he is a handicap child and his father was killed by a raid of the fight jets of aggression, where the aggression waged a cluster bomb last week on the city of Saada, and led to killed many of citizens , Mohammed’s father
was among them.
In addition,his father went to the down town to find jop or some thing to gave his chilldren to ate , but aggression loss them thier father for ever (photo)
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57899&lang=en
and film: https://twitter.com/yani200536/status/808814243571265540
16.12.2016 – The Sun (* A H)
PICTURES THAT WILL SHOCK THE WORLD
Harrowing photos show tots in Yemen slowly starving to death as the war-torn country is ravaged by famine
Seven million people endure hunger thanks to nearly two years of war
16.12.2016 – Living in Yemen on the edge (A H)
This is the air-land-sea siege: when a child passes away due to lack of medicines.
When there is no more food.
When a child dies every 10 minutes.
This is the siege imposed on the most vulnerable: children (photo)
15.12.2016 – Oxfam (* A H)
Aid workers warn of humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen unless more emergency food reaches millions
Aid workers are warning that Yemen is heading towards a humanitarian catastrophe should more emergency food not reach the millions of people already suffering chronic hunger.
Over 14 million people are struggling to access food and aid workers say the country could run out of food supplies in the next few months if more is not done. The World Food Programme is already predicting that the number of people with limited access to food could rise to 21 million.
As the Disasters Emergency Committee launches an appeal to help people in Yemen on the brink of starvation, its member charities continue to respond to the crisis - and have delivered vital food aid to an estimated 4.5 million people since the conflict began. But more needs to be done to help those in need.
"It's something I have never witnessed before," says Jackson Ng'ang'a Chege, Nutrition Co-ordinator for Islamic Relief in Yemen. "Many people have no food or are missing meals, and, in some cases, families are sharing food rations meant to treat their malnourished children.
"If the international community fails to act quickly to provide emergency food, not only will more people die, but future generations will suffer because of the long-term effects of chronic hunger."
DEC member charities in Yemen are providing cash and food vouchers where local food supplies allow, and in the most difficult situations, food is being distributed to vulnerable communities. But people's needs significantly exceed the current levels of assistance. More support is urgently needed to get more food to people, treat acute malnutrition and save lives.
To make a donation visit: www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
Stay up to date with developments in Yemen, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter: www.twitter.com/decappeal; on Facebook via www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee or by following #YemenCrisis
and see film
15.12.2016 – Sky News (* A H)
Film: "Breaking Point" Following 20 Months Of Conflict - Yemen Crisis
Oxfam Yemen Director Sajjad Mohammad Sajid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3s5Rzlq8a8
12.12.2016 – RAI Institute (* B H)
Yemen: The Needs are Great
The Yemeni population’s needs are great and the international community has utterly failed them.
This is an undeniable, glaring fact apparent to anyone who has been in Yemen.
The devastation of war has marked many parts of the country such as the north in the Saadah governorate, the city of Taiz in the south, or elsewhere where all armed actors — without exception — have harmed civilians and destroyed infrastructure.
The ramifications of the conflict have pierced all aspects of day-to-day life in the country. Its lifelines – the medical infrastructure, water, electricity, economy, transportation, to name only a few – already weakened by decades of neglect and corruption, are on the cusp of a major collapse. Absolute catastrophe has only been averted by the modest work of the few international NGOs able to operate in the country, but calamity has mainly been held at bay by the stubborn dedication and perseverance of the Yemeni people, who are determined to keep the country functioning as best they can.
The experience and work of one of these international NGOs offers us a sobering glimpse into the problems afflicting this old country. The medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) started working intermittently in Yemen in 1986, and has been operating continually there since 2007. It has rapidly scaled up its activities in response to the eruption of all-out war and humanitarian disaster in mid-2015. MSF works in the north and south of the country, in 8 out of the 22 Yemeni governorates, on an array of issues that range from providing direct medical services such as complex surgeries and pediatric care to offering support in the form of financial incentives and/or training for the Yemeni Ministry of Health’s staff, as well as providing essential medical supplies like blood bags to blood banks.
The numbers recorded by MSF between March 2015 to September 2016 reflect the staggering scale of challenges facing Yemen: 289,574 patients received in emergency rooms; 127,304 outpatient general consultations conducted; 24,326 surgeries performed; 51,048 war and violence wounded victims treated; 19,868 deliveries performed; 19,862 children admitted to pediatric care for non-war related reasons; and more than 1,760 tons of medical supplies sent by MSF. MSF projects unfold across the frontlines of battles, and sometimes this has come with great risk. MSF health facilities alone were hit four times in the past year, some of these attacks resulted in the loss of life for both patients and staff, and ended imperative free health care for thousands of people.
This is incomparable to the challenges faced by Yemeni people daily, in which they commonly experience away from the fickle media spotlight, and the spotlight only pays scant attention when an impossible-to-ignore incident or significant situation arises. The Yemeni population barely has the necessary income to scrape together a decent life; there is little electricity, clean running water, access to free health care; there are airstrikes, artillery shelling, bullets, car bombs; forced displacement and sieges; there are restrictions on travel and limited places to escape; there is an overwhelming fear of what an unknown future holds.
The international community has simply not done enough to help the Yemeni population and there is plenty to do.
The most rudimentary act is to search for and listen to the Yemeni experience. The most complicated involves shoring up and helping Yemenis through funds, supplies, ease of restrictions, opening of opportunities, among many other initiatives; while the most profound act involves ending this war that has taken a massive toll on all Yemenis.
Like Syria, Palestine, or elsewhere, for the Yemenis, we in positions of comfort and privilege owe it to the people to do what we can to help, and we should have done so already – by Yazan al-Saadi
http://raiinstitute.org/ri-insights/politics/yemen-the-needs-are-great-2
30.11.2016 – World Food Programme (* A E H)
Yemen: Snapshot on Shipping, Food and Fuel Imports, November 2016
In November, volume of fuel and food imported in Yemen has increased; despite this, and a relative stabilisation of prices, estimated monthly needs are still only partially covered, and prices of basic commodities continue to be much higher than in pre-crisis period. Significant delays are also still experienced in all major ports in the country, mostly due to reduced operational capacity and damaged infrastructure.
Monthly food imports and price fluctuation
According to available data, food imports in Yemen have almost doubled during the month of November, with 445,119 mt imported (including both commercial and humanitarian imports). This appears to be due to an increase in bulk carriers carrying large quantities of food items that have discharged cargo during November, after being held at anchorage in October. The number of berths for vessels carrying food commodities doubled from 7 vessels in October to 15 in November. Prices of basic food commodities remained stable between October and November 2016, but they are still higher than those recorded during the pre-crisis period. As a result of this stabilization of prices of essential food commodities, the average cost of the minimum food basket slightly declined from October to November, but remains 23.3% higher than in the pre-crisis period. WFP continues to report remarkable differences in the prices of food commodities across governorates.
Status of ships at ports per month
In November, the number of vessels berthing at Yemeni ports increased to 65, compared to 51 in the previous month.
Monthly fuel imports vs fuel needs
In November, volume of fuel imported in Yemen kept rising, with 219,522 mt imported, compared to 211,188 mt in October (+4%) and 109,764 mt in September (+100%). Despite the increase, this only covers 40% of the overall monthly fuel needs,
Average delays in entering ports
Due to limited and damaged infrastructure, major delays continues to be experienced in the main entry ports of Aden, Al Hudaydah and Saleef.
http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-snapshot-shipping-food-and-fuel-imports-november-2016 and in full: http://www.logcluster.org/sites/default/files/logistics_cluster_yemen_snapshot_november_2016.pdf = http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/logistics_cluster_yemen_snapshot_november_2016.pdf
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
17.12.2016 – Middle East Monitor (A P)
Ousted Yemen president travels secretly to Egypt
Ousted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh has recently paid a secret visit to Cairo and spent at least a day meeting with Egyptian officials, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported yesterday.
According to senior Egyptian diplomatic sources, Saleh met with Egyptian officials during his visit, which was kept secret because it came during a time of tense relations between Cairo and Riyadh.
Diplomatic sources said that Saleh discussed the Yemeni crisis and how to reach a deal agreed by all sides, while pushing for Egypt to continue to oppose the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood, allegedly supported by Saudi Arabia.
The sources did not identify the names or levels of Egyptian officials who met Saleh.
Saleh’s visit to Cairo came amidst sanctions imposed on his funds and travel by the UN Security Council due to undermining the political process in Yemen.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161217-ousted-yemen-president-travels-secretly-to-egypt/
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A P)
PM meets UN official, heads of humanitarian organizations
Prime Minister Dr. Abdul Aziz Bin Habtoor met here on Saturday with the UN Resident Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick and heads of a number of international organizations working in the humanitarian field in Yemen.
The meeting discussed the disastrous implications of the continuation of the aggression and the siege imposed on Yemen in the humanitarian, economic and health aspects and the international support required in field.
It also touched upon mechanisms of the coordination between the government and the UN coordinator and other organizations in the humanitarian and relief projects carried out by those organizations.
Valuing the organizations' humanitarian efforts, Bin Babtoor expressed his hope for expanding those effort to include all areas in Yemen to meet the increasing needs in relief, humanitarian and medical fields.
Dr. Bin Habtoor affirmed that the government would provide all aspects of support and facilities necessary for the success of the humanitarian organizations' work and activities in Yemen.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449914.htm and also meeting with deputy PM: http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449889.htm and photo: https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/810186157585788928
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A P)
PM meets Russian Chargé d'affaires in Yemen
Prime Minister Abdulaziz bin Habtoor met on Saturday in Sana'a with Russian Chargé d'affaires in Yemen on the occasion of his recent appointment.
The meeting discussed the cooperation relations between the two friendly countries and the situation in Yemen in light of the ongoing Saudi aggression and blockade on Yemen.
The talks touched upon the reliable role of the Russian friends in supporting peace, stopping the war and lifting the blockade.
Bin Habtoor affirmed that Yemen was and still with peace and with any sincere effort to stop the aggression and lift the unjust blockade.
For his part, the Russian official confirmed that his country supports all efforts and initiatives to stop the war and the lift the siege and bring peace to all Yemenis.
He pointed out that the peaceful option is the only way to bringing peace and alleviating the suffering of the people of Yemen
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449910.htm and photo: https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/810184153572536324
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A P)
Parliament condemns aggression's strikes on Al-Saleh Mosque surroundings
The parliament condemned the frequent airstrikes by Saudi aggression's warplanes on the area around Al-Saleh Mosque in the capital Sana'a, which resulted in serious damage to the mosque.
In its session, which was held on Saturday and chaired by its Speaker Yahya al-Ra'ei, the parliament considered the aggression against the sanctity of the mosque an assault on the religious and human heritage.
The parliament members (PMs) pointed out that targeting Al-Saleh Mosque, which is one of Yemeni Islamic monuments, is a crime against the World Heritage.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449891.htm
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A P)
FM renews call to Int'l community to end humanitarian crisis in Yemen
Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf on Saturday renewed his call to the international community and the United Nations to exert more efforts to end humanitarian crisis in Yemen, in a statement to Saba.
"What Yemen immediately needs from the international community and the United Nations was not only emergency humanitarian aid, but to address the roots that cause the humanitarian crisis and to stop the coalition aggression and lift the unjust siege without any delay," minister Sharaf said.
The minister stressed that the Supreme Political Council and the National Salvation Government were still reaching out for peace in return for immediate cessation of the aggression.
Mr. Sharaf also stressed that Sanaa will continue positively deal with all peace initiatives, including US state secretary John Kerry's peace plan, Muscat's agreement and UN envoy Ould Cheikh's roadmap.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449853.htm
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A T)
Hodeidah: 3 civilians killed in grenade explosion
Eyewitnesses said that 3 civilians were killed on Thursday in a grenade explosion in al Hamdi Street, north of the coastal Hodeida city, western Yemen.
The witnesses told Almasdaronline that a person was tampering with a grenade in al Alimi refrigerator area before it blasts killing him and two of his friends.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87188
16.12.2016 – Hisham Al-Omeisy (B P)
Heading to library where now less books because some Houthi goons removed literature they deemed "inappropriate". Catch up later.
https://twitter.com/omeisy/status/809740356204032000
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
18.12.2016 – AFP (** A T)
Mindestens 30 Soldaten bei Selbstmordanschlag im jemenitischen Aden getötet
Bei einem Selbstmordanschlag in einer Kaserne in der südjemenitischen Stadt Aden sind am Sonntag mindestens 30 Soldaten getötet worden. Das teilten Militärvertreter und Rettungskräfte mit, nachdem die Zahl der Toten zuvor mit mindestens 20 angegeben worden war. Den Angaben zufolge zündete der Attentäter seinen Sprengsatz inmitten von Soldaten, die auf dem Militärstützpunkt für ihren Sold anstanden.
18.12.2016 – AFP (** A T)
30 soldiers killed in Yemen suicide bombing
A suicide bomber killed at least 30 Yemeni soldiers on Sunday when he detonated his explosives at a gathering in the southern city of Aden, military officials and medics said. Many others were wounded in the attack that targeted a crowd of soldiers gathered to collect their salaries at a base in northeastern Aden, the officials and medics said.
http://en.prothom-alo.com/international/news/133061/30-soldiers-killed-in-Yemen-suicide-bombing
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A T)
Aden police says it arrested al Qaeda elements with explosives (with photo)
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87228
15.12.2016 – Southern Movement (A P)
Film: Why does the U.S. State Department ignore South Yemen?
U.S. prides itself in being defender of HR & democratic values yet can't acknowledge South Yemen people's right to self-determination. South has spoken, Yemen Unity has failed, there's no going back
U.S. @StateDept persistently continues to fuel #Yemen war by playing down root cause: North occupation of #SouthYemen
https://twitter.com/SouthHirak/status/809503796183216128
My comment: That’s how southern Hirak separatists interprete the situation.
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
17.12.2016 – Al Arabiya (A P)
Yemeni government requests new road map for peace
Yemeni foreign minister and head of the government’s peace talks delegation, Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi, met on Saturday in Riyadh with UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
During the meeting, Mekhlafi explained that the government is expecting the UN envoy to provide a new road map to achieve peace.
Mekhlafi stressed that the implementation of Security Council resolution 2216 (emphasizing the need for a peaceful, orderly, inclusive and Yemeni-led transition process) is the only viable option to save the Yemeni people from the ravages of war. All opposition militias should abide by this resolution, he said.
He also reiterated the government’s keenness on peace and harmony to get Yemen out of strife and push the legitimate authorities towards dealing positively with all international efforts aimed at achieving peace and implementing international resolutions.
Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State John Kerry will visit the Saudi capital on Sunday to hold talks with Saudi leaders on several topics in the Middle East.
Mark Toner, assistant spokesman for the ministry said that Kerry will discuss during his visit, regional developments, including the situation in Yemen and the efforts of his counterparts to resolve the crisis on a political level.
My comment: They just want a roadmap that restores and eternizes their sole power.
and
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A P)
President Hadi says Yemen awaits UN reply to Ould Cheikh roadmap amendment
The Yemeni President Abed Rabbou Mansour Hadi said on Saturday that the Yemeni government is waiting for a reply from the UNSC, through its envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheick Ahmed, on the notes put forward by the Yemeni legitimate government on the UN-drafted roadmap.
According to the Yemen news agency "Saba", Hadi said: "we have handed over a letter to Ould Cheick on the contradiction and conflict between the UN-drafted roadmap and the three references, and also enclosed a roadmap which is based on those references that are regulatory for any solution ideas.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87230
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
17.12.2016 – hussam Al-Sanabani (A P)
Film: A student calls Alresalah SC saying his school in Riyadh are full of ISIS supporter... Broadcaster: we do upheld & you may sow 1 or 2 only.
https://twitter.com/HussamSanabani/status/810278998311837696
Comment: The saudi student witnessed it .but the saudi clerics on TV dismissed it ... Saudi Arabia always in denial
https://twitter.com/2flamesburning1/status/810280358201720838
17.12.2016 – Ali AlAhmed (A P)
Breaking: #Saudi Monarchy prosecutes 2 activists for retweeting me
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/810148205283393536 referring to https://twitter.com/m_a2202/status/810146470351556608
16.12.2016 – Reuters (A P)
Syrian arrested in Saudi Arabia over pro-Assad Facebook photo
Saudi police arrested a Syrian resident in Riyadh after he posted a photo of himself on Facebook praising the recapture of his home city of Aleppo by government forces, according to a report in al-Riyadh newspaper on Friday.
A photo published with the report showed a man with his hand raised and his fingers pointed in a victory sign. His facial features were blurred to conceal his identity.
The newspaper said the resident, indentified as being in his 40s, was accused of publishing statements related to the war in Syria.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1451PI
16.12.2016 – Tasnim News (* B P)
House of Saud on Its Last Legs: US Analyst
An American author and political commentator said the House of Saud regime is “on its last legs” as it is desperately trying to pull the US into rescuing it out of the quagmire of Yemen war.
“The monarchical House of Saud which has ruled Saudi Arabia and its 28 million people since 1932 is politically on its last legs, as the people of Arabia have risen up since the Arab Spring of democratic revolts of 2011, demanding a say in the formation of their governments and the ouster of all undemocratic regimes in the area, especially the most reactionary and corrupt one of all, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Collin S. Cavell said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.
“As a consequence of this illegal and ruthless imperialist (US) support for this anachronistic, outdated, and wholly undemocratic and merciless regime, we have, since the onslaught of the war commenced in March of 2015, witnessed the deaths of over 10,000 people, with at least half of them being civilians, and the displacement of several million Yemenis," he added.
Dr. Cavell is currently Associate Professor of Political Science at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia, having previously served as Chair of the Department of Social Sciences. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The full text of the interview is as follows:
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2016/12/16/1267557/house-of-saud-on-its-last-legs-us-analyst
16.12.2016 – The Independent (* A P)
Saudi Arabia to 'inoculate' children against Westernisation, atheism and liberalism
Government programme targets threats to 'ideological security' in schools
Saudi Arabia is launching a programme to “inoculate” children against Westernisation, atheism, liberalism and secularism.
They were listed as threats to “ideological security”, ahead of the danger from extremist groups including Isis and al-Qaeda and sectarianism.
The education ministry’s plans were announced in the Makkah newspaper, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) said, sparking a storm of debate and an Arabic hashtag translated as “Liberalism is a dangerous group” on Twitter.
It follows another government project announced in March 2015 to “protect schoolboys and schoolgirls from deviant behaviour” by enforcing religious and moral values.
Saudi Arabia’s constitution states that Saudis must be brought up on the basis of Islamic faith and that the state will accordingly strive to maintain the country’s Arab and Islamic values and “protect Islam”.
The constitution stipulates that education will “aim at instilling the Islamic faith in the younger generation” and mould children to be “useful” in society – by Lizzie Dearden
Comment: America's ally. These very same people are taking care of Human Rights at the UN.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1203714703014891
My comment: How many of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens? That is not by chance.
15.12.2016 – Fars News (A E P)
Saudi King Admits 'Painful' Economic Reforms Necessary
Saudi King Salman admitted that Saudi Arabia was enduring "painful" economic reforms but said they were necessary to “protect the country from worse problems”.
The steep drop in oil prices since mid-2014 has pushed energy-rich Persian Gulf Arab states to rein in lavish public spending, with Saudi Arabia racking up a record budget deficit of nearly $100bn last year which forcing it to find new savings and ways to raise money, Middle East Eye reported.
"The state has sought to deal with these changes... through a variety of measures to restructure the economy, some of which may be painful in the short run but ultimately aim to protect the economy of your country from worse problems," Salman told the consultative shura council.
"Similar circumstances have happened before over the past three decades, forcing the state to cut its expenses, but it emerged from them, thanks be to God, with a strong economy and continuous and increasing growth," he added.
In a drastic step to save money, the king slashed the salaries of ministers and Shura Council members by 20 and 15 percent in September, and scaled back financial perks for public sector employees.
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925001056
cp9 USA
Siehe / Look at cp1
17.12.2016 – The Federalist (A P)
The Right Approach To The Middle East Is Between Interventionism And Isolationism
A conservative approach toward the Middle East today should not be a choice between the two extremes of isolationism or global policing, between removing ourselves entirely from events in the region, or involving ourselves in every conflict regardless of circumstances so as to not appear “weak.”
In short, a conservative Middle East policy in the Trump era should reject the notion that the United States is the cause of all ills in the region and should therefore remove itself entirely from it. Equally as important, it should understand that the United States cannot and should not involve itself militarily in every conflict without a clear and achievable objective.
It is important that we remember that the objective of our foreign policy is not perfection. We are still the undisputed global superpower, but that does not mean that we should be the world’s police force. This view of U.S. power is conservative, and I hope President-elect Trump will move us back in this direction as he works to establish what the Trump doctrine will be in the coming months – By Samuel Sweeney, a former Capitol Hill staffer
http://thefederalist.com/2016/12/17/right-approach-middle-east-interventionism-isolationism/
Comment: Food for thoughts.
Everything is wrong with this article from the beginning as the US should have no say in the Middle East.
Exporting 'democracy' has been disastrous and taking sides has been even worse.
Yet, a good read.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1205407839512244
17.12.2016 – Sputnik News (A E P)
Saudi-Arabien revidiert seine Investitionsstrategie in USA
Riad überdenkt seine „Finanzstrategie“ den USA gegenüber - die saudischen Behörden könnten aufhören, in die amerikanische Wirtschaft zu investieren, berichtete „The Wall Street Journal“ (WSJ) unter Verweis auf mit der Thematik vertraute Quellen.
Nach Angaben des WSJ sollen zwei Faktoren Riad bewogen haben, die finanziellen Beziehungen zu den Vereinigten Staaten zu revidieren: erstens die Verabschiedung eines Gesetzes, dass den Opfern der Terroranschläge vom 11. September 2001 erlaubt, Saudi-Arabien zu verklagen, und zweitens die Wahl von Donald Trump zum US-Präsidenten.
Zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt habe der souveräne Landesfonds (sovereign-wealth fund) bereits seine Investitionen eingestellt, schreibt WSJ. Diese Entscheidung könnte revidiert werden, sobald klar wird, welchen Kurs Washington gegenüber Riad einschlägt.
https://de.sputniknews.com/wirtschaft/20161217313804591-saudi-arabien-investitionen-usa/ und RT: https://deutsch.rt.com/newsticker/44390-saudi-arabien-will-auf-investitionen-in-us-wirtschaft-verzichten/
16.12.2016 – US State Department (A P)
Press Releases: Secretary Kerry Travels to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Press Statement
Mark C. Toner, Deputy Department Spokesperson, Washington, DC, December 16, 2016
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 18-19 to meet with senior Saudi officials and other regional and international leaders.
During his visit, he will discuss regional developments, including Yemen, and work with his counterparts on a political settlement to resolve the conflict there.
Follow Secretary Kerry’s travel via @JohnKerry, @StateDept, and @StateDeptSpox on Twitter and go to the Department’s Flickr account for the latest trip photos. Stay connected at http://blogs.state.gov/social-feeds, and keep track of all of the Secretary's travels at http://www.state.gov/secretary/travel/index.htm.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2016/12/265728.htm = http://www.newsroomamerica.com/story/614091.html
16.12.2016 – Vice News (* A K P)
Mixed messages
The White House’s decision this week to block a U.S. arms sale to Saudi Arabia is just the latest sign that the Obama administration’s patience is growing thin with the longtime U.S. ally, and its military conduct in Yemen.
The blocked sale of 16,000 guided munition kits will lose U.S. defense contractor Raytheon about $350 million over the course of the contract, and comes two months after the White House condemned a deadly Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a funeral gathering in Sana’a.
“The administration’s message is so muddled, it’s hard to see how this move will affect change,” Kristine Beckerle of Human Rights Watch said of the White House’s latest announcement. “Yes, deciding to halt one sale is more than other countries like the UK have done… but given the scale and scope of this war, it is insufficient.”
That’s because the sale of 16,000 precision munitions that the White House blocked this week is just a fraction of the overall support the U.S. has provided to Saudi Arabia during its nearly two-year war with Houthi rebels in Yemen.
To date, Human Rights Watch has identified U.S-made weapons in the rubble of at least 23 separate alleged unlawful Saudi-led coalition strikes in Yemen. Such findings have repeatedly placed Saudi Arabia and its coalition forces in the war crimes conversation – by Julia Lindau
15.12.2016 – Washington Institute (A K P)
Saudi Arms Restrictions Reflect U.S. Exasperation Over Yemen War
Washington's dumping on Saudi Arabia likely comes across as strange to many regional allies at a time when the Obama administration is allowing Tehran to order new Boeing aircraft, which could be used to support future Iranian military missions. Allies are no doubt similarly exasperated by the administration's lack of concrete action in response to massive Syrian civilian casualties in Aleppo, a humanitarian catastrophe abetted by Iran's proxy forces. King Salman's recent reference to a political solution is a diplomatic opportunity that Washington should encourage, but for the moment it seems that neither bombs nor statements can hit the right targets – by Simon Henderson, Baker fellow and director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at The Washington Institute
My comment: That is misleading in several points. And what Syria is concerned, how far the author would go in warmongering?
15.12.2016 – MbKS15 (A K P)
Dec. 15: #RSAF F-15SA 12-1003 during a test flight at Palmdale, CA — by: @ShorealoneFilms (photos)
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/809662987741040640
My comment: US-Saudi complicity in pictures.
15.12.2016 – Sputnik News (* A K P)
Pentagon-Anweisung: Nicht mehr als zehn Zivilisten auf einmal töten
Das Pentagon hat seine Anweisung für die Kampfführung revidiert, um die Verluste unter den Zivilisten zu minimieren. Dabei wurde eine Zahl der „zulässigen“ Verluste festgelegt – bis zu zehn Menschen pro Einsatz. Die neue Direktive wurde am Dienstag veröffentlicht, wie das US-Onlinemagazin „Military Times“ berichtet.
Im US-Kriegsrecht tauchte demnach ein neuer Abschnitt auf, der das Kommando dazu verpflichtet, alle Pro und Contras bei der Planung von Operationen abzuwägen. Dabei sollen die potentiellen militärischen Vorteile der Operation mit der vermutlichen Opferzahl unter Zivilisten verglichen werden und „alle möglichen Maßnahmen zu ihrer Verhinderung“ getroffen werden. Nach „Military Times“-Angaben spiegelt dies die bereits existierende Praxis der US-Truppen angesichts der großen Aufmerksamkeit der Gesellschaft bezüglich Opfer und „Begleitrisiken“ im Irak und Syrien wider. Die bisherige Anweisung wurde im Juni 2015 veröffentlicht, das erneuerte Dokument formalisiert diese Regeln.
In der neuen Direktive werde auf die Notwendigkeit verwiesen, militärische Ziele unter Berücksichtigung dessen auszuwählen, wie hoch die Wahrscheinlichkeit ist, dass sich dort Zivilisten befinden können, und wie hoch deren Zahl ist. Wie das Onlinemagazin berichtet, werden dabei Beispiele angeführt, bei denen Militärs die Entscheidung getroffen hätten, auf bestimmte Einsätze wegen der potentiell großen Opferzahl unter den Zivilisten zu verzichten. Darüber hinaus werde in der neuen Anweisung zu verstehen gegeben, dass die Untergeordneten keine Befehle befolgen sollen, die „eindeutig illegitim“ seien, darunter Fälle, bei denen das Kommando den Befehl zur Durchführung einer Operation erteile, die zu einer überaus hohen Opferzahl unter Zivilisten führen könnte.
Zugleich bekamen die US-Truppen, die gegen den sogenannten „Islamischen Staat” (IS, auch Daesh) im Irak und in Syrien kämpfen, das Recht, Operationen durchzuführen, an denen potentiell bis zu zehn Zivilisten getötet werden dürfen, falls das Ziel als „kritisch wichtig“ eingestuft wird. Diesen Punkt hatte es in der vorherigen Version nicht gegeben, hebt „Military Times“ hervor: Als legitim waren bislang nur jene Operationen eingestuft worden, bei denen laut vorläufigen Einschätzungen kein Zivilist betroffen sei.
https://de.sputniknews.com/politik/20161215313772091-pentagon-zivilisten-toeten/
15.12.2016 – The Hill (A P)
Senators praise decision to halt some Saudi arms sales, urge more action
A bipartisan quartet of senators who led a failed effort to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia applauded Thursday the Obama administration’s decision to halt some arms sales to the kingdom, but said more needs to be done to curb U.S. involvement in the Yemen civil war.
“Halting these weapons sales to the Saudis is the right call,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement. “But if we are concerned about U.S.-supplied bombs being dropped on civilians, we should also stop refueling the Saudi planes that are flying those missions.” – by Rebecca Kheel
14.12.2016 – Slate (* A P)
Obama’s New Stand Against Saudi Arabia’s Brutal Yemen Bombings Is Too Little Too Late
U.S. support for the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen has been one of the odder sideshows of Obama’s foreign policy.
So the news Wednesday, that the Obama administration has blocked a sale of 16,000 Raytheon guided-munitions kits to Saudi Arabia over concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen, feels a bit weak, as the Council on Foreign Relations’ Micah Zenko notes:
Under Obama, US sold $112 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia. 37 days left, he cancels sales to protest an airwar the US backed from day 1.
Generally speaking, the Saudi intervention in Yemen—directed at Iran, tactically ruthless, involving little in the way of U.S. military resources but providing a massive payday for U.S. defense contractors—seems like exactly the sort of war Trump would like. So Obama taking this superficial stand on the way out the door seems especially ineffectual – By Joshua Keating
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/12/14/obama_has_finally_had_enough_sort_of_of_the_war_in_yemen.html and citing https://twitter.com/MicahZenko/status/808718503033368576
12.12.2016 – Strategic Culture (** B P)
US Government Is Secretly Allied with America's Enemies
Everyone knows that jihadists, and people who fund their terrorism against the United States and against other (non-fundamentalist-Islamic) nations, are enemies of every (non-fundamentalist-Islamic) nation, including the United States. However, what isn’t well known is that the U.S. federal government is itself secretly allied with jihadists and their funders — secretly allied with (and dependent upon) the enemies of all nations (including the U.S.) that aren’t fundamentalist-Islamic. Our government is secretly allied with jihadist groups in a number of countries, and is allied especially with the Arab royal families who finance jihadists in all countries (except their own — none of those royals wants jihadists to attack their own countries: their deal with jihadists is for them to attack only other countries).
The phrase “the government of Qatar” refers to the Thani family, who own that country; and the phrase “the government of Saudi Arabia” refers to the Saud family, who own that country. She was referring to the Thanis (and their vassals) and to the Sauds (and their vassals) — they’re the main and enduring sources of funding for ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other ‘terrorist’ (actually jihadist) groups. (The word ‘terrorist’ is used in order to make the public think that jihadists are no different from, or are basically similar to, other types of terrorists, such as Timothy McVeigh, and many different types of terrorists. But jihadists belong actually in a different and more dangerous category from those, and that’s the type of terrorist which is posing a significant national-security threat, in the United States, and in many other countries.)
That’s the Saud family, an ally of the U.S. federal government — and an enemy of the American nation.
In the view of America’s federal government, those are friends, allies; and Russia and China, and any of their friends, are enemies. This is not really ‘national defense’ for America; it is old-style, Empire-building, big-power ‘politics’, which is another phrase for war between aristocracies. Though the communist-versus-capitalist Cold War ended on the Russian and Chinese side (the formerly communist nations), it did not end on the U.S.-and-allied side; it continues to this day, as a U.S. fascist war to extend the American aristocracy’s empire.
The Obama Administration was arguing that it’s necessary to hold the royal Sauds and their vassals harmless for whatever they did to finance and organize the 9/11 attacks, because otherwise there would be jeopardy “to America’s own officials working overseas who enjoy the same immunity.” In other words, the Administration’s argument was that all aristocrats must stand above the laws of every country. (But do America’s aristocrats really want to perpetrate attacks like the 9/11 attacks against another country? Against what country?) – by Eric Zuesse
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
Siehe / Look at cp1
17.12.2016 – Conservative Home (* B K P)
Between a rock and a hard place – our real Yemen dilemma
The dilemma Britain faces isn’t just about the arms trade, and it is as strategic as it is moral. It’s about our new way of engaging in war, fighting conflicts covertly and indirectly using remote warfare methods – such as drones, special forces, intelligence sharing, training and technical assistance, and arms transfers – rather than getting directly involved.
While Britain’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia have caught the attention of the national media and the public, far fewer have commented on Britain’s other remote war methods. The UK has sold more than £3.7 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia since March last year, when the Saudi-led coalition’s conflict in Yemen began. However, British military advisers have also been training the Saudi Arabian armed forces, and UK ‘liaison officers’ are present in the control room from which Saudi airstrikes are directed over Yemen.
In April evidence surfaced that suggested we played a large role in Yemen long before March 2015. This evidence indicated that the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service was playing a “crucial and sustained role” supporting US drone strikes, using its extensive knowledge of the region, and surveillance more generally, to help gather intelligence on potential targets. It also trained the Yemeni National Security Bureau and the Yemen’s Political Security Organization, PSO, (secret police) in intelligence gathering.
Avoiding directly exposing UK personnel has advantages: the human risks are lower, the costs are more controllable, and the government doesn’t have to convince a war-weary public to back military action. In a world where terrorism continues to pose a threat to our security, but where memories of Iraq and Afghanistan loom large, engaging remotely may seem like the only viable option.
However, even remote warfare is not cost or risk free. The Government has been widely criticised for what is seen as collaboration in the Saudi bombing campaign, and is facing legal action.
It could also lead to us slipping into direct conflict.
There are no perfect solutions. Right now, though, the UK has the worst of both worlds – its level of involvement is sufficient to prompt allegations of complicity, but insufficient to have a real impact on targeting decisions. In short, we have responsibility without power.
Whether the government decides to take the plunge and get directly involved, or to halt arms sales and cooperation, or indeed to continue the imperfect status quo, our experience in Yemen has already debunked the myth that there’s a risk-free half-way house between direct war and no war at all.
Remote warfare is likely here to stay. But as the UK looks to deal with threats and conflicts elsewhere in the world, it would be wise to view Yemen as a cautionary tale that remote warfare can still carry some of the risks of direct involvement without necessarily producing the desired results – by Abigail Watson.
My comment: Ok, and what to do now? Why not a clear statement that Britain should not take part in killing in destruction in other parts of the world?
16.12.2016 – RT (* A K P)
Film: Britain continues to back Saudi bombing of Yemen, despite US stopping arms sales
The UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, has rejected calls to follow America's lead and stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is spearheading a bombing campaign in Yemen. RT's Polly Boiko has more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AGxp1JM6K8
16.12.2016 – Disasters Emergency Committee (A H)
DEC appeal raises £8 million for Yemen
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for Yemen has raised a total of £8 million since it launched on Tuesday, with donations continuing to pour in.
Oscar-nominated actor Tom Hardy has asked the public to show their support. In a TV appeal, he said: “I'm a father and I know that many of our children in the UK are looking forward to holidays and presents right now. Children in Yemen live in a far-off country many of us are not familiar with, but they are children nonetheless, children just like yours or mine, children who are in urgent need of the very basics to survive.
“So at a time of year which is all about giving, a little from us here will make a massive difference there. Because it will save their lives.”
DEC’s Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “We’re incredibly grateful to people in the UK for their generous support and compassion for people in Yemen. We’re asking everyone to give what they can to help us continue their work to save lives and prevent the crisis becoming catastrophic.”
The £8 million funds raised is made up of £5 million given by the UK public by text, phone and online, and £3 million from the UK government through AidMatch.
To make a donation to the DEC Yemen Crisis Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
Media Contacts: 020 7387 0200 or 07930 999 014 (out of hours)
Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk or 0370 60 60 900
http://www.dec.org.uk/press-release/dec-appeal-raises-%C2%A38-million-for-yemen = http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/dec-appeal-raises-8-million-yemen
My comment: The UK government giving GBP 3 million – compare to the figures of British arm sales to Saudi Arabia to see that these have 1000 times more priority than any charity.
16.12.2016 – Island of Man, IOM (A H P)
Collections will be taking place for Yemen
Collections will be taking place for Yemen editorial image 11:06Friday 16 December 2016 Street collections are planned this weekend for the appeal launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee to help people facing hunger in Yemen. The island’s One World Centre says there will be collectors in Douglas, Ramsey, Castletown, Peel and Port Erin. The One World Centre, based in Foxdale Road, St John’s is the organisation that mobilises a response to DEC appeals in the Isle of Man by organising street collections and raising awareness. Clare Balding, Martin Clunes and Tom Hardy are fronting the television and radio appeals. The appeals will be shown by all major UK broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.
http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/collections-will-be-taking-place-for-yemen-1-8291222
15.12.2016 – STV (A H P)
Britons donate £5m for Yemen in less than 24 hours
ITV2 days ago
The Disasters Emergency Committee launched its crisis appeal on Monday.
https://stv.tv/news/international/1375696-britons-donate-5m-for-yemen-in-less-than-24-hours/
My comment: That’s certainly great – while the British government had achieved that weapons worth billions were given to the Saudis for destructing Yemen and for just creating the terrible situation Yemen faces today. In all these appeals to donate of course the own British or German etc. participation in creating this catastrophe of course stays unmentioned. Like all this had fallen from heaven.
6.12.2016 – Human Rights Watch (A P)
UK Leader Fires Back at Critics of Cosy Ties to Bahrain
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has been called out publicly by rights groups in recent days over the British government’s cosy relationship with the Gulf monarchies.
Two days before her appearance as guest of honor at the Gulf Cooperation Council Leaders’ Summit, she made it clear she isn’t the type to take such criticism lying down.
“No doubt there will be some people in the UK who say we shouldn’t seek stronger trade and security ties with these countries because of their record on human rights,” begins the small portion of the 10 Downing Street press release that addressed human rights. “We achieve far more by stepping up, engaging with these countries and working with them to encourage and support their plans for reform.”
If you’re thinking there’s some fallacious logic at work here you’d be right – and Bahrain is a great case in point.
What exactly “working with” Bahrain to “encourage and support” reform amounts to, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear – human rights will not be at the center of the UK’s relationship with Bahrain – by Nicholas McGeehan
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/06/uk-leader-fires-back-critics-cosy-ties-bahrain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
16.12.2016 – Sputnik News (A P)
„Mitverantwortlich und mitschuldig“ im Drohnenkrieg: Ströbele stellt Strafanzeige
Der US-Luftstützpunkt im reinland-pfälzischen Ramstein und seine Rolle im völkerrechtlich umstrittenen Drohnenkrieg beschäftigt weiterhin die Bundesregierung. Grüne-Bundestagsabgeordneter Hans-Christian Ströbele stellte nun gegen Verantwortliche in Deutschland sowie den USA Strafanzeige beim Generalbundesanwalt, berichtet der Südwestrundfunk (SWR).
16.12.2016 – Hans-Christian Ströbele (A P)
Strafanzeige wegen Kampfdrohnen-Steuerung über deutschen US-Stützpunkt Ramstein
Hans-Christian Ströbele stellte gestern eine Strafanzeige wegen Kampfdrohnen-Steuerung über deutschen US-Stützpunkt Ramstein beim zuständigen Generalbundesanwalt Herrn Dr. Peter Frank in Karlsruhe. Lesen Sie hier die Anzeige und erfahren Sie mehr über die Hintergründe:
Strafanzeige wegen Kampfdrohnen-Steuerung über deutschen US-Stützpunkt Ramstein
Sehr geehrter Herr Generalbundesanwalt Frank,
wegen Mitwirkung – auch durch strafbares Unterlassen – oder sonstige Beteiligung an der Steuerung des tödlichen Einsatzes von US-Kampfdrohnen in asiatischen, afrikanischen und arabischen Ländern aus und über den US-Stützpunkt in Ramstein erstatte ich Strafanzeige wegen aller in Betracht kom-menden Delikte, insbesondere Tötungsdelikte, gegen alle in Frage kommenden Tatverdächtigen aus den USA und Deutschland.
http://www.stroebele-online.de/show/9616543.html
16.12.2016 – Sputnik News (* A P)
MdB Alexander Neu: Deutschland unterstützt Dschihadismus in Syrien
Ursula von der Leyen war zum ersten Mal in Saudi-Arabien. Offiziell ging es um Reformunterstützung. Wozu schickt Berlin dann die Verteidigungsministerin? In Riad wurde beschlossen, dass Deutschland neben Waffenlieferungen künftig auch saudische Offiziere ausbildet. Alexander Neu (LINKE), Obmann im Verteidigungsausschuss, kritisiert dies scharf.
Neu: Die Kooperation zwischen Deutschland, einem Land, dass die Werte Freiheit, Demokratie und Menschenrechte bis zur Selbstglorifizierung vor sich her trägt, und einer Diktatur, die keine Probleme damit hat, Gefangenen die Köpfe abzuhacken, ist schon erstaunlich. Hier zeigt sich die Doppelmoral der deutschen Politik. Das zeigt mir, dass die Glaubwürdigkeit westlicher Werte letzten Endes auch nur ideologischen und propagandistischen Charakter hat.
Sie [Saudis] benötigen die Waffen, um ihre strategische Dominanz im Nahen und Mittleren Osten auszubauen, zu einer großen Regionalmacht zu werden. Aktuell sieht man das vor allem im Jemen, das von Saudi-Arabien in Schutt und Asche gebombt wird, weil es dort eine Revolution eher schiitischer Kräfte gab. Der Westen schaut hier beschämt zur Seite und möchte im Prinzip gar nicht darüber reden, was im Jemen passiert.
Die ideologische Orientierung des saudischen Könighauses, das Wahhabitentum, ist identisch mit der ideologischen Orientierung des Islamischen Staates, Al-Nusras und anderer Dschihadisten. Saudi-Arabien sieht sich zwar genötigt, offiziell am Anti-IS-Kampf teilzunehmen, wenn auch nicht ernsthaft, auch um die wahhabitische Konkurrenz etwas beiseite zu drängen. Auch die Bundesregierung unterstützt ja offensichtlich Dschihadisten, indem sie die Rebellen in Syrien als Rebellen verharmlost.
https://de.sputniknews.com/politik/20161214313765225-deutschland-dschihadismus-syrien/
16.12.2016 – Sputnik News (* A P)
Germany's Loyalty to Saudi Arabia Means 'It Supports Islamists in MidEast'
German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen recently paid a visit to Saudi Arabia during which both countries discussed cooperation in the military field. Reports say that from now on Germany will not only supply weapons to Saudi Arabia, but also train its army officers.
In an interview with Sputnik Germany, German MP from Die Linke Party Alexander Neu harshly criticized this decision.
"Cooperation between Germany — the country that advocates values such as freedom, democracy and human rights — and a dictatorship government, which has no problems with cutting off prisoners' heads, is remarkable in itself. This demonstrates the double standards of the German political circles. In my view, this demonstrates that the Western values are eventually only of ideological and propagandistic nature," the politician said.
"They [Saudi Arabia] need weapons to enhance its strategic domination in the Middle East and become a regional power. Now it is most evident in Yemen, which is being bombed by the Saudis, because there was a revolution of Shiite forces there. And the West shyly looks away and basically doesn't want to raise the issue of what is going in Yemen," Neu said.
"Although Saudi Arabia is forced to officially participate in the fight against Daesh, it does so, in particular, to suppress any competition to wahhabism. So, obviously, the German government supports the jihadists and Islamists who in Europe would be considered terrorists, but in Syria are considered rebels seeking to liberate the country from Assad. Germany, other European countries and the United States support jihadists in Syria and thus, in fact, act in concert with Saudi Arabia," the expert concluded.
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201612151048615511-germany-saudi-arabia-islamists/
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
Siehe / Look at cp1
15.12.2016 – Press TV Iran (A P)
Films on suppression in Bahrain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBHE9I8yKAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaIO5ZXHFnI
15.12.2016 – Royal Central (* A P)
King Felipe urged to demand human rights after arms deal with Saudi Arabia
King Felipe of Spain has been urged to demand human rights after €40 million arms deal between Spain and Saudi Arabia was pushed through. Saudi Arabia and Spain have long-standing trade agreement thanks in part to the good relationship King Juan Carlos and the Saudi Royal Family.
This deal, which included the sale of 155mm artillery ammunition, had been delayed for six months over fears that the weapons would be used in Yemen – a country ravaged by civil war since it began last year. However, the €40 million arms deal has finally been reached right as His Majesty is due to visit the Middle Eastern kingdom.
The King, who will be on his first official visit to the country, has been asked by Amnesty International to use his influence to convince Saudi Arabia to stop the attacks in Yemen. The current conflict in Yemen has resulted in over 7,000 being killed since it began – by Brittani Barger
15.12.2016 – Middle East Monitor (A P)
Russia receives Yemen Houthi delegation
The Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday received a delegation from Yemen’s Houthi rebel group, Al Manar reported.
The Houthi delegation was headed by the group’s spokesperson Mohammad Abdulsalam. It also included Hamza Al-Houthi, who has previously led some of the Houthi delegations on the international stage.
The Kremlin, which is becoming increasingly supportive of the Houthi rebels and ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, has claimed it supports restoring the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi but continues to give rebel forces an international platform.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161215-russia-receives-yemen-houthi-delegation/
7.12.2016 – Human Rights Watch (A P)
Qatar: Independent News Website Blocked
Further Undermines Media Freedom
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/07/qatar-independent-news-website-blocked
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe / Look at cp1
16.12.2016 – MbKS15 (A K P)
Since Q2 of 2016, BAE Systems has delivered 14x Hawk T.165 Advanced Jet Trainers to the #RSAF (photo)
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/809754779438186496
My comment: UK arms sales to improve killing civilians in Yemen.
14.12.2016 – Shephard Media (* B K)
Saudi and UAE driving GCC defence
The two military heavyweights of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are driving defence procurement in the region with recent increases due in part to operations against Houthi forces in Yemen.
With an estimated spend of $87.2 billion, Saudi Arabia had the highest military expenditure in the GCC in 2015. In fact, having doubled its spending since 2006, the country rose to third in the rankings of the biggest spenders globally, according to the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database 2015. Though it did have the third largest defence budget for last year – $81.9 billion – recorded figures show that total actual government expenditure has exceeded each annual budget since 2010.
The $5.3 billion military overspend was approximately 17% of the total excess in 2015 and is due largely to Saudi military intervention in Yemen. As operations in Yemen continue in 2016, Saudi Arabia is looking to boost its fleet of M1A2S main battle tanks (MBTs), and replace at least 20 destroyed in combat.
By 2014 the UAE had also increased its military expenditure with 136% growth since 2006. This upward trend in expenditure across the GCC is reflected in international trade. SIPRI stated that arms imports to GCC states ‘increased by 71% from 2005-2009 to 2010-2014’, accounting for 54% of imports to the Middle East in the latter period.
A further caution to this report of increasing growth in the GCC defence market is the low regional transparency over defence budgets and spending. In its datasheets, SIPRI gives estimates for some states (notably the UAE) rather than actual disclosed values. Other states, including Kuwait and Qatar, have had data omitted for the last two years – by Georgina Smith
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/saudi-and-uae-driving-gcc-defence/
My comment: Labeling all this as “defence” is really a bad joke. On Saudi Arabia in special, look at cp8.
cp13b Flüchtlinge / Refugees
16.12.2016 – saba Net (A H)
UNHCR provides assistances to Mahweet's people
The UN Refugee Agency, in cooperation with Yemen Sky Organization and Yemen's Women Union (YWU), has provided assistances to internal displaced at Atawila District, Mahweet.
According to the District's Director Shawqi al-Salahi and Head of YWU Ibtisam al-Sana'ani, 19 families benefited from housing assistances provided by the UNHCR. They said that these displaced families living at mass habitation, got blankets and kitchen tools.
The habitation contains 100 IDP.
Mahweet has received up to 100 thousand IDP, coming from different governorates and live in schools and other places.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449803.htm
16.12.2016 – Xinhua (* B H)
Feature: Somali refugees live in alarming conditions in Yemen
An estimated 4,000 Somali refugees are living in alarming conditions in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, and their living situations have worsened since the civil war erupted early last year between dominant Shiite Houthi group and exiled government of internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
The refugees face extreme poverty; no jobs, no food security, no rent-free shelters nor health facilities to receive them. Many have been struggling to pay their rent of insanitary rooms, while few families can afford payment and instead sleep on some backstreets or join others in small rooms.
The refugees also have s shortage of water, electricity and integration into labor market. The refugees have no alternative as their living situations have worsen because of the ongoing economic crisis following the eruption of the civil war in March last year.
"We (the refugees) have no rent-free accommodation or shelter in Sanaa as most of Yemenis have recently hesitate to rent us rooms or houses because we cannot afford payment," explained 55-year-old Abdel Rahman al-Zaylaiee, the chairman of the Somali refugees' community in Sanaa, who came to Yemen nearly 16 years ago.
"How do you see a man with no job or any source of income crowded with his 11-member family in a small room or sleeping on the street?" he asked. "That is our months-long tragedy... and no one care about us."
"About four thousand Somali refugees, mostly women and children, have been living here in Sanaa for years with no rent-free shelter or enough food, and our situations got poorer especially after the war," al-Zaylaiee said.
Their sad faces and tattered clothes tell untold stories. The refugees live in a poor quarter, known as al-Safiyah in the southeast part of Sanaa. They enjoy a small clinic in the area supported by the UNHCR.
The clinic lacks emergency section and almost empty from any kind of medicine or essential medical equipment due to the war and economic crisis. The patients have to go to private hospitals and buy medicine on their own.
The refugees' chairman al-Zaylaiee complains of stopping aid from humanitarian agencies, particularly after war.
An estimated 200,000 Somali refugees are living in several Yemeni cities, according to the latest 2015 statistics by the UNHCR. UNHCR says that more than 26,000 Somali refugees have fled violence in Yemen and returned to Somalia, mostly to Mogadishu.
Many refugees have taken Yemen as a crossing road to Saudi Arabia, but after the war erupted in Yemen-Saudi joint borders between Houthi fighters and Saudi government army, which backed the Yemeni government, the borders were closed and most infiltrators lost their lives during shootings between Saudi border guards and Houthi fighters.
"We have been trapped here," said 28-year-old Omar Abdel Kadir
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2016-12/16/content_39924592.htm
cp13c Finanzen / Finances
15.12.2016 – Industriall (A E)
DNO Yemen has property seized for failing to pay workers
Norwegian oil company DNO has had its property and assets seized by Yemeni authorities to reimburse arrears in wages and benefits after failing to pay workers for over a year work since June 2015.
In August 2016 the company was ordered to pay its workers or face having its property and assets seized. The company appealed that ruling, however on 23 November 2016 the final decision of the court of appeal was in favour of the 175 workers. According to the DNO Yemen Union the company left the country the same day without an official handover of at least part of its properties and assets. DNO has so far failed to pay due redundancy packages to their workers. Yemeni authorities have now seized DNO’s property, bank accounts and vehicles in Yemen in order to satisfy workers’ claims.
DNO is an Norwegian oil company with an annual turnover of more than three billion (what currency) employing approximately 1,000 workers. After the war broke out in Yemen in March 2015 the company halted its operations. A few months later, in June the company notified its workers through SMS and emails of their dismissal. No work related compensation, let along wages have been paid back.
http://www.industriall-union.org/dno-yemen-has-property-seized-for-failing-to-pay-workers
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
See / Look at cp6
cp15 Propaganda
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A P)
In a meeting with the JMPs in Aden city, Hadi called for closing the ranks and joining hands to fight for the restoration of the state from the hateful regional and racist forces.
Hadi also praised the role of the government forces and popular resistance, Taiz resistance in particular, in defending the country and standing against the coup militias.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87230
My comment: Hadi invented a new label for the Houthis, “hateful”, “regional” and even “racist”. – And he praises the “popular resistance” militia in Taiz who just before had thrown his government out and labeled him as corrupt. Hadi is living beyond reality.
17.12.2016 – Saudi Press Agency (A P)
Saudi Arabia profoundly Concerned about Horrific Massacres Perpetrated in Aleppo, Syria
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is profoundly concerned about the horrific massacres perpetrated in Aleppo. The massacres have amounted to war crimes against humanity. It is by far the worst humanitarian tragedy of the beginning of the 21st century unfolding before the international community's eyes,
Comment by Sarah Leah Whitson: https://twitter.com/sarahleah1/status/810232302156582913
16.12.2016 – Al Arabiya (A P)
Iran and Hezbollah prisoners captured by Yemeni army
Yemeni armed forces have captured large number of militants including Iranian experts and Hezbollah members in al Jawf Governorate, northwest Yemen, according to a Yemeni official.
Amin al Ikamai, Governor of the Jawf said in a press conference, Thursday: “During the recent military clashes in the governorate we have managed to capture a large number of militias including Iranian experts and others from Hezbollah, they were providing them with information and support.”
He asserted that army have cleared and recaptured large swathes of the governorates where the militias have extensively rigged the streets, farms and residential areas with over 130,000 bobby traps and bombs.
“Militias have implanted mines, in some locations we have found large amount of explosives weighing up to 100 kilograms, enough to cause fatalities among large number of civilians.”
Comment by Hussam Al Sanabani: Saudi media bullshit. @AlArabiya_Eng you couldn't miss that opportunity, Where is your credibility display those Iranian & Hezbollah members?
https://twitter.com/HussamSanabani/status/809865340251492352
16.12.2016 – Al Arabiya (A P)
Iran: After Aleppo, we will intervene in Bahrain, Yemen
The leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched provocative statements against the Gulf states threatening to intervene in Bahrain and Yemen.
The comments were reported by Iranian media after what they described as a “victory in Aleppo,”
In this context, the deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Salami told the official Iranian news agency Islamic Republic News Agency that “The victory in Aleppo will pave the way for liberating Bahrain,” pointing out that Iran has an expansion project that will extend to Bahrain, Yemen and Mosul after the fall of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Salami said that “the people of Bahrain will achieve their wishes, the Yemeni people will be delighted, and the residents of Mosul will taste victory, these are all divine promises,” as he put it.
He also pointed out that Iran is still providing unlimited support for the Houthi group, highlighting that Iranian missile could destroy the enemy targets in any area.
The comments of the spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif reveal the intentions of Tehran to expand geographically through bloody wars and military interventions in the Arab World.
My comment: of course, a loud-mouthed Iranian high-ranked officers blatancy is happily picked up by Saudi propaganda. Any realistic option for Iran this is not. And, do not forget: it’s just Saudi Arabia itself who the most heavily way had intervened in Bahrain and Yemen.
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Saudi aggression continues targeting locals’ properties, public infrastructures
The Saudi-American aggression continued Saturday launching air raids against locals’ properties and public infrastructures in a number of Yemeni governorates.
A military source affirmed in a statement to Saba that two locals were killed due to the airstrikes which targeted a number of districts in Sa’ada.
The source noted the air raids conducted by the Saudi-American aggression targeted the capital city and the governorates of Sana’a, Sa’ada, Hajjah, Taiz, Amran and Hudeidah, in addition to Asir.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449927.htm
17.12.2016 – Legal Center (* A K PH)
16-12-2016
Targeting and bombing civilians by the warplanes of Saudi Arabia and its alliance
Casualties and damage (full list):
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=743118202505214&id=551288185021551 and the list by Yamanyoon: http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57908&lang=en
16.12.2016 – Legal Center (* A K PH)
15-12-2016
Targeting and bombing civilians by the warplanes of Saudi Arabia and its alliance
Casualties and damage (full list):
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=742501989233502&id=551288185021551
17.–18.12.2016 – Ahmad Alghobary (A K)
#Saudi air strike targeted Alsaleef port in Alhudyidah city #Yemen
https://twitter.com/AhmadAlgohbary/status/810208630888943617
17.–18.12.2016 – Ahmad Alghobary (A K)
From 6 pm till now , 26 #Saudi air strikes targeted several areas in Baqem area #Sadaa
https://twitter.com/AhmadAlgohbary/status/810193589896708102
17.12.2016 – Almasirah TV (A K PH)
Film: Five injured after Saudi air raid at Alnumsa bridge, Saada province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBrMPFHWJ7g
17.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
US-Backed Saudi Coalition Targeting Hajja
warplanes oef the US-Saudi aggression launched today morning, raid on Al Jeraab area in directorate of Mstba in Haja province.
A military source said: The fight jets of US_Saudi aggression launched a raid on Mstba directorate and resulted damaged number of property of the citizens.
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57902&lang=en
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Coalition, government forces strike Houthis sites in Nehm, eastern Sana'a
The fighters of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition launched on Saturday several raids on the Houthi and Saleh forces in Nihm district, eastern the capital Sana'a.
The government forces media center posted on Facebook, quoting a military source, that the air strikes targeted two Houthi military vehicles in Arhab area, and that unidentified number of casualties fell in the strike.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87231
My comment: Seems to be the same raid as:
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Saudi aggression warplanes continue striking Belad al-Rous
The US-baked Saudi aggression warplanes launched three airstrikes on Sana'a governorate overnight, a security official told Saba Saturday.
The strikes bombed Naqil Yasleh mountainous road of Belad al-Rous district, the latest in a series of barbaric air strikes apparently aimed to cut off the highway linking Sanaa with southern governorates.
The strikes also caused damage to public and private properties.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449836.htm
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Coalition fighters strike Houthis sites in Sana'a and Taiz
The fighters of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition launched on Friday several air raids on the Houthi and Saleh forces sites in Sana'a and Taiz cities.
According to residents, the fighters launched two airstrikes on the Missiles Brigades Camp in Sana'a city and two airstrikes on al Sawad Camp, formerly Republican Guards, south of Sana'a city.
In Taiz city, the fighters launched three airstrikes on the Houthi and Saleh forces locations in the 22 Brigade camp in al Janad district, eastern the city.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87194
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Coalition bomb sites in al Mocha
The fighters of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition have launched two airstrikes on ammunition stores and gatherings of the Houthis and allied forces in al Mocha city, western Taiz governorate on the Red Sea coast.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87191
My comment: They claim to target and hit only what they call “Houthi sites” and flatten civilian homes, markets etc.
16.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Saada: 8 Saudi American Raids Hit Mandabah and Thaban Regions in Baqm District
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57853&lang=en
16.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Saudi aggression continues airstrikes on Sana'a
Saudi-American jets have continued their airstrikes on Sana'a Friday.
The airstrikes targeted al-Nahdein area, Assabieen District, a local source told Saba. The source made clear that the shelling caused huge havocs to houses and public and private possessions.
The aggression's jets flied on lower highest and broke the sound barrier on Sana'a areal atmosphere
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449801.htm
16.12.2016 – Sanaa daytime (A K)
More BOMBARDING: 9 Saudi airstrikes in 10 minutes rock #Yemen capital as millions offer weekly Friday prayers turning skies of #Sanaa black (photos)
https://twitter.com/YemenPostNews/status/809767760058269700
16.12.2016 – Sanaa in the morning (A K)
Happening now: #Saudi jets bombing #Sanaa while people R heading 2 mosques for Friday prayers, they didn't stop hovering since morning#Yemen (photo)
https://twitter.com/HishamAlRadhi/status/809687075511562240
During Friday prayers, 4 humongous explosions in southern part of #Yemen capital Sanaa due to #Saudi airstrikes. I pity these lost Saudis.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/809698481984172032
The capital Sanaa now is under heavy bombing by Saudi warplanes. Huge explosions being heard loudly all over the capital
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/809689583797620736
Good morning. Saudi bombing Sana'a right this minute..while simultaneously crying about Asad and Russia bombing Aleppo at UN (photo)
https://twitter.com/omeisy/status/809681302114942976
Photos of Yesterday's #Saudi air strikes on the capital #Sanaa #Yemen . Kids got out from schools scared to death
https://twitter.com/AhmadAlgohbary/status/809875038577061889
15.12.2016 – Hussam Al-Sanabani (A K PH)
Again & again Saudi jet fighters strikes Naqil Yasleh 3 times tonight. Now more targets bank 2 hit, only creating more suffer 2 civilians.
https://twitter.com/HussamSanabani/status/809504796264824832
Comment by Beatrice de Filippis: #Sanaa-#Hodeida road- #Yemen: all bridges destroyed by Saudi-led Coalition Destroying a country's infrastructure is a war crime
https://twitter.com/Bilquis66/status/809512145159331840
My comment: This is the main road by which all transports of food, fuel, medical needs etc. are transporting from the harbour city to the capital Sanaa and central Yemen. That’s the way you can achieve starving out a population, too.
15.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Citizen killed in Saudi aggression air strikes on al-Jawf
The Saudi-American aggression’s warplanes launched on Thursday six strikes against different areas in Al-Jawf governorate, killing a citizen in Al-Masloub area, a security official told Saba.
The strikes also caused big damages to residents’ properties in the other areas.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449754.htm
15.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Saudi aggression warplanes launches airstrikes against Nihm
The Saudi-American aggression’s war jets launched air strikes on Nihm district of Sana’a governorate on Thursday, a security official told Saba.
The strikes targeted Al-Mahawiha area, causing damages to agricultural lands and residents’ houses.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449753.htm
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
17.12.2016 – Xinhua (* A K)
Fierce clashes reported in Yemen-Saudi border
Yemen's dominant Houthi group said Saturday that its fighters have repelled a major offensive launched by their foes of Saudi government troops in Alab border crossing, between Saudi Asir region and Yemeni northern Houthi stronghold of Saada, Houthi-controlled Saba news agency reported.
Houthi said their fighters have killed dozens of Saudi troops during the battles over the past 24 hours, though no reports from Saudi side were immediately available.
It was the latest of fighting in the joint crossing border, of which its northern part was under Saudi military control, while the southern part was still under Houthi control.
Saba reported that the Yemeni militant forces also lobbed a barrage of Katyusha missiles into Saudi military gatherings west of Dhahran area, as well as Shabaka and Arabah military camps in the same Saudi border region of Asir.
Separately, Houthi fighters backed by loyal Yemeni army's soldiers fired artillery and Katyusha missiles at Saudi military camps of Rakabat al-Ash, Mustahdath and al-Khadhra camp in neighboring Saudi region of Najran and Saudi military gathering west of Tiwal border crossing in adjacent Saudi region of Jizan, said Saba.
There were no reports of casualties were immediately available.
Meanwhile, clashes were reported Saturday between Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed Yemeni exiled government forces in several Yemeni provinces, including Taiz, al-Jawf, Marib , Lahj and in Nehm northeast of Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa, according to local media.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-12/18/c_135913370.htm
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
the government forces launched an artillery shelling on the Houthi and allied forces sites in Qatbein road and destroyed military equipment and a heavy cannon
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87231
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Young girl killed, father wounded by Houth sniper in Lahj governorate
A young girl was killed and her father wounded on Friday after being shot by a sniper from the Houthi and Saleh forces in al Maqatira valley of Lahij governorate, southern Yemen.
It is noteworthy that the Houthi and Saleh forces are going on shelling and sniping the civilians on the road linking al Mqatrh area northern Lahj and al Shammaytin district southern Taiz.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87224
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
70year old woman killed by Houthi sniper, sporadic clashes erupt in Taiz
A 70 year-old lady was killed and another lady with two children injured on Saturday by a sniper of the Houthi and Saleh forces south of Taiz governorate, southwest of Yemen.
In a relevant context, the Popular Resistance has announced the killing of 6 elements and injuring dozens others of the Houthi and Saleh forces, while 1 of its fighters was killed and 3 others injured in sporadic clashes in Taiz city.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87229
17.12.2016 – Mohamed Al Qadhi (B K)
Film: Experience of shelling in eastern Taiz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHzK6yoBwl4
17.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Government forces: "Houthi reconnaissance plane shot down in Sana'a"
shot down in Nihm front, east of the capital Sana'a.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87222
17.12.2016 – Fars News (A K PH)
Yemeni Army, Allies Target Saudi Army Bases, Gatherings in Najran, Jizan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950927000517
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Landmine kills, injures 12 mercenaries in Jawf
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449843.htm
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Army's missiles target mercenaries' fortifications in Mareb
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449868.htm
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Mercenaries' artillery targets citizens' houses in Mareb
The US-Backed Saudi-paid mercenaries targeted with artillery fire on Saturday citizens' houses at Kana village in Serwah district of Mareb province.
The artillery bombing targeted Sheikh Ali bin Ali al-Zaydi's home in the village, causing large damage to the house
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449916.htm
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Army's rockets target mercenaries' gatherings in Taiz
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449915.htm
17.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Artillery hits mercenaries in Taiz
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449828.htm
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Clashes renew between government forces and Houthis in Taiz, coalition bomb sites in al Mocha
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87191
16.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Lahj: Saudi Mercenary Groupings Targeted by Mortar Shells in Saila Sharqia in Kahboub Region
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57855&lang=en
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Taiz: Two civilians killed, another wounded in Houthis bombing on a bus
A medical source has said that two civilians were killed on Thursday in Houthis and Saleh force shelling on residential neighborhoods, western Taiz city, southwest of Yemen.
The source told Almasdaronline that a Houthi artillery shell has hit a public bus on al Dhabab road, killing two passengers and a third one was seriously injured.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87183
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Al Baidha: Popular Resistance control military site, kill 8 Houthis
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87184
16.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Government forces repel Houthi attack in al Jawf governorate
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87187
15.12.2016 – Almasdar Online (A K PS)
Taiz: 4 Houthis,1 Popular Resistance element killed in confrontations
http://almasdaronline.com/article/87176
15.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Dead and Wounded Saudi Mercenaries in Taiz Governorate
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57797&lang=en
15.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Saudi Crew Killed on Military Vehicle in Jawf
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57795&lang=en
15.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Jawf: Ballistic Zelzal 3 and Katyusha Missiles Kill Saudi Mercenaries
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57779&lang=en
15.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
Yemeni Missile and Artillery Forces Target Saudi Army in Asir
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57771&lang=en
15.12.2016 – Yamanyoon (A K PH)
A Number of Saudi Mercenaries Killed in Marib
http://www.yamanyoon.com/?p=57774&lang=en
15.12.2016 – Saba Net (A K PH)
Mercenaries target houses in Mareb
Saudi-paid mercenaries heavily pounded on Thursday citizens' houses in Harib al-Qaramish district in Mareb province, an official said.
huge damage to citizens' farms and properties.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news449740.htm
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
17.12.2016 – Dawn (A P)
LAHORE: Issuance of fresh permits to Saudi and Qatari dignitaries for hunting houbara bustard in Punjab and Balochistan has been challenged before the Lahore High Court.
and
17.12.2016 – Inamullah Khattak (A P)
Legitimate hunters of Houbara. List of Qatari Royals that got hunting licenses (see image)
https://twitter.com/InamullahK/status/810208657761857537
16.12.2016 – Middle East Eye (* B H)
Yemen's war destroys lives - even beyond its own borders
Thousands have died and the economy has been derailed. For those abroad, including embassy staff and students, that means no money
Nothing has improved for the students [Yemeni students at Beirut], even after Middle East Eye’s coverage last year; in fact, their misery has only grown larger.
The 76 students, some of their country's brightest, came to Lebanon on Yemeni scholarships in 2014 - but have received no financial support since. They were forced to go to classes and survive on their own in pricey Beirut.
With no financial support from the ministry and with families struggling with the raging war in Yemen, it has been impossible for the students to afford basic expenses including food, accommodation and medicine.
Out of helplessness and protest, the students have turned to the embassy for refuge, and sleep in its empty rooms. The embassy has not been able to help them more than that - the embassy’s staff also have not been paid for nearly a year.
The humanitarian tragedy of Yemen war is not only seen in the raging famine in the country, but it is also felt beyond its borders. Yemenis dependent on stipends from Yemen’s public institutions are left to suffer.
Yemeni diplomatic staff have the same problem - whether in Lebanon, Malaysia, Sudan, Morocco or beyond. This comes after the Houthi-run Supreme Political Council, which controls the central bank, decreed that all embassies were their enemies and cut salaries.
Both students and the embassy staff in Beirut express great despair.
"We were granted the scholarship because we were the country’s brightest students, then to end up in this agony is devastating,” said Ahmed al-Hamadi, a 24-year-old electronic student.
"Many students have mentally collapsed and some were put in jail because they were unable to afford the expense of renewing their student’ residency. From a bright student, you end up facing starvation and being regarded as a criminal."
Students find it difficult to focus on studying when their empty stomachs churn, and the costs of accommodation and transport constantly haunt their thoughts.
Lebanese laws make it also impossible for the students to work – by Afrah Nasser
? – Geo Reisen
Jemen:-Impressionen: Reisebilder und Urlaubsfotos (Fotos)
http://www.geo.de/reisen/community/reisen/jemen/fotos
Mein Kommentar: Es war einmal…
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-240-yemen-war-mosaic-240
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-240: / Yemen War Mosaic 1-240:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose oder / or
http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
Der saudische Luftkrieg im Bild / Saudi aerial war images:
(18 +, Nichts für Sensible!) / (18 +; Graphic!)
http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm und / and http://yemenwarcrimes.blogspot.de/
18.12.2016 – AFP (* A T)
Mindestens 30 Soldaten bei Selbstmordanschlag im jemenitischen Aden getötet
Bei einem Selbstmordanschlag in einer Kaserne in der südjemenitischen Stadt Aden sind am Sonntag mindestens 30 Soldaten getötet worden. Das teilten Militärvertreter und Rettungskräfte mit, nachdem die Zahl der Toten zuvor mit mindestens 20 angegeben worden war. Den Angaben zufolge zündete der Attentäter seinen Sprengsatz inmitten von Soldaten, die auf dem Militärstützpunkt für ihren Sold anstanden.
18.12.2016 – AFP (* A T)
30 soldiers killed in Yemen suicide bombing
A suicide bomber killed at least 30 Yemeni soldiers on Sunday when he detonated his explosives at a gathering in the southern city of Aden, military officials and medics said.
Many others were wounded in the attack that targeted a crowd of soldiers gathered to collect their salaries at a base in northeastern Aden, the officials and medics said.
http://en.prothom-alo.com/international/news/133061/30-soldiers-killed-in-Yemen-suicide-bombing
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