... und mehr
Sep. 30, 2019: Living under airstrikes – UN International expert group, interview – Swampy US-Saudi arm deals – Houthi forces override three Saudi mercenaries’ brigades – and more
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
Klassifizierung / Classification
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Seuchen / Most important: Epidemics
cp1b Am wichtigsten: Kampf um Hodeidah / Most important: Hodeidah battle
cp1c Am wichtigsten: Angriff auf Saudi Aramco / Most important: Saudi Aramco attack
cp1d Huthis schalten saudische Söldnerbrigaden aus / Houthis override Saudi mercenaries’ brigades
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp2a Allgemein: Saudische Blockade / General: Saudi blockade
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
cp6 Separatisten und Hadi-Regierung im Südjemen / Separatists and Hadi government in Southern Yemen
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
cp9 USA
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Wachsende Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Mounting tensions at the Gulf
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
cp12b Sudan
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms Trade
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
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)
? = Keine Einschatzung / No rating
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
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
Einführende Artikel u. Überblicke für alle, die mit den Ereignissen im Jemen noch nicht vertraut sind, hier:
Yemen War: Introductory articles, overviews, for those who are still unfamiliar with the Yemen war here:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-einfuehrende-artikel-u-ueberblicke
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
(** B H K)
'Now it's just ghosts': Yemenis living under the shadow of death by airstrike
Four years of war has not brought Saudi Arabia any closer to victory, but all over Yemen ordinary people are suffering
Adel is one of dozens of people the Guardian met on a rare 6,000km journey through Yemen’s patchwork of Houthi-, government- and separatist-controlled areas, who described how more than four years of war have changed their lives beyond recognition. Suffering is palpable everywhere. But it is in the rebel-held highlands of Yemen’s north that the world’s worst humanitarian crisis has taken root and the spectres of cholera, hunger and Saudi airstrikes loom.
Strikes such as those on Dhamar that could constitute war crimes hit northern Yemen on an alarmingly regular basis. Saada province, the Houthi heartland on Saudi Arabia’s border, is targeted the most. Barely a street in the town of the same name has been left untouched: the post office, central market and countless civilian homes are gone.
Death comes from above at any time. Over a lunch of chicken, rice and sweet honeyed fatteh, the unmistakable thud of a nearby missile shook the windows of a restaurant. The diners paid no attention to the whine of the Saudi warplane even as it circled back for a second, third and fourth hit.
The scorched earth strategy has not brought Saudi Arabia any closer to winning this war.
Some now call Yemen Saudi Arabia’s Vietnam. But the truth is, without a steady supply of weapons, vehicles and technical expertise provided by the UK, US and other western nations, the current stalemate would be even worse for Riyadh.
Yemenis are well aware of where the bombs that fall on their heads originate from. Technical information and serial numbers from missile parts that survive explosions can easily be traced to western arms manufacturers.
At the bomb and mine clearance agency in Sana’a, weapons parts recovered from airstrikes glow hot in the sun. Among them are motor parts from four sensors from cluster bombs – explosives illegal under international law because the submunitions inside released on impact cause indiscriminate harm over a large area. The labels say they were made by the US Goodrich Corporation and manufactured in Wolverhampton, UK.
The Saudi blockade of Houthi Yemen’s airspace and land and sea borders keeps the north on a constant knife edge
At al-Sabeen women and children’s hospital, Jamila Mohammed Hamad, 36, says cholera now visits her family every year when the rainy season starts. She lost her three-year-old girl last summer. Now she is back in al-Sabeen’s cholera reception tent, praying her two-year-old niece survives.
Nowhere is the injustice more keenly felt than in Dahyan, the small village in Saada where a year ago a Saudi airstrike targeted a bus full of little boys on their way to a school trip, killing 44 – by Bethan McKernan, Photography by Achilleas Zavallis
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/30/yemenis-living-under-the-shadow-of-death-by-airstrike
(** B K P)
Head of the International Expert Group in an interview with "Al-Masdar Online": We scratched the surface of human rights violations in Yemen
Kamal al-Jandoubi, head of the Group of Leading International and Regional Experts on Yemen (GEE), said the team's reports have scratched the surface of human rights violations in Yemen since September 2014.
In an exclusive interview with Al-Masdar Online, Al-Safari added that the eminent expert group had prioritized investigations based on the seriousness of the alleged crimes and chose to conduct in-depth investigations into symbolic cases of the most egregious violations.
He noted the difficulties faced by the Group during its previous investigations, and the lack of cooperation of some parties in its second mandate, in addition to the team's inability to reach Yemeni areas.
Al-Masdar online publishes the transcript of the dialogue with Mr. Kamal Jandoubi, chairman of the eminent expert group, conducted online by colleague Moaz Rajeh:
- The report said that the de facto authority had shown its willingness to receive the team and investigate violations in their areas of control. Do you think that this position is real or is it just an attempt to achieve a media and political gain, especially after the coalition and the government refused your arrival in Yemen?
When the parties to the conflict expressed their willingness to cooperate with the eminent expert group, they were already doing so. For example, we were allowed access to parts of Yemen under the control of the government, the coalition, and the de facto authorities in the first year of our term.
When we asked for access again in the second year, we received no response from the government and the coalition, while the de facto authorities again agreed to visit the expert group. The de facto authorities also responded to questions posed in writing by the eminent expert group (which are available on the website of the Eminent Expert Group).
The report referred to a number of cases that had not been verified. Are there other cases not addressed in the report?
We mentioned in our reports that we have scratched the surface of alleged violations in Yemen since September 2014.some cases and specific patterns the Group did not finish its investigations at the time to be included in the report In many of these cases, we have been denied access or other restrictions to reach the level of consideration of something that is certain.
The Panel of Eminent Experts prioritized investigations based on the seriousness of the alleged crimes and chose to conduct in-depth investigations into symbolic cases of the most egregious violations.
There are still countless other investigated examples of the areas we have covered, as well as countless other violations that can be investigated if time and resources permit.
What is based on your reports? What is her fate after she is presented to the Commissioner?
The report of the Eminent Expert Group refers to cases where the Panel found reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of international law had occurred, including possible international crimes, which, therefore, reached the required standard of proof that would allow the competent authority to conduct further investigation in accidents or related patterns of behavior.
We hope that the information we have documented will be useful to provide guidance to the investigations of the competent authority, which may consider prosecutions to be part of accountability measures.
What are the most prominent issues the team will focus on in the coming period?
We have identified a number of cases in which the Eminent Expert Group has not yet completed its investigations, particularly in some areas where the Panel has been prevented from pursuing its investigations for lack of access or other restrictions, as was the case with Hajjah and Al-Dhale’a.
In addition, we are closely monitoring the latest developments in the country and will decide on what should focus our investigations.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172076
My remark „de facto authorities” is the twisted UN wording for the Houthi government at Sanaa.
(** B K P)
Just How Swampy Are U.S-Saudi Arms Deals?
Let's just say that Americans representing the kingdom are making a killing while pushing U.S. jobs overseas.
The old maxim that “the U.S. government exists to buy arms at home and sell arms abroad” was never truer than today. Our defense budget is soaring to previously undreamed-of heights and overseas weapons deals are setting new records.
Indeed, the arms sales industry has become so multi-faceted that while some American corporations push weapons, other U.S. firms are making money by acting on behalf of the buyers. Thus a Lockheed Martin-Raytheon team recently dispatched to Riyadh to negotiate the finer points of the ongoing $15 billion deal for seven Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries jointly manufactured by the two companies, found themselves facing not Saudis across the table, but a team of executives from the Boston Consulting Group. This behemoth, which has $7.5 billion in global revenues, is just one of the firms servicing Mohammed “Bone Saw” Bin Salman’s vicious and spendthrift consolidation of power in the kingdom.
Among other lucrative revenue streams, BCG enjoys a contract to overhaul the defense ministry’s arms buying practices, a challenging task given the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of weapons MBS has on order.
For arms dealers doing business in the kingdom, the most visible overhaul to date has been the consolidation of control over Saudi weapons purchases, and all branches of the armed forces, in the hands of MBS himself.
Previously, control in this area had been distributed among different factions of the ruling family, thus enabling each to enjoy the financial rewards (read: kickbacks) traditionally attendant to such deals. But MBS has made it his business, in every sense of the word, to cut out potentially rival middlemen by centralizing all Saudi defense business under the umbrella of the General Authority of Military Industries, with management in the trustworthy (he hopes) hands of close relatives and henchmen such as Mutlaq bin Hamad Al Murashid, the Princeton-trained nuclear engineer charged with developing the Saudi nuclear program.
The Boston Group has cultivated a market in advising foreign governments on arms buying, promoting the fostering of their own military-industrial complexes, or, as BCG executives demurely expressed the strategy in a 2018 paper: “Unlike the way business was done in the past, today’s buyers want the defense contractor to invest in their country’s infrastructure, help develop their local defense capabilities, and diversify their economies.”
So-called “offset” agreements have long been a feature of major weapons export deals in which the exporter undertakes to award sub-contracts for the weapon system in the purchasing country, or else offer some other quid quo pro in the form of business or technology transfer. Their massive expansion in recent times, as highlighted in the BCG paper, brings an additional benefit for all parties involved. But it comes at a risk of sending U.S. defense jobs overseas, and opens up security vulnerabilities, since sensitive technology is now being shared with foreign arms manufacturers abroad.
But the promise of a lucrative offset contract to a company in which an influential figure on the buy side has an interest could be a powerful inducement to swing the decision in a favorable direction, an elegant solution to pesky prohibitions against bribery, including the hated 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that was inspired in part by revelations of arms-deals bribes by Lockheed and others
Even if the attackers had been obliging enough to send in ballistic missiles with a high-altitude trajectory, the THAAD would have offered little succor, since its infra-red seeker, as noted, cannot distinguish between actual warheads and decoys. Nor would the Russian S-400 system cheekily offered by Putin in the aftermath of the attack have fared better, and for many of the same reasons.
Such realities have found little place in the outpouring of commentary on the attacks, with little or no attention paid to easily available evidence. For example, published pictures of the damage at Abqaiq clearly show a number of liquified natural gas storage tanks pierced in the same place on their western sides. As former Pentagon analyst Pierre Sprey pointed out to me, this clearly shows that the attacks came from the west, not the north, as claimed in numerous media reports.
The consistent accuracy demonstrated by these impact holes indicates that the terminal guidance was not GPS, but rather human drone controllers, manually steering the slow flying drones, via the drones’ video cameras, into the target. For control purposes they would have to have been in line of sight to the drones (the only alternative would be an easily detectable satellite link) so they could have been no further than 36 miles away at most, assuming the drones were flying at a likely 300 feet altitude.
Instead of such cogent analysis, we have been presented with unquestioning reports of Saudi “evidence” that the attacks came directly from Iran in the form of pictures of an alleged wrecked Iranian drone discovered somewhere close to the targeted area – by Patrick Cockburn
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Seuchen / Most important: Epidemics
(* B H)
Choleraepidemie: Dramatische Lage im Jemen
Die Lage im Jemen hat sich wegen der steigenden Zahl von Cholera-Erkrankungen dramatisch verschlechtert. Darauf weist das Internationale Komitee vom Roten Kreuz hin.
Es wird befürchtet, dass es bis zum Jahresende eine Million Cholera-Fälle im Jemen geben könnte. Die Hilfsorganisation rief die Kriegsparteien auf, die Öffnung des Flughafens von Sanaa für Hilfslieferungen zu erlauben.
Durch den Krieg ist das Gesundheitswesen weitgehend zusammengebrochen, die Mehrheit der Bevölkerung hat keinen Zugang zu sauberem Trinkwasser.
https://brf.be/international/1318025/
cp1b Am wichtigsten: Kampf um Hodeidah / Most important: Hodeidah battle
(* A K pS)
Reinforcements arrive for Tarek Saleh's forces from an Emirati base in Eritrean 'Assab'
Military reinforcements have arrived in recent days for the so-called "Guardians of the Republic" forces led by Tarek Saleh, the son of the former president's brother based on Yemen’s west coast.
A military source told Al-Masdar Online that reinforcements of three battalions arrived on the west coast after receiving training by UAE forces at Assab base in Eritrea.
According to the source, the brigades will begin their work alongside those who have already qualified and deployed on the frontlines in the directorates west of Taiz, south of Hodeidah and Zaqar Island in the Red Sea.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172041
and
(* A K pS)
UAE shipping mercenaries to Yemeni West Coast
Port of Mocha point of entry for foreign invaders on mainland
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is transporting military mercenary forces by commercial ships to the port of Mocha in Yemen’s western coast, navigational sources said on Saturday.
The sources warned that such move would endanger the security of navigation in the Red Sea, holding Saudi-led aggression coalition full responsible for consequences.
Al-Mayadeen TV channel earlier published a video showing the arrival of three Emirati ships to the port of Mocha coming from Eritrea carrying more than 1,000 mercenaries after being trained at the UAE military base in the Eritrean city of Assab.
Reports confirmed that the fighters were transferred immediately from the port of Mocha to the fighting fronts in Taiz province
https://www.uprising.today/uae-shipping-mercenaries-to-yemeni-west-coast/
(A K pS)
15 civilians injured in Houthi shelling targeting neighborhoods and market south of Hodeidah
Fifteen civilians were injured, seven of them seriously, as a result of shelling by Houthi militias on Saturday on a market and residential neighborhoods in Al-Tahita district in southern Yemen.
Local sources told Al-Masdar Online that Houthi militias shelled after people left prayers this afternoon in al-Tur market on the asphalt line west of the Tahita district, and the shelling injured 10 civilians, including four seriously injured.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172079
Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4xKb7W7ZsE
(A K pS)
Film: Pro-Iranian Houthi militias continue to bomb and target residential neighborhoods in Tahita, south of Hodeida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHwVbSuyFYA
(A K P)
Yemen: Houthis Should Implement Hodeidah Deal before Any Future Talks
[Hadi gov.] Yemeni Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdullah al-Hadrami has affirmed that the legitimate government will not carry out any future consultations with Houthi militias if they don’t stick to the implementation of the Stockholm agreement on Hodeidah.
His remarks were made during a meeting in New York with UN Special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths.
my comment: While the Houthis blame the Hadi government for violating the agreement.
(A K pH)
US-Saudi Aggression’s Daily Update for Friday, September 27th, 2019
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9006
(A K pS)
Houthis shell joint forces, bring more reinforcements to al-Jabaliya
http://en.adenpress.news/news/13400
cp1c Am wichtigsten: Angriff auf Saudi Aramco / Most important: Saudi Aramco attack
Siehe / Loook at cp1
(A K P)
UAE Foreign Minister describes attack on oil facilities in east of kingdom as threat to stability of whole world economy
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, said that the terrorist attacks on oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia, condemned by various countries of the world, were terrorism and a flagrant threat to the stability of the entire global economy, not only the security of the kingdom or the region.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1975202
My comment: The attacks were war, stupid. I would agree if you would confess all such attacks and raids are “terrorism”. Thus, 20,000 Saudi coalition terrorist aerial attacks against civilian targets in Yemen would have to be mentioned here.
cp1d Huthis schalten saudische Söldnerbrigaden aus / Houthis override Saudi mercenaries’ brigades
(** A K)
Huthi-Rebellen zeigen angebliche Aufnahmen saudischer Gefangener
Die Huthi-Rebellen wollen im Jemen mehr als 2.000 Kämpfer gefangen genommen haben, darunter Hunderte saudischer Soldaten. Nun sollen Videoaufnahmen den militärischen Erfolg belegen.
Die Huthi-Rebellen im Jemen haben Videoaufnahmen veröffentlicht, die saudische Gefangene nach einer großangelegten Offensive im Grenzgebiet zu Saudi-Arabien zeigen sollen. Bei dem Angriff nahe der gemeinsamen Grenze seien mehr als 2.000 Kämpfer des von Saudi-Arabien angeführten Militärbündnisses gefangen genommen worden, sagte Huthi-Militärsprecher Jahia Sari am Sonntag bei einer Ansprache im Rebellen-nahen Fernsehsender Al-Masirah.
Darunter seien auch saudische Soldaten. Mehr als 500 Kämpfer des Bündnisses seien getötet oder verletzt worden. Unabhängig bestätigen ließen sich die Angaben der Rebellen nicht. Das von Saudi-Arabien angeführte Militärbündnis äußerte sich zunächst nicht. Sari sagte nicht, wann die angePanzerbliche Offensive lief.
Al-Masirah zeigte nächtliche Raketenangriffe, die Teil der Offensive auf die sogenannte Nadschran-Achse gewesen sein sollen. Zu sehen sind in den Aufnahmen auch ein Huthi-Kommandeur bei Absprachen zu dem angeblichen Angriff sowie Panzer und gepanzerte Fahrzeuge auf der Flucht. Zu sehen sind außerdem mehrere Tote und Verletzte sowie Kämpfer, die ihre Waffen niederlegen oder mit erhobenen Händen aufgereiht durch eine Gebirgslandschaft gehen. Einige von ihnen erklären, Saudis zu sein. Auch zerstörte Fahrzeuge werden gezeigt.
(** A K)
Houthi im Siegestaumel
Sie verkündeten am Samstag, sie hätten Tausende Mann aus der internationalen Anti-Houthi-Allianz gefangen genommen, unter ihnen saudische Offiziere. Sie wollen auch schweres Gerät erbeutet haben. Ein Militärsprecher tönte, es habe Mitte vergangener Woche im Grenzgebiet eine großangelegte Operation gegeben – auf saudischer Seite nahe dem Ort Nadschran, mit Unterstützung der Drohnen- und Raketeneinheiten. Der Feind habe „riesige Verluste“ erlitten. Der Houthi-Haussender „Al Massirah“ zeigte am Sonntag angebliche Bilder von Gefechtsszenen, Gefangennahmen und erbeuteten gepanzerten Fahrzeugen.
Riad schwieg am Samstag, und auch am Sonntag gab es von saudischer Seite zunächst keine Angaben zu dem Vorfall. Ein jemenitischer Kämpfer der Anti-Houthi-Koalition, der an einer nördlichen Front im Einsatz ist, bestätigte in einer Sprachnachricht, drei Brigaden hätten sich ergeben. Ob es aber tatsächlich Tausende oder Hunderte Männer waren, blieb darin ebenso unbestätigt wie die Houthi-Behauptung, es habe blutige Kämpfe mit Hunderten Toten gegeben.
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/krieg-im-jemen-houthi-im-siegestaumel-16409233.html
(** A K pH)
Jemen: Ansarollah-Bewegung erläutert Militäroperation "Nasr Men Allah"
Bei einer Pressekonferenz heute in Sanaa, der Hauptstadt Jemens, sagte General Jahya Sari-a dazu, an der Militäroperation Nasr Men Allah hätten Militärexperten sechs Monate lang gearbeitet. Die Armee habe bereits am 15. August die Operation an verschiedenen Frontlinien von Nejran begonnen. Zuvor habe man aber einige Monate lang genaue Kenntnisse über die militärische Lage dieses Gebietes gesammelt, woran auch die jemenitischen Streitkräfte beteiligt gewesen seien.
Man habe V-Männer eingesetzt, was die Ausführung der Operation entscheidend erleichtert habe.
General Jahya Sari-a fügte hinzu, in der ersten Phase der Militäroperation Nasr Men Allah seien neun Raketenoperationen durchgeführt worden, und es habe zudem rund 20 Drohnenangriffe gegeben, während die jemenitische Luftabwehr die Apachi-Hubschrauber und Kampfflugzeuge der von Saudi-Arabien angeführten Kriegskoalition zum Rückzug gezwungen habe.
Bei dieser Operation habe es mehr als 500 Tote und Verletzte auf der Seite der Feinde gegeben, sagte der Sprecher der jemenitischen Armee. Mehr als 2000 weitere seien gefangen genommen worden, darunter befänden sich bedauerlicherweise auch Kinder.
(** A K)
Huthis sprechen von Hunderten Gefangenen
Die jemenitischen Huthi-Rebellen haben nahe der Grenze zu Saudi-Arabien eine Großoffensive gestartet. Beim "größten Einsatz" seit Beginn des Bürgerkrieges vor fünf Jahren sollen Hunderte Soldaten festgesetzt worden sein.
Die Huthi-Rebellen haben im Jemen eigenen Angaben zufolge Hunderte Soldaten bei einer großangelegten Offensive gefangen genommen. Bei dem Einsatz in der Provinz Nadschran nahe der Grenze zu Saudi-Arabien hätten sie auch viele Waffen und Armeefahrzeuge erobert, erklärte der Huthi-Militärsprecher Jahia Sari laut einem Bericht des Rebellen-nahen Fernsehsenders Al-Masirah. Dabei gehe es um Truppen und Ausrüstung von drei "feindlichen Militärbrigaden". Auch mehrere Offiziere sollen sich demnach unter den Festgehaltenen befinden.
Die Offensive der Huthis habe ihren Anfang bereits vor 72 Stunden genommen. "Dies ist der größte Einsatz seit Beginn der Gewalt gegen unser Land", sagte Sari, ohne Details zu nennen. Unabhängig bestätigen ließen sich die Angaben der Rebellen nicht. Das von Saudi-Arabien angeführte Militärbündnis, das im Jemen gegen die Huthis kämpft, äußerte sich dazu noch nicht.
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/jemen-huthi-117.html
und auch https://www.derstandard.de/story/2000109217474/huthis-melden-festsetzung-tausender-soldaten-nahe-grenze-mit-saudi-arabien (mit Karte)
(* A K)
Huthi-Rebellen melden Gefangennahme saudischer Soldaten
Die schiitische Miliz hat im Jemen eigenen Angaben zufolge Truppen aus Saudi-Arabien festgesetzt. Zudem will sie sie viele Waffen in ihren Besitz gebracht haben.
Die Huthi-Rebellen haben im Südwesten Saudi-Arabiens eine große Gruppe saudischer Soldaten gefangen genommen. Dies berichtet der Rebellen-nahe Fernsehsender Al-Masirah unter Berufung auf den Huthi-Militärsprecher Jahia Sari. Demnach beschlagnahmten die Huthis bei dem Einsatz in der Provinz Nadschran nahe der jemenitischen Grenze auch viele Waffen.
Unter den Festgehaltenen sollen sich demnach auch Offiziere befinden. Allerdings gibt es über die Zahl der angeblich Festgenommenen unterschiedliche Angaben. Es war teils von Hunderten, teils von Tausenden gefangenen Soldaten die Rede.
Unabhängig bestätigen ließen sich die Angaben der Rebellen nicht. Von Saudi-Arabien lag noch keine Stellungnahme vor.
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2019-09/jemen-huthi-rebellen-saudi-arabien-soldaten-gefangen
(** A B K P)
Houthis say they killed or wounded 500 Saudi-led coalition fighters and captured 2,000
The Saudi-led coalition has yet to respond to the rebels’ claims. If confirmed, the assault would represent one of the most significant victories for the Iranian-aligned rebels, known as Houthis, in the nearly five-year civil war gripping the Middle East’s poorest nation.
The Houthi-owned Al-Masirah television network on Sunday broadcast footage showing a long, snaking line of what the rebels said were captured troops walking in rugged terrain. Many of the men, who apparently surrendered to the rebels, were dressed in flip flops and the traditional, sarong-like clothing worn in Yemen and parts of Saudi Arabia. A handful wore tan camouflage uniforms. At least two of the men said on camera that they were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Other images showed burning armored vehicles with Saudi markings and weapons that the Houthis said they seized. Houthi fighters also are shown apparently launching attacks on coalition troops, clashes that left what appears to be corpses in Saudi military uniforms.
The Washington Post could not independently verify any of the images.
If claims about the attack are found to be credible, it is certain to fuel more concerns in Washington and Riyadh that Iran is behind the rebels’ growing military capabilities, which in recent months have included numerous drone and cruise missile attacks on Saudi soil.
It also would help bring credibility to the Houthis’ claims that they had orchestrated the largest ever assault on Saudi oil facilities, on Sept. 14, which temporarily shut down oil production and rattled the global economy. The Trump administration and Riyadh say the attack did not come from Yemen and blame Iran, which has denied the allegation.
(A K P)
Political Office of Ansarullah Statement on “Victory from Allah” Military Operation
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9039
(A K P)
Iran: Yemenis inspired by Iran’s experience during Sacred Defense
Brigadier General Mohammad Kosari, the deputy head of the IRGC’s Sarallah Headquarters, says that the Yemeni forces used Iran’s resistance against Saddam regime’s aggression as a role model against the Saudi aggression.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/150637/Yemenis-inspired-by-Iran-s-experience-during-Sacred-Defense
while this seems to be the only Saudi comment:
(A K P)
[Hadi gov.] Yemeni Defense Minister lauds Efforts and Positions of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen
Yemeni Defense Minister General Mohammed Al-Magdashi today lauded the efforts and positions of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen in assisting the Yemeni people and standing by the side of the Yemeni national army in the battle for joint interests to repulse dangers and ward off plots being designed by enemies to destroy Yemen's security and stability as well as that of the region.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1975511
(** B K P)
IRAN’S GOAL: TURN YEMEN INTO SAUDI’S VIETNAM
This comes after a day in which rumors swirled that the Houthis had destroyed three brigades and captured thousands of troops.
Unsurprisingly Saudi media have no confirmed the battles and social media accounts have claimed the Yemen videos are old, but no one has showed proof that all the videos are actually old videos. Several videos showing anti-tank rounds hitting Oshkosh armored vehicles appear to actually be from April 2018 or June 2019. We need to understand the larger picture here. This is a propaganda victory, pure and simple, for Yemen. That is why Yahya Sarih, the spokesman of the Houthis, has been appearing on TV with a military uniform as if they have won. That is why Al-Mayadeen which is sympathetic to the Iranian-backed alliance of Hezbollah, Syria’s regime and the Houthis, has broadcast video of the men captured. It is why Al-Manar, which is close to Hezbollah, is so excited. It is why Fars News in Farsi has broadcast the same video of the captured men being paraded away from the battlefield, looking more like French at Dienbienphi surrendering to the Vietnamese, than a modern war. The idea is to humiliate. Video shows anti-tank guided missiles being used against Oshkosh armored vehicles.
People that follow open source videos are feasting on the details now, noting that the vehicles constitute US and Canadian-made vehicles among others, including LAV-25s, Oshkosh M-ATV, STREIT Group Spartans, KADDB Al-Wahsh and M-113s. Accounts such as @RedIntelPanda tried to geolocate the location near Najran. Some accounts totaled up the destroyed vehicles, coming up with 17 that were shown burned and destroyed. Again, it’s not entirely clear if all the photos are from this incident. The sheer number of destroyed vehicles shown on videos cannot be hidden for long if it all happened in one day.
The Najran attacks, and the frequent drone and missile attacks on Abha in southern Saudi Arabia is designed to do the same. It is about taking the war to Saudi Arabia and asserting the power of Iranian technology and Iranian advisors. If the Houthis are doing all this themselves they may be the strongest group of infantry since the Spartans. But they aren’t. They are the foot soldiers and Iranian technology has helped them become a formidable fighting force, able to withstand four years of siege and battle against not only Riyadh but also its allies.
There is no reason the Houthis should have been able to accomplish this, but there was no reason the Vietminh should have outdone the French inn 1954. But they did. Iran’s Press TV and other stations that are pro-Iranian allies, such Al-Masirah in Yemen, Al-Manar, Al-Mayadeen, and Fars News are the tip of the media war to portray Saudi Arabia and incapable – by Seth J. Frantzman
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Irans-goal-Turn-Yemen-into-Saudis-Vietnam-603260
My comment: From Jerusalem Post. Interesting ideas, but the role of Iran is much overstated, and the author simply does not understand that since 2014 the greater part of Yemen’s regular army is fighting aligned to the Houthis and their government.
(* A K pH)
The important points mentioned by Head of the Delegation of the Sanaa Government Negotiator, Mohammed Abdul-Salam in his talk with Al-Mayadeen TV on Sunday regarding the "Victory from Allah" military operation:
A large number of martyrs fell during the "Victory from Allah" operation,
The announcement of the "Victory from Allah" operation took time because of the need for a large readiness to secure the prisoners,
The main objective of the "Victory from Allah" operation is to stop the Saudi coalition aggression against #Yemen,
#Najran operation confirmed that the Saudi coalition abandoned those who work under his command in the midst of battles,
The number of prisoners of the Saudi coalition must remain mysterious,
The data presented are much less than the size of the operation due to security reasons due to the continuation of the operation,
The number of prisoners of the Saudi coalition must remain mysterious because this helps us in the exchange process,
#US and #UK messages say that #SaudiArabia wants to stop the war but is procrastinate so far.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/photos/a.963391330380564/2515703171816031/
(** A K pH)
After Aramco, Yemenis Capture 2,000 Saudi Troops and 350 km Land [VIDEO]
Yemen’s Army and Popular Committees announced the first phase of a month’s long operation.
Yemeni forces captured 2,000 Saudi troops during the operation, including many children and high-ranking officials.
Yemeni forces seized 350 km (217 miles) of land beyond the Saudi border in the Najran region.
Saree revealed that many of the more than 2,000 prisoners captured were children and mercenaries of varying nationalities. He cited pointed out Riyadh’s violation of international law by thrusting children to defend its border and front line.
According to Brigadier-General Saree, protecting the prisoners posed quite a challenge initially. Upon capturing the Saudi brigades and platoon, Saudi coalition warplanes attempted to strike their positions as they fled and surrendered to Yemeni forces.
But it doesn’t end there.
Yemen’s Army and Popular Committees also managed to liberate 350 kilometers or about 217 miles of territory in all directions as part of the month-long operation.
Over the course of the war, Ansarullah and Yemeni forces have e
Don’t be fooled by the mainstream media’s portrayal of Yemen’s Army and Popular Committees as barefoot nomads and cave dwellers. Most of Yemen’s national army has joined Ansarullah against the Saudi-backed coalition. Yemeni troops operating in Najran include advanced special forces such as a sniper unit which boasts hundreds of confirmed kills each year – by Randi Nord (film, photos)
https://geopoliticsalert.com/aramco-yemen-najran-operation
(A K P)
(A K P)
Three Saudi Brigades Annihilated in Devastating Houthi Offensive in Saudi Arabia
Usually such pincer movements require thorough reconnaissance to determine where best to surround the enemy. Furthermore, air support and air-defense systems would be necessary to ward off American and Saudi responses. In addition to all this, troops and their equipment are needed together with the necessary training for such assaults that require coordination as well as quick and effective execution of orders. All these requirements were met as a result of the excellent preparation and knowledge of the terrain by the Yemeni army and the Houthis.
If the attack on Saudi oil facilities had such an impact, then the even more dramatic attack of this last Saturday will have forced Mohammed bin Salman and his American allies to face a very harsh reality. Saudi Arabia, it will now need to be recognized, does not have the capacity to defend its borders from Yemen, leaving the Houthis and the Yemeni army free to enter Saudi territory at will while showing little regard for the opinion and feelings of the Saudis and Americans.
This is a triple checkmate for the Houthis against Riyadh. Firstly, they showed that they had enough local support within Saudi Arabia to have ready internal saboteurs in the event of an all-out war with Iran or Yemen. Then they showed they have the capacity to cripple Saudi Arabia’s oil production. Ultimately, Yemen’s conventional forces could redraw the boundaries between Saudi Arabia and Yemen in the latter’s favor should Yemeni leaders decide to invade and occupy a strip of Saudi territory to secure a buffer zone, given that Saudi forces have been violating Yemen’s sovereignty and massacring civilians willy nilly for the last five years.
It bears reflecting on the significance of these events. The third-biggest arms spender in the world is incapable of defeating the poorest Arab country in the world. It is, moreover, incapable of protecting its national interest and borders from this impoverished Arab country.
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/09/30/three-saudi-brigades-annihilated-in-devastating-houthi-offensive-in-saudi-arabia/ = https://ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/war-on-yemen/3527-three-saudi-brigades-annihilated.html
My comment: With wrong conclusions, as this victory already should have taken place in the end of August.
(* A K)
Loyalist soldiers killed, captured in major Yemen rebel attack
Some 200 pro-government fighters were killed in Yemen and more than 1,000 taken prisoner in an August offensive near the Saudi border by the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, a loyalist source and the rebels said Sunday.
The three-day "large-scale" operation was launched on August 25, Huthi spokesman Yahya Saree said, showing footage purportedly of the attack near the southern Saudi region of Najran.
The Yemeni government source confirmed to AFP that some 200 soldiers were killed in the attack.
The Huthis said more than 200 pro-government fighters were killed in dozens of missile and drone strikes.
"Over 2,000 fighters were taken prisoner," the Huthi spokesman added, saying most of them were Yemeni but that they also included other prisoners, without elaborating.
The government source said the number of prisoners was "less than" the Huthis claimed, estimating "the number is about 1,300 soldiers", including 280 wounded.
The Yemeni troops had been surrounded for four days by the Huthis in the rebels' northern stronghold of Saada province, he said.
(A K)
Soldiers Houthis killed and arrested in "major" operation in #Najran were Yemenis not Saudis. Saudi soldiers will not fight. Saudi Arabia has trained and deployed Yemeni troops to defend its southern border. And yes, Houthis raided brigades killing hundreds & arresting thousands.
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/1178432656041807874
Video clearly shows some saudi fighters in uniform
But yes the majority are mercenaries
https://twitter.com/SkAnDuLoUs/status/1178438818111864832
(* A K)
Yemen's Houthis say footage shows attack on Saudi border frontline
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group broadcast footage on Sunday that it said showed a major attack near the border with Saudi Arabia’s southern region of Najran, adding that its forces had captured troops and vehicles.
Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition that has been battling the Houthis, has no
Houthi-run al-Masirah TV broadcast images of armored vehicles hit by blasts and what the Houthis said were dozens of surrendering fighters. Two of those men, speaking to the camera, said they were from Saudi Arabia.
and
(**A K)
Film: Yemen's Houthi rebels release Saudi attack video
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Sunday broadcast footage they said was of a major attack into Saudi Arabia that killed 500 soldiers with thousands of others surrendering.
Yehia Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, described an ambush on the Saudi forces that then developed into a cross-border offensive that trapped the troops inside Saudi Arabia.
The fighting took place in the southern region of Najran with video images aired showing armoured vehicles hit by blasts and surrendering soldiers.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/2515528801833468?__tn__=-R and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=137665704210817&set=pcb.137666744210713&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/2515513128501702
https://www.yemenpress.org/yemen/more-than-200-mercenaries-killed-by-aggressions-raids-images/
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178328820807589890
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178324817071788034
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178321957567238144
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178332098840711174
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178334588638306305
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178316417462145024
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178315496539721728
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178307289746423808
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178306870735507456
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178304291213365248
Photos and films: https://www.yemenpress.org/yemen/yemeni-army-releases-footage-of-victory-from-god-almighty-op-against-saudi-forces/
Films: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB1C7XyUvNo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svWB9or1eJc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhLIBE7VERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqWHV1eU7Qw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99H-_4ZqGi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX9D0OGj6_w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaI9xT7DnPM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RqxHyg2H7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QX3LnkdCLY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYtColLVUnE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we7WKL3f_SI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esb61gbS9oU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba87DXH-_t8
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178516917335789568
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178328820807589890
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178297122392875008
https://twitter.com/IraqiSecurity/status/1178127799481229313
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=499843927236528
https://www.facebook.com/ramzy.yafey.9/videos/vb.100039021632087/137665670877487
and
(** A K pH)
Yemeni Army releases footage of “Victory from God Almighty” op against Saudi forces
The footage released by Yemeni forces starts with a description of the geographic location of the operational theater, showing Yemeni forces firing shells at the positions of Saudi forces and Saudi-sponsored Yemeni militiamen loyal to Yemen's former pro-Saudi president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
It then shows Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries fleeing the area on board pickup trucks and armored personnel carriers. Yemeni soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Committees do not hesitate to target the fleeing Saudi forces and mercenaries, setting a number of their military vehicles ablaze.
The video then shows several armored vehicles overturned, and dozens of Saudi troopers surrendering to Yemeni forces with both their hands raised in air.
There were dozens of bodies strewn everywhere.
Some captured Saudi-backed militiamen said they had been paid and lured by the kingdom in order to participate in battles against Yemeni army soldiers and Popular Committees fighters, other owned up to having been forced to fight in Yemen.
The video footage went on to show captured Saudi-paid Yemeni militiamen and Saudi soldiers walking in droves, as Yemeni paramedics provided first aid to the injured prisoners of war while cleansing and dressing their wounds.
In another part of the video, Saudi military aircraft are seen hovering in the skies over the area, firing a barrage of missiles.
The spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces highlighted that almost 200 Saudi troops lost their lives as a result of the operation in Najran.
The footage concluded with showing considerable amounts of various munitions and weapons, including assault rifles and cartridge boxes, seized from Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries (with film)
(* A K pH)
MINISTER OF DEFENSE DRIVES SAUDI ARMORED VEHICLE IN THE FIELD OF ” VICTORY FROM ALLAH” OPERATION”
The military media scenes, which were distributed on Sunday, showed part of the Operation of Victory from Allah” , where the Minister of Defense, Major General Mohammad Nasser Al-Atefi, while reviewing the map in the control room, while the Saudi minister defense hides beyond the Saudi palace and pushed the people of Najd and Al-Hajaz and the mercenaries who were recruited from Yemen to the holocaust of death in the fronts of the frontiers.
The scenes showed the Minister of Defense in contact with field commanders to see the progress of the operation (photos)
(* A K)
BBC: Houthi rebels video fails to prove Saudi troop capture claim
Houthi rebels in Yemen have released footage which they say shows a major attack on Saudi forces near the border between the two countries.
But the video broadcast on Sunday instead shows what appear to be rebels firing at vehicles on a road.
This is followed by footage of several burnt-out vehicles, as well as assorted light weaponry laid out on the ground and a group of men not in military uniforms marching down a dirt road.
In a news conference on Sunday, Col Sarea did not give a date for when the video was taken.
He said the evidence of the attack could not be shown for security reasons.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49866677
(* A K pH)
Abdulsalam: Saudi Regime Ignores Its captured and Killed, Army Commanders First to Flee Battle
The head of the national Delegation, Mohammed Abdulsalam, denounced the way the Saudi army dealt with its soldiers and turned some of its mercenaries into leading human shields as death approached them.
"It is a terrible fall that the enemy ignores its captured and some of the leaders of those brigades were the first to the battle, leaving its heavy equipment and thousands of fighters behind," Abdessalam said in a tweet.
He considers that the worst of the Saudi treatment of its soldiers, deliberately targeting the prisoners and killing them so that they catastrophe of their surrender does not occur.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9035
(A K pH)
Saudi Arabia Now An Easy Target: Yemen’s Ansarullah
In an interview with Tasnim on Sunday, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the political bureau of Ansarullah, highlighted the results of the massive military operation, codenamed God's Victory, which destroyed several Saudi-led brigades and marked the largest operation by Ansarullah over the past five years.
“The operation altered the equation of power in this war in favor of Yemen,” Bukhaiti said, adding that the successful operation was a result of the advances in Yemen’s missile, aerial and air defense capabilities that were reflected in the battlefield.
“Saudi Arabia has now turned into an easy target for the Yemeni army,” he stated.
(A K pS)
[Hadi government] Yemeni Official: Houthi Propaganda Aims to Cover up Iran’s Crimes
An official at the Yemeni Ministry of Defense accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of spreading propaganda in order to cover up for Tehran’s crimes.
Khaled al-Qarni told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthis were attempting to divert the international community’s attention from the major crime committed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards against the Saudi Aramco oil facilities on September 14.
He added that the Houthis were suffering losses on the ground and were therefore, trying to exploit any information in propaganda and in spreading lies to lift the morale of their fighters.
and
(A K pS)
Houthi rebels claiming ‘fake victory’: Yemeni minister
Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Iryani has accused Houthi rebels of claiming a “fake victory” to cover up their political dilemma.
"The Iran-backed Houthi militia attempts to propagate false victory through its media tools at a time when it is sustaining heavy losses in troops and machinery on a daily basis,” al-Iryani said in statements cited by the official Saba news agency.
“The Houthi militia is propagating these victories with a view to covering up its political and military dilemma, raising up the shaken morale of its members and continuing its proxy war for their masters in Tehran,” he said.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/houthi-rebels-claiming-fake-victory-yemeni-minister/1597701
My comment: This is not convincing, even if you take for granted that the Houthis are exaggerating their success.
(A K pS)
Film (Arabic): [Hadi government] Military leaders question Houthis claim of control over three brigades as well as killing and capturing thousands Yemeni military leaders questioned the Houthis announcement of their control over three military brigades as well as killing and capturing thousands of soldiers
the leaders also added that such operation is impossible to be carried out by the Houthis, and they explained it from a military logic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DliGit5q15s
(A K)
Very interesting and important footage here that shows that the #Houthis once again have exaggerated their military "achievements" to mitigate internal discord within their movement and to convince #KSA to sue for peace on their terms.
https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1178347275183120384
Open source pictures clearly do not show “thousands” of POWs. #Houthis #SaudiArabia #Yemen Nor can this be verified.
Numbers can always be inflamed, but whether the op took place or not should be the *real question*. Military dynamics in Najran, Jizan & Aseer has been on the uptick for some time now..
Based on collaborative input & assessment: it is highly likely that this is indeed the August op and *hostages* from Al Fatah Brigade -> Kataf, Saadah
You can only truly appreciate / decipher propaganda in Yemen - or any conflict for that matter - if you're tracking it since the beginning and thus can spot *trends, patterns, upticks or irregularities*
https://twitter.com/KhalilDewan/status/1178303069559431168
Plus, these look Yemenis not Saudis. Could be from an operation last month where Houthis captures hundreds of government soldiers in a training camp in Saada
https://twitter.com/Ndawsari/status/1178312329768980481
(** A K pH)
Armed Forces spokesman: Saudi Brigades Destroyed, Scores of Mercs Captured in Najran Offensive
The spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces says three Saudi military brigades were completely destroyed after Yemeni Army troops, backed by allied fighters from Popular Committees, mounted a large-scale military offensive in the kingdom’s southern border region of Najran.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital Sana’a on Saturday evening, Brigadier General Yahya Saree described the major and efficient operation, dubbed Victory from Allah, as the biggest-ever since Saudi Arabia and some of its allies embarked an atrocious military campaign on Yemen more than four years ago, noting that the offensive lasted several months and inflicted dramatic losses – both in terms of military hardware and personnel – upon the enemy, the media bureau of Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement said in a statement.
“The operation resulted in the complete destruction of three military brigades of the enemy (Saudi) forces, seizure of large quantities of military equipment, including hundreds of vehicles and armored vehicles, capture of thousands of enemy forces, mostly traitors and the beguiled (Saudi-sponsored Yemeni militiamen loyal to Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi). Hundreds more were killed and wounded in the process as well,” Saree pointed out.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9016
and also https://sabanews.net/en/news3071915.htm
infographic: https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9027
(** A K)
Yemen: Houthis claim capture of thousands of troops in Saudi raid
Yemen's rebels claim carrying out attack in Saudi region of Najran, but there is no immediate confirmation from Riyadh.
Yemen's Houthi movement has said it carried out an attack near the border with the southwestern Saudi region of Najran and captured "thousands" of enemy troops including several Saudi army officers but there was no immediate confirmation from the authorities in Saudi Arabia.
A spokesman for the Yemen-based rebels said in a statement on Saturday that three "enemy military brigades had fallen" in the attack, which he said was launched 72 hours earlier in the vicinity of Najran and was supported by the group's drone, missile and air defence units.
Houthi-run Almasirah TV quoted the spokesman as saying they captured "thousands" of enemy troops, including many officers and soldiers of the Saudi army, as well as "hundreds of armoured vehicles".
The Houthi military spokesperson said the operation reveals to Saudi Arabia that the Yemeni fighters are capable of further penetrating into Saudi territories "in case it continues its aggression against Yemen".
Reporting from Sanaa, Al Jazeera's Mohammed al-Attab said the Houthis claimed to have carried out "sniper shooting and other tactics in order to further tighten their grip on the three military brigades" claimed to have been captured.
"The Houthi military spokesperson revealed that those who have been captured will be put in undisclosed areas in order to protect them from Saudi airstrikes," he said.
"They are assuring the families of the prisoners of war that they will be kept in a secret place in order to keep them safe from any harm." (with film)
and films: https://www.facebook.com/PRESSTV/videos/446022196011067
https://twitter.com/A7medJa7af/status/1178007474261106690
Film, statement: Arabic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqxgIswEgPg = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HXbLYaYva0
And as a reminder:
(* B K P)
Border Incineration .. SAM highlights the issue of Yemeni Fighters in Southern Saudi Arabia
https://www.samrl.org/yemeni-fighters-in-southern-saudi-arabia/
cp2 Allgemein / General
(* A K P)
Interactive Map of Yemen War
(* A K)
MILITARY SITUATION IN YEMEN ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2019 (MAP UPDATE)
https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-yemen-on-september-29-2019-map-update/
MILITARY SITUATION IN YEMEN ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 (MAP UPDATE)
https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-yemen-on-september-28-2019-map-update/
(* B K P)
Endless US War in Yemen
Yemen is Washington’s war, ongoing for nearly 18 years, the heaviest fighting since March 2015.
The Saudis are used as the main US strike force against the country and its long-suffering people, intermittently throughout the conflict, largely in most recent years.
The US, Britain and France are the kingdom’s main suppliers of heavy weapons, munitions, and other military assistance.
Israel is involved in the war. So are US, UK, and French special forces, operating in Yemen on the ground.
US drone war on the country has been ongoing throughout years of conflict, begun by Bush-Cheney.
According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Obama greatly escalated what his predecessor regime began, adding:
US drone wars in all its conflict theaters increased to an unprecedented level under Trump – notably in Yemen, a six-fold increase over 2016.
The UK-based human rights group Reprieve reported that illegal US drone wars expanded exponentially under Trump.
The program was begun by Obama’s CIA chief John Brennan, a so-called “disposition matrix” or “kill list” — targeted assassinations continued by Trump.
Resolution of conflicts in all US war theaters are unattainable because bipartisan hardliners in Washington reject restoration of peace and stability in targeted countries.
Not a shred of credible evidence suggests Iran was involved in striking key Saudi oil facilities this month or other attacks on kingdom territory — nor Persian Gulf, Hormuz Strait and Sea of Oman incidents it was falsely accused of.
Intermittently throughout years of fighting, ceasefires were proposed and breached by the Saudis and its coalition partners.
Is restoration of peace and stability in Yemen more likely now than earlier?
As long as hardliners in Washington want war, ending it is off the table.
If Riyadh halts its involvement, US drone war will surely continue as long as Houthis control most or all Yemeni territory — elements Washington doesn’t control.
Both right wings of the US war party want pro-Western puppet rule installed in Yemen.
They’re intolerant of sovereign independent Houthi rule, elements not bending to their will, why prospects for conflict resolution are dim – by Stephen Lendman
https://www.globalresearch.ca/endless-us-war-yemen/5690442
(* A K P)
Rotes Kreuz: Huthis im Jemen lassen 290 Gefangene frei
Die Huthi-Rebellen im Jemen haben nach Angaben des Roten Kreuzes 290 Kriegsgefangene freigelassen. Die einseitige Geste könne den Weg für weitere Freilassungen in dem Konflikt ebnen, erklärte das Internationale Komitee vom Roten Kreuz (IKRK) am Montag in Genf.
Das Rote Kreuz habe das Unternehmen unterstützt, etwa durch medizinische Untersuchungen und Feststellungen der Identitäten der Gefangenen. Die Freigelassenen würden gemäß ihren eigenen Wünschen entweder von der Hauptstadt Sanaa in ihre Heimatgebiete oder in von anderen Konfliktparteien kontrollierte Gebiete transferiert.
Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ombfVo_r_84
(* A P)
Yemen's Houthis unilaterally release hundreds of detainees
The Houthi group in control of Yemen’s capital released hundreds of prisoners on Monday in a unilateral move, which the United Nations hoped would help revive a stalled peace process after months of failed efforts to push through a prisoner swap.
Dozens of men in clean, new, white clothing walked out of the central prison in the capital Sanaa and lined up outside, supervised by men in military uniforms.
“Our initiative proves our credibility in implementing the Sweden agreement and we call on the other party to take a comparable step,” the head of the Houthis’ prisoner affairs committee, Abdul Qader al-Murtada, told reporters assembled for the release (with film)
photos: https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/1178678637580738561
films: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaBMxWTpyV4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLQpERDVfQ
https://www.reuters.tv/v/P18z/2019/09/30/yemen-s-houthis-release-hundreds-of-detainees
and
(* A K P)
Sanaa Announces Unilateral Initiative to Release 350 Prisoners, Including 3 Saudis
Head of the Committee for Prisoners Affairs Abdul Qader Al-Murtada, announced on Monday, an initiative, submitting it to the United Nations, to release 350 prisoners of the aggression forces, including 3 Saudis.
"We have presented to the United Nations a unilateral initiative to release 350 prisoners and detainees from the other party who were included in the Stockholm agreement statements ," Al-Murtada said in a news conference.
He stressed that this initiative will be implemented today under the auspices of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9040
and
(* A K P)
Yemen: 290 detainees were released with the facilitation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The unilateral release of 290 detainees, including 42 survivors of an attack on a place of detention in Dhamar this month, took place today. The release was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations following a request from the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs.
The ICRC's role in this operation was, first, to confirm the identities of the detainees foreseen to be released and verify if they wished to travel straight from Sana'a to their homes or if they wished to be transferred to an area under the control of the other party. The ICRC provided monetary assistance to pay for transportation and cover other costs which the released detainees may have during their trip home. Additionally, ICRC contacted the families of minors to ensure that they were informed of the release and were coming to meet them.
"We held confidential conversations with all detainees to listen to any concern they might have, make sure that they had been in touch with their families and collect the necessary information to follow up on their case if needed," said Robert Zimmerman, the ICRC's head of the protection department in Yemen.
As with every operation of this type, an ICRC medical staff member was present prior to the release to assess the health condition of the detainees, make sure they were fit to travel and make proposals to the authorities as to specific measures that some may have required. Two released detainees were transferred to their areas of origin by Yemeni Red Crescent Society ambulances.
The ICRC sees the release as a positive step that will hopefully revive the release, transfer and repatriation of conflict-related detainees as per the Stockholm Agreement signed by the parties to the conflict in December 2018.
and
(A K P)
Statement by the Special Envoy for Yemen, 30 September 2019
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, welcomes the initiative by Ansar Allah to unilaterally release detainees. He calls on all parties to ensure the safe return of the released detainees to their homes.
“I hope this step will lead to further initiatives that will facilitate the exchange of all the conflict-related detainees as per the Stockholm Agreement”
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/statement-special-envoy-release-detainees-yemen
and also https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/09/1048132
and
(* A K P)
Yemen's Houthis unilaterally release hundreds of detainees, U.N. welcomes move
“Our initiative proves our credibility in implementing the Sweden agreement and we call on the other party to take a comparable step,” said the head of the Houthis’ prisoner affairs committee, Abdul Qader al-Murtada, in statements carried by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.
(* B K P)
Because of UN careless, Sanaa is engaged in battle to protect prisoners from coalition airstrikes
But the most remarkable in the spokesman’s statement is his emphasis on the issue of protecting the battle prisoners from the coalition airstrikes.
This confirms that the Yemeni armed forces are also fighting an intelligence battle to protect the coalition prisoners from the hostile aircraft raids, which is shown through the message of reassurance sent by the spokesman to the families of those who were captivated in the operation named “Nasr Min Allah” in Najran.
According to field information, dozens of prisoners from the coalition forces were bombed on the battlefield by the Saudi aircrafts after surrendering themselves during the operation in Najran.
It appears that the coalition countries are trying to tighten the noose on the Yemeni armed forces, by fabricating paths for an unethical battle in which the coalition targets the prisoners, such as targeting the prisoners’ prison in Dhamar by the coalition’s aircrafts on the first day of September, which claimed the lives of 100 prisoners and wounded 50 others.
According to human rights activists, the careless of the United Nations and international organizations in holding the coalition forces accountable for their crimes against Yemenis, including prisoners, made the leadership in Sanaa alone bears the burden of protecting the prisoners who the facts have proved they become targets once they failed to carry out the military operations of the coalition countries.
In July 2017, Saudi-hired gunmen testified that the Saudi regime had adopted a policy of shelling fighters fleeing infiltration operations.
Video footage showed how Saudi armored vehicles chase and run over the hired mercenaries in the desert after fleeing clashes with Yemeni forces on the Yemen-Saudi border.
http://en.ypagency.net/134827/ = https://www.uprising.today/yemen-protecting-saudi-pows-from-airstrikes-by-their-own-forces/
(* B K P)
Americans, Europeans have no ‘grasp of Yemenis’ capacity’: Analyst
The recent Yemeni attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil refining facilities came as a shock to US and European officials since they had no “grasp of the Yemenis’ capacity,” and had always denigrated the impoverished Arab country, says a political analyst from Washington.
“The Europeans and Americans don’t have any grasp of the Yemenis’ capacity, the Europeans and Americans denigrate the Yemenis… They think they are too stupid to fight back, yet they have been fighting for some four and a half years, they think they are too stupid to deal with modern weapons,” Michael Springmann, a Washington-based author and former US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, said at a Friday edition of Press TV’s The Debate program.
“Who knows where the weapons came from, they have just shown that the Saudis and the American defenses and the multi-billion-dollar 21 century weapons that have been sold to them are useless if a group of disgruntled, poor, starving Yemenis get around them and strike at the heart of the Saudi economy,” Springmann added.
The Washington-based author also noted that the Europeans had no choice but to join the United States in pointing the finger of blame at Iran for the attacks since they are dependent on the US and Israel in the fields of politics and security.
“The Europeans don’t know [who was behind the attack] but follow the lead of the United States because the Europeans are weak on political independence and security independence; they are far too tied to the United States, they are far too tied to Israel,” Springmann said.
Michael Lane, the founder of the American Institute for Foreign Policy in Washington, was the other panelist on the program and said US accusations leveled against Tehran was “part of the entire array of pressure that the United States is putting on the economy of Iran.” (with interviews in film)
(* A K P)
Al-Houthi Denies Leaks of Partial Cessation of Military Operation
Member of the Supreme Political Committe, Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, denied leaks that talked about a partial cessation of military operations in four areas in Yemen.
"President Al-Mashat's initiative provides a complete cessation of aggression and there is no validity of any leaks by the enemy from a partial cessation," said Mohammed Al-Houthi.
He explained the leaks in some US newspapers about an agreement with Saudi Arabia to stop the bombing of four areas remain leaks, no official announcement is behind them.
He stressed that "Yemen will only accept a comprehensive stop of the aggression and the complete lifting of siege."
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9007
and also https://sabanews.net/en/news3071722.htm
and
(* A K P)
Information Ministry denies claims that Yemen would settle for partial ceasefire
The requirement needed is a complete cessation of airstrikes in all of Yemen," minister Daifallah al-Shami clarifies
Information minister, Daifallah al-Shami has described Saudi leaks to US newspapers about a partial cessation of air strikes on four cities, including the capital Sana’a in exchange for the halting drone and missiles attacks on Saudi Arabia, as an open manipulation.
“In accordance with the peace initiative made by president Mahdi al-Mashat, the requirements of the stage and the reality of the battle, needed is a complete cessation of air strikes in all of Yemen and the lifting siege on the Yemeni people,” al-Shami said in a tweet on Friday night.
(A E P)
Oil Posts Big Weekly Losses as Yemen, Other Negatives Pound Market
A spate of bearish triggers on Yemen, Iran and Chinese equities downed any hopes of a rebound in oil on Friday, setting U.S. crude up for its biggest weekly decline in more than two months.
Oil bears tightened their grip on the market on Friday after reports suggesting that Saudi Arabia would agree to a ceasefire in Yemen, where it has been fighting anti-government rebels for the last four years.
Peace in Yemen, the focal point of Middle East tensions that have drawn even more attention in recent years than the Palestinian-Israel conflct, could result in much less war risk premium for oil, pushing crude prices even lower.
My comment: This is Western capitalist thinking: Peace in Yemen is a “negative” because prices go down.
And
(A E K P)
Oil Prices Fall On Onslaught Of Bearish News
Oil prices fell sharply on Friday on easing tensions in the Middle East after a rather surprising turn of events. Saudi Arabia is implementing a partial cease-fire in Yemen, rumors surfaced that the U.S. is considering easing sanctions on Iran, and Saudi Arabia is poised to restore disrupted production from the damaged Abqaiq facility.
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Oil-Prices-Fall-On-Onslaught-Of-Bearish-News.html
My comment: The world seen from the oil prices. All this seems to be void.
cp2a Saudische Blockade / Saudi blockade
(* A E H P)
Lines as far as the eye can see: new fuel shortage hits Yemen
A fuel shortage is deepening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, forcing drivers to wait for days in lines that stretch back from some petrol stations as far as the eye can see.
its consequences are far-reaching. Fuel is needed not just for cars but also for water pumps, hospital generators and to transport goods around a country where millions are on the brink of famine.
“It’s affecting us and all the Yemeni people,” said Nashwan Khaled, who had already been waiting for two days in a queue for petrol in Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital where many petrol stations have been forced to close.
“I put my job and my life on hold,” he said.
Petrol on the black market is selling for almost three times the official price. Drivers can queue for two or three days.
“Fuel shortages in Yemen exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in the country and lead to unacceptable levels of suffering,” said Sultana Begum, a representative of the Norwegian Refugee Council humanitarian organization.
Imports into areas controlled by Houthis have to go through stringent controls imposed by the Saudi-led military coalition which intervened in Yemen in 2015 to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Supplies can be held at ports and frontline borders for months because of bureaucracy on both sides, aid agencies say.
“Today we are in a very bad situation, there’s a fuel crisis and they are stopping fuel ships from entering Yemen with the excuse of security,” said Ahmed Nasser, standing at a petrol station. “We suffer shortages of fuel, goods, all commodities.”
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
(* B H P)
Jemen: Der Kampf für Frauenrechte in Zeiten des Krieges
Im globalen Ranking zur Gleichstellung der Geschlechter bildet der Jemen schon lange das Schlusslicht. Der Krieg hat die Situation von Frauen verschlechtert. Dennoch besteht laut Frauenrechtlerin Suha Basharen Hoffnung.
Beruflich bedeutet der Krieg für Basharen, dass sie versucht, den Jemen trotz aller Widrigkeiten in ein besseres Land für Frauen zu verwandeln und Frauen dort Perspektiven aufzuzeigen. Als Frauenrechtsexpertin der internationalen Hilfsorganisation "Care" arbeitet sie daran, soziale und kulturelle Normen in ihrem Heimatland zu verändern. Wichtige Bereiche von Basharens Tätigkeit sind etwa Bildung in Sachen Gesundheit, die aktive Einbindung von Frauen in Friedensbemühungen sowie Ernährungssicherheit. Auch wenn der Krieg schrecklich sei, erklärt sie, eröffneten sich durch die Situation dennoch auch neue Möglichkeiten für Jemenitinnen.
"In großen Teilen des Jemens ist die Norm, dass Frauen sich um den Haushalt kümmern und Männer das Geld verdienen", so Basharen. "Das soll keine Entschuldigung für häusliche Gewalt sein, aber wenn diese Aufteilung nicht mehr weitergeführt werden kann, sorgt das oft für Frust. Die häusliche Gewalt hat während des Krieges zugenommen." Laut dem Bevölkerungsfonds der Vereinten Nationen (UNFPA) sind mehr als drei Millionen jemenitische Frauen und Mädchen gefährdet, Opfer geschlechtsbezogener Gewalt zu werden.
Basharen zufolge nehmen manche Familien nur noch eine Mahlzeit am Tag ein. "Sie wissen nicht, wann es das nächste Mal etwas geben wird." Zudem äßen oft zuerst die Männer und dann erst die Frauen, so dass manchmal nichts für sie übrig bleibe. Und "wenn nicht genug für alle da ist, geben Frauen auch oft den Kindern ihre Portion."
Trotz allem hofft Basharen, dass trotz der Verwüstung durch den Krieg, Frauen Aussicht auf eine bessere Zukunft haben. "Das wird nicht über Nacht passieren," räumt sie ein. "Aber wir sehen bereits, dass Frauen etwa ihre traditionellen Kompetenzen wie Kochen oder Nähen in Geschäftsmodelle umwandeln, wenn sie entsprechende Unterstützung bekommen und geschult werden." – von Kate Brady
https://www.dw.com/de/jemen-der-kampf-für-frauenrechte-in-zeiten-des-krieges/a-50588685
(* B H)
Most of the health centers in Abyan governorate are threatened with closure as a result of the reluctance of medical staff to work due to the low governmental wages and deteriorating economic situation.
https://twitter.com/BelqeesRights/status/1178377652740096000
(* B H)
Film (Arabic): The magnitude of human suffering and malnutrition left by the aggression in Hodeidah 28-09-2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s_zyaGiTJA
(* B H K)
[Hadi government] Yemen Commission on HR abuses gathers evidence from Taiz amputees
The National Commission for Enquiry into human rights abuse claims in the country’s armed conflict visited an artificial limb center in Taiz on Saturday to gather evidence from amputees pursuing healthcare and workers at the center.
The Commission’s delegation collected a list of (400) people following health care in the center as a result of limb loss in the ongoing war that worst affected Yemen’s central province of Taiz.
It was agreed that the center shall update the enquiry commission with any new casualties coming forward to the center.
The team found that most the casualties occur from explosive shells fired and anti-personnel landmines planted by the Houthi militia which is besieging the city since the beginning of the five year old war.
(B H)
Famine Early Warning System Network: Yemen Key Message Update, September 2019
Conflict in Hajjah, Al Hudaydah, and Aden increases humanitarian access constraints
Widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes persist in most areas of Yemen. Protracted conflict since 2015 continues to cause displacement, macroeconomic shocks, and severe livelihood disruptions. A risk of Famine (IPC Phase 5) persists under a worst-case scenario in which fighting significantly disrupts port operations or cuts off food supply for a prolonged period of time. Conflict epicenters, areas with a high number of IDPs, and areas that are highly dependent on imports from the ports of Hudaydah, Salif, and Aden, are most at risk of being affected (maps)
https://fews.net/east-africa/yemen/key-message-update/september-2019
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
(A H P)
"Yemen is sad": the Yemeni medalist drowned in Melilla becomes a hero in his country
Both the Government and the Yemeni media have described the Kung Fu champion as a hero after his death in his attempt to reach Spain by a small boat
"If he had a help as a young athlete, he should not have gone to Spain in an illegal boat," local media question
"The embassy of our country in Spain has been responsible for covering all transport costs of the body of the hero and champion Hilal Al-Hajj," the Yemeni Foreign Ministry says
https://www.eldiario.es/desalambre/Yemen-yemenies-cuentan-medallista-Melilla_0_946306175.html
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
(A)
[Separatist] Security Belt forces in Lahj captured a 5 member gang who used to target and rob African migrants who were marching from Aden heading north to get to Saudi Arabia (photo)
https://twitter.com/samwrax/status/1177642555095339016
(A P)
Video: An abductee released in a bad condition due to torture in Houthi-run prisons
Houthi rebels have released a number of abducted civilians in rebel-held capital Sana, one of whom in a serious health condition.
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/21216
(A P)
International Bank of Yemen’s CEO Appeals to Rights Groups to Intervene, Release Him
International Bank of Yemen’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ahmed Thabet al-Absi, who has been held captive in Houthi-run prisons since late June, appealed to rights groups to put pressure on Houthis to release him.
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/21220
(A K P)
Abdulsalam to Al-Mayadeen TV: US-Saudi Aggression Has No Choice but to Stop War, Lift Siege
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9036
(A E P)
YPC Denies Rumors Of Raising Fuel Prices
Yemeni Petroleum Company (YPC) on Saturday denied circulated rumors about raising the prices of petroleum materials.
https://sabanews.net/en/news3071907.htm
My remark: Look at cp2a.
(A B P)
Houthis replace female principals with their affiliates
The Houthis rebels continue sectarian elimination of female principals of public schools and replace them with their affiliate Shiite dogmatists, parents and female students say.
The latest event of this sectarian-based elimination against school female principals is the change of Bilqis’ School Principal, Fayza Al-Sayyadi with a Houthi female affiliate
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33424
my comment: As described by an anti-Houthi. Islah Party news site. This certainly is not fine, but many governments do.
and
(A P)
The students of Balqees Girls School in Sana'a stage a rally and boycott their school to protest at the Houthi appointment of a member of the extremist organization as a deputy headmaster for the school
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33400
(A P)
Ahmed Howzan released a year after he was kidnapped by the Houthis
Houthi militias on Friday released journalist Ahmed Howzan after he was kidnaped more than a year ago as part of a prisoner exchange deal between Government and militias.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172037
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33409
(A P)
Houthis Increase Internet Rates, Block Networks in Saada
The Iran-backed Houthi militias have upped internet fees for the local server “Yemen Net” in areas under their control as part of their effort to raise more funds for their war agenda.
They also tightened controls on local networks in Sanaa and areas under their control. In some areas networks were completely shut down under Houthi allegations that they aim to “protect society from a Western invasion.”
Locals from the Houthi-held Saada governorate said that militias have completely cut off internet services in the area, all of which is part and parcel of their systematic oppression of the people.
Local sources, who spoke under the conditions of anonymity due to security reasons, said Houthis claim they are ridding the Yemeni society, especially youth, from the “evils of the West” when stripping them from the right to access the internet.
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1923706/houthis-increase-internet-rates-block-networks-saada
and also https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172040
(A K P)
Yemeni Foreign Minister: Our Country is Stronger than Before
Yemeni Foreign Minister, Hisham Sharaf, explained all the points of the peace initiative launched by President Mahdi Al-Mashat to stop targeting Saudi territory, stressing that Sana'a is ready for dialogue with the internal and external parties to resolve the crisis.
Minister Sharaf stressed: "We are committed not to target facilities and targets available to us in the Kingdom and the UAE and not only in the Kingdom and therefore we have given them a space of time and we wait this space of time and sent what is useful to our initiative to all countries of the world."
In an exclusive interview with Al-Alam TV, the Yemeni Minister stressed that the country is stronger than before, warning the countries of the coalition of aggression with the risk of not benefiting from the peace initiative.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9024
(A P)
Protest Rally In Sanaa To Demand To Launch Oil Ships Seized By Saudi Aggression
https://sabanews.net/en/news3071687.htm
(A P)
Protest Rallies In Sanaa To Condemn Aggression Crimes
https://sabanews.net/en/news3071699.htm
(A P)
MINISTER AL-SHAMI: THE YEMENI TRIBE HAS A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THE GLORIOUS SEPTEMBER 21 REVOLUTION
The Yemeni tribe has played a prominent role in the success of the glorious September 21 revolution by supplying the fronts with money, men and food convoys, Yemeni Information Minister, Dhaifallah al-Shami, explaining that the Yemeni tribe has played a prominent and major role throughout history in confronting the invaders and occupiers.
(* B K P)
HOW DID ONE OF THE WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES BUILD STATE-OF-ART DRONES?
Despite their Isolation, the Houthis are able to produce drones and other equipment they seemingly should not be able to.
Iran has a story to tell and it’s all about drones. But not Iran’s drones. The drones supposedly built in Yemen by the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels.
There was a time when that alliance was not as open as today. But on September 26 Press TV in Iran revealed that the Houthis had built eight different indigenous drones that have “changed the military equation” in the war with Saudi Arabia.
The article leads to questions about how one of the poorest countries in the world, in the midst of brutal ar
An article at ArmsControlWonk.com notes that one of these weapons is the Iranian Soumar cruise missile.
“The Soumar and its updated version, the Hoveyzeh, are Iran’s attempts at reverse-engineering the Soviet-designed KH-55 cruise missile, several of which the country illegally imported from Ukraine in the early 2000s. Others claimed it was the Quds 1, a recently unveiled Houthi cruise missile often claimed to be a rebranded Soumar.”
There are real differences, author Fabien Hinz, points out. While observers claimed the Quds 1 was merely a Soumar smuggled directly from Iran, the missile has been changed by the Houthis. “This leaves the question of just who developed and built the Quds 1. The idea that impoverished war-torn Yemen would be able to develop a cruise missile without any outside assistance seems far-fetched.” Indeed.
The Houthis also have an arsenal of “Burkan” missiles that are alleged to be modified Soviet R-17E Scud rockets, according to a piece at The National Interest.
The Houthis, despite being isolated, certainly seem to have access to all sorts of goodies. The Quds 1 has a Czech TJ100 engine, according to reports. These engines are apparently ideal for drones or UAVs. They’ve been spotted on Iranian-made drones, the website Ars Technica says
The array of Yemeni drones and missiles, including their increasing use against Saudi Arabia shows that the Houthis are able to operate a sophisticated industrial production line for drones, or that they have found a way to easily smuggle them from Iran. It’s not entirely clear how either is possible given their isolation and the fact that the technologies of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others have been arrayed against them – by Seth J. Frantzman
My remark: From Israel (Jerusalem Post).
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
(A E P)
Government meets Hadramout's demands that have disrupted oil exports
An informed source revealed that the Yemeni government has met a number of Hadramout’s main and current demands, which have been demanded by governor Al-Behasani to resume oil exports.
The source told "Al-Masdar Online" that the government paid, on Monday, the value of the province's late share of 20% of oil export revenues in addition to part of the electricity fuel debt of the Hadhramaut coast.
The source added that the salaries of members of the second military region were provided and the disbursement of soldiers has been initiated since yesterday.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172110
(* A K P)
Middle East Monitor: UAE to deploy new mercenaries to Socotra island
Mercenaries from India, Bangladesh and Eritrea to arrive on occupied island soon
Military sources have told a British newspaper that the UAE seeks to deploy additional mercenaries from India, Bangladesh and Eritrea on the occupied Island of Socotra, southern Yemen.
This comes after the deployment of hundreds of fighters from the occupied southern provinces of Dhala, Lahej and Aden, as well as the island’s residents recruited by the UAE.
The British newspaper “Middle East Monitor” has confirmed the arrival of a new batch of mercenaries, from India and Bangladesh aboard an Emirati plane to Socotra.
https://www.uprising.today/middle-east-monitor-uae-to-deploy-new-mercenaries-to-socotra-island/
(A K P)
Hundreds of radical fighters have graduated from Ras Abbas military camp in Aden, local sources told Al-Khabar Post news website.
The graduating separatist fighters dub themselves as "the Blood Battalions." They were recruited from poor families in Aden, radicalized with hatred for the government and northern Yemenis with the use of religious justifications.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33400
(* B K P)
Rights Radar monitors 451 victims of political assassinations in Yemen since September 2014
The Amsterdam-based Rights Radar foundation for Human Rights in the Arab World has called for putting an end to the wave of grave abuses committed by the militants of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council against the civilians in the governorates of Aden and Abyan since last week.
Field monitors of Rights Radar said that Aden has witnessed a campaign of mass arrests and home attacks committed by the militants of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council against the local residents for political reasons since August 10. Some of these grave abuses are considered as war crimes, including physical extermination and executions against the detainees and the wounded persons in hospitals.
Official sources said that the militants of the Transitional Council killed and injured more than 300 civilians, including women and children in Aden and Abyan governorates during the crackdown and home attacking in just two weeks, for example, attacking a residence building for students from Shabwah governorate in the east of Aden.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Human Rights in Yemen, the militants of the Transitional Council exterminated 11 of the wounded soldiers in hospitals, most notably the execution of wounded soldiers in Al-Razi Hospital in Zenjibar City in Abyan.
Human rights activists have shared clear pictures and videos revealing the acts of attacking, abduction and abuse committed by the militants of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the governorates of Aden and Abyan during the last week.
The pace of these abuses has been increased since last week and they widespread significantly after the UAE airstrikes against the Yemeni government forces in Aden and Abyan which strengthened the full control of the Transitional Council militants on the governorates of Aden and Abyan. This made them commit a campaign of arrests, field executions and physical extermination against their opponents, in addition to attacking homes and hospitals in the governorates of Aden and Abyan, including cases considered as war crimes such as executions of wounded persons and, at least, slaughtering one of the prisoners after torturing him inhumanly.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172034
and
(* B K P)
Rights group counts 451 assassinations in Yemen
The number of civilians who died in such murder attacks reached 118 cases against 332 military and security personnel, the report said.
It said that 405 of the total murder victims were shot dead by anonymous militants using live ammunitions.
Other 34 dead victims died in blasts by explosive devices that were planted on public roads or under the victim’s private vehicle, according to the report. The remaining eights victims were murdered by other methods of killing.
It noted that 146 people survived assassination attempts, but they sustained serious wounds.
Large number of these planned death took place in Aden city which came on the top of the list of Yemeni governates in terms of number of murder cases with 134 people were killed between September 2014 to July 2019.
The city of Taiz came the second with 113 murder cases, followed by Sana’a with 42 people.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33408
(A K P)
Abyan. Tribal mediation ends tension in Lawdar and concludes agreement between government forces and security belt forces
A local source told Al-Masdar Online that a number of tribesmen and prominent social figures intervened late Friday evening to stop tensions between units of government forces and other security belt forces in Lawdar district of Abyan province in the south of the country.
The source said that a number of tribal leaders and social figures intervened to defuse the tension and stop the imminent clashes after both sides pushed for military reinforcements on the outskirts and center of the populated city.
According to the source, the mediation included the agreement to keep elements of the security belt inside the city of Lawdar to stop carrying out any security tasks, in addition to not interfering in the conflict between the security belt forces and government forces in Abyan province.
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172048
(A K P)
Riyadh accuses Hadi officials of murdering Saudi officer in Hadhramaut
Even Saudi Arabia starts purging Hadi functionaries
Saudi Arabia has officially accused military leaders loyal to exiled Hadi’s forces of being behind the killing of its commander in Hadhramaut Valley last week, informed military sources reported on Wednesday.
According to the military sources, a team of Saudi intelligence officer has arrived on Wednesday in the city of Saiyoun, subjected military commanders in the coalition-backed government headed by commander of the first military region Saleh Tumis for questioning about the death of the commander of the coalition forces in the city of Shabam Hadhramaut, Bandar bin al-Otaibi, a Saudi national and four others.
https://www.uprising.today/riyadh-accuses-hadi-officials-of-murdering-saudi-officer-in-hadhramaut/
(A P)
[Separatist figure] Al-Gaadi: The Legitimacy Runs the Country with Such Tools Just to Achieve Cheap Gains
“Its is disgusting that the minister of foreign affairs of the legitimacy abuses his office to pass policies of terrorist powers and to adopt its miserable discourse through repeating it in a boring manner at UN. The legitimacy runs the country with such tools, used in a cheap way to achieve even cheaper gains. Such tools are used to reproduce ugliness”.
(A K P)
Southern Ambushes Terrify the Enemy and Confuse its Moves
Recently, the rate of attacks and ambushes targeting stations, checkpoints and reinforcements of Al-Eslah militias that invaded the south again, increased significantly, leading to tens of killings and injuries while others escaped from the south. This led the militias to feel terrified due to these massive loses
https://en.smanews.org/southern-ambushes-terrify-the-enemy-and-confuse-its-moves
(A P)
ERC organises mass weddings in Abyan, Yemen
The 17th mass wedding was organised in Abyan Governorate of Yemen, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, by the Emirates Red Crescent, and the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, on Friday.
The mass wedding saw 100 couples tying the knot in the presence of Mahdi Al Hamed, Deputy Governor of Abyan
http://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395302790404
(B P)
Heavy floods plague Aden province
Residents accuse STC occupation force of ignoring their duty to protect residential areas from rainwater flooding
Residents of the occupied southern province of Aden have launched a distress call as rainwater has flooded their homes amidst a total silence and lack of help by the so-called Southern Transitional Council, the UAE-funded mercenaries that are occupying the region, local sources reported on Friday.
https://www.uprising.today/heavy-floods-plague-aden-province/
and
According to the sources, residents accused the UAE and its mercenaries of ignoring their duty of draining the rainwater that is piling up on the streets of the occupied city.
(B P)
DOZENS OF BUILDINGS IN ADEN SURROUNDED BY SEA OF SEWAGE
Deadly sewage surrounds dozens of residential buildings belonging to Mujawar residential project in Sheikh Othman district in Aden.
Residents of Sheikh Othman said that the project “Mujawar residential” threatened to drown in the sewage, which surrounded all the buildings from all sided as shown in the pictures.
Residents said that the authorities were unable to repair the sewage project of the residential project despite their appeal a year ago, causing the siege of the homes of citizens with sewage.
(* A K P)
HAS THE UAE FAILED TO TARGET HADI’S FORCES IN HADRAMOUT BY DRONES?
In an incident int the UAE-Saudi conflict framework in Hadramaut, military sources in Hadramaut province said that the air defense forces of the 23 Mika Brigade thwarted a drone attack likely to have been aimed at a military parade by the legitimate forces and the Islah Party in the province. Before the drone flew over the parade before it was shot down in a far place where no losses occurred.
The source of releasing the drone is not known yet, but the sources do not rule out that the attack is in the context of the conflict waged by the forces loyal to the UAE and the forces of the government of Hadi and that the drone may have been fired from Mukalla, because it has nothing to do with the drone of the Houthis, where the Houthis did not announce that they were behind the attack.
https://www.yemenpress.org/yemen/has-the-uae-failed-to-target-hadis-forces-in-hadramout-by-drones/
(A K P)
Southern Resistance Forces, a militia loyal to the secessionist Transitional Political Council for the South (STC), attacked the home of the Governor of Shabwah governorate in southern Yemen on September 27. The attack, which occurred in Shabwah’s capital, Ataq, injured three of the governor’s bodyguards.[2]
(A K P)
Two STC-aligned militias clashed near Jaar town in Abyan governorate in southern Yemen on September 27. The clashes injured multiple soldiers loyal to Abdul Latif al Sayyed, who commands a brigade of STC-aligned and UAE-backed al Hizam Security Forces.[3]
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
Siehe /Look at cp1
(* A P)
It supports legitimacy and bombs its army. UAE mission 'contradiction'" in response to Yemen's speech at U N meeting
The United Arab Emirates has renewed its description of Yemeni government forces as terrorist militias, which were forced to target them with air strikes in accordance with the rules of engagement in southern Yemen, to protect the Arab coalition forces in southern Yemen.
This was in response to the statement by Yemeni Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hadrami, in which he accused UAE warplanes of directly bombing Yemeni armed forces in recent events in southern Yemen.
"The UAE regrets and rejects the claims of the representative of Yemen on differences and divisions that the UAE itself does not see as a party," said Amira al-Hafiti, deputy permanent representative of the UAE at the United Nations.
Al-Hafiti spoke at a public debate in the General Assembly on Sunday, pursuant to the right of reply, about the statements issued by her country positions and calls for dialogue and non-escalation, participation in the joint committee with Saudi Arabia, and full support for the Jeddah talks between legitimacy and transition led by Saudi Arabia.
"The UAE's objectives will remain the same, which is to provide the support and assistance required by the legitimate government in Yemen to counter the Houthi aggression and combat the terrorist threat of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS, who are seeking to destabilize the country," she said. In Yemen and the region as a whole."
In his speech to the General Assembly, the Foreign Minister, Speaking on behalf of President Hadi, who lives in Riyadh, presented to the General Assembly what the so-called Southern Transitional Council, backed financially, militarily and logistically from the United Arab Emirates, has done. The government's headquarters in the interim capital, Aden, are haunted by the illusion of fragmentation, the illusion of power and the imposition of options by force of arms, targeting the constitutional legitimacy and Yemeni identity."
He said that the armed forces were forced to do their duty after attempts to expand the illegal militias and rejected the coalition statements on the need to withdraw from government camps and headquarters, to counter this attempt and to do its duty to restore the state and its institutions in the interim capital Aden.
He added, however, that "the army has unfortunately been subjected to direct military strikes and outside international law from UAE aviation and constituted a severe blow in the body of the nation and an explicit deviation from the noble objectives of the coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen."
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172095
My remark: The Hadi government and the UAE contradict each other at the UN.
(A P)
Government denies meeting Houthi officials in Oman
The Minister of Information, Muammar Al-Eryani, refuted on Sunday news stories on meetings held in Muscat of Oman between members of the government and officials of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33425
(A P)
Yemen vows to end attempts by Iran-backed Houthi militia to divide country
Yemen’s new foreign minister is vowed on Saturday that the government will “end any attempt to tear apart our homeland.”
He sharply criticized Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control much of the country’s north and the United Arab Emirates, which supports forces seeking their own nation in the south.
Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hadrami called Iran “the main sponsor of terrorism throughout the world” and urged an end to “this Iranian-Houthi coup d’etat in Yemen.”
He thanked Saudi Arabia for helping his internationally recognized government resist Houthi “militias who are dreaming of a theocracy.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1561336/middle-east
and more of this https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/09/1048102
and
(A P)
Global efforts insufficient, says [Hadi gov.] Yemen minister
Mohammed Mohsen Askar was speaking at the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The actions of the Iran-backed Houthi militias are “the main reason for all the tragedies that Yemen is going through, and what the Yemenis and the region are paying for,” he said.
Human rights reports by Yemen’s internationally recognized government “did not receive the attention of the office of the (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Askar added.
The government seeks “political negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to end the (Houthi) coup and achieve peace and development in Yemen,” he said.
Earlier, Murad Al-Gharati, head of Tamkeen Development Foundation, said that the silence of the international community regarding Houthi violations and the refusal to abide by international resolutions encouraged it to continue committing crimes
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1561241/saudi-arabia
My comment: The Hadi government & affiliates repeating their view at the UN once more
(A P)
Prisoners’ Committee: 13 Prisoners Freed by Exchange Operations in Al-Jawf and Shabwa
The head of the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs Abdulqader Al-Mortada announced on Friday the release of 13 prisoners of the Army and the Popular Committees in an exchange operations in Al-Jawf and Shabwa fronts.
the exchange operations were conducted through local mediation.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9001
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
(* B P)
History proved Jamal Khashoggi was right
The dissident journalist warned Saudi Arabia that its war on Yemen would have deadly consequences for the kingdom. A year after his killing, his prediction has come true.
But liberalising Saudi society is not the same as granting real rights, not just privileges, to Saudi subjects. As it stands now, Saudis have no say themselves in the direction of their country. Khashoggi, using his gift for words, contradicted MBS’s unsubtle message that authoritarianism, not democracy, was what was best for the Arab world.
“Saudi Arabia’s war efforts have not provided an extra layer of security but have rather increased the likelihood of domestic casualties and damage,” Khashoggi wrote. “Saudi defense [sic] systems rely on the U.S.-made Patriot missile system. Saudi Arabia has been successful in preventing Houthi missiles from causing substantial damage. Yet, the inability of Saudi authorities in preventing Houthi missiles from being fired in the first place serves as an embarrassing reminder that the kingdom’s leadership is unable to restrain their Iranian-backed opponent.”
In his final Washington Post column, Khashoggi discussed the urgent need for rights to free expression in Arabic-speaking countries
On the first anniversary of the killing, MBS has attempted to rehabilitate his image as a reformer who is bringing greater social freedom to Saudis while privatising and “digitalising” the economy.
MBS wants the whole world to share the blame with him, wielding his country’s influence as an oil producer but not as a winner of hearts or minds. There can be no consequences for Saudi Arabia’s rulers as long as Saudi Arabia produces a third of the world’s oil. MBS isn’t worried about the International Criminal Court. His kingdom’s enormous resources put him beyond the reach of any kind of prosecution.
What is one human life in the shadow of a trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund? How about the health of the entire global economy, which MBS declared to be the stakes of his stand-off with Iran?
MBS can go on 60 Minutes and spin the killing. He can talk up the Saudi Aramco initial public offering or his plans for “smart cities” featuring artificial moons, alcohol, and eugenics programmes. McKinsey, a consulting company, can take money in exchange for telling MBS his ideas are brilliant. Meanwhile, Yemeni children can die anonymously, before they learn their own names.
But the stain on the kingdom’s reputation will remain, no matter what.
Although he did not live to see it, the last year of history has proven Khashoggi right. The less control Arabs have over the affairs of their governments, the more dangerous and unfair the world will be. Leaders will get away with heinous crimes, and the blame will boomerang back on the people they lead, who have a hard time telling statistics and tragedies apart – by Wilson Dizard
https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/history-proved-jamal-khashoggi-was-right-30228
(* A P)
Kronprinz übernimmt Verantwortung für Khashoggi-Mord
Der saudische Kronprinz Mohammed bin Salman hat die "volle Verantwortung" für die Ermordung des regierungskritischen Journalisten Jamal Khashoggi im saudischen Generalkonsulat in Istanbul im Oktober 2018 übernommen.
Allerdings wies er den Vorwurf zurück, den Mord in Auftrag gegeben zu haben. "Absolut nicht", antwortete er auf die entsprechende Frage in einem am Sonntag vom US-Sender CBC News ausgestrahlten Interview.
Journalisten stellten für sein Land keine Bedrohung dar, sagte Salman. Als ein Anführer Saudi-Arabiens trage er die Verantwortung für die Ermordung Khashoggis. "Das war ein abscheuliches Verbrechen." Er stritt ab, von den Mordanschlagsplänen gewusst zu haben. Für die saudische Regierung arbeiteten täglich drei Millionen Menschen, sagte Salman. "Es ist unmöglich, dass sie alle täglich der politischen Führung über ihre Arbeit berichten."
Darüber hinaus mahnte der Kronprinz die internationale Gemeinschaft im Interview zum Zusammenrücken gegen den Iran, um eine weitere Eskalation im Golf-Konflikt zu vermeiden.
https://www.zvw.de/inhalt.jemen-kronprinz-uebernimmt-verantwortung-fuer-khashoggi-mord.65ec0432-ac8a-4e27-bbaa-0f5e4380483d.html = https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/konflikte-kronprinz-uebernimmt-verantwortung-fuer-khashoggi-mord-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-190930-99-95287
(* A P)
Saudischer Kronprinz warnt vor weiterer Eskalation im Iran-Konflikt
Der saudische Kronprinz Mohammed bin Salman hat die internationale Gemeinschaft vor einer weiteren Eskalation im Konflikt mit dem Iran gewarnt. "Wenn die Welt keine starken und entschlossenen Maßnahmen ergreift, um den Iran abzuschrecken, dann werden wir weitere Eskalationen sehen, die die Interessen der Welt bedrohen werden", sagte der Kronprinz in einem am Sonntag vom US-Sender CBC News ausgestrahlten und von ihm auch ins Englische übersetzten Interview. "Die Ölversorgung wird unterbrochen und die Ölpreise werden auf unvorstellbar hohe Zahlen steigen, die wir in unserem Leben noch nicht gesehen haben."
Der Angriff habe nicht das Herz der saudischen Energieindustrie, sondern das Herz der globalen Energieindustrie getroffen, sagte bin Salman. Er fügte aber hinzu: "Eine politische und friedliche Lösung ist viel besser als eine militärische." Alle wollten einen neuen Deal mit dem Iran, Teheran aber wolle nicht an den Verhandlungstisch. Wenn der Iran damit aufhören würde, die Huthis im Jemen zu unterstützen, wäre eine politische Lösung viel leichter zu erreichen - lieber heute als morgen.
https://www.handelsblatt.com/dpa/wirtschaft-handel-und-finanzen-saudischer-kronprinz-warnt-vor-weiterer-eskalation-im-iran-konflikt/25068600.html = https://kurier.at/politik/ausland/iran-saudischer-kronprinz-warnt-vor-eskalation/400632926
Mein Kommentar: LOL. Salman warnt vor einem Konflikt und betreibt gleichzeitig anti-iranische Kriegshetze, die den Westen zu mehr Aktionen gegen den Iran antreiben soll. Die Aussage zum Jemen ist vielleicht die irrste hier, im Klartext: Wenn ihr uns endlich gewinnen lasst, gibt es keinen Krieg mehr.
(* A B K P)
Saudi crown prince warns of escalation with Iran, prefers political solution
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince warned in an interview broadcast on Sunday that oil prices could spike to “unimaginably high numbers” if the world doesn’t come together to deter Iran, but said he preferred a political solution to a military one.
Speaking to the CBS program “60 Minutes,” Mohammed bin Salman also denied ordering the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives last year, but said he ultimately bears “full responsibility” as the kingdom’s de facto leader.
“If the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests,” Prince Mohammed, known as MbS, said through a translator. “Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven’t seen in our lifetimes.”
In an interview conducted on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, he said he agreed with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the attacks, which knocked out more than 5% of global oil supply, were an act of war by Iran.
But he said he preferred a peaceful resolution because regional war would collapse the global economy.
MbS also said President Donald Trump should meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to craft a new deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and regional activities.
Days before the anniversary of Khashoggi’s murder, MbS said: “Absolutely not,” when asked if he had ordered it. But he said he took full responsibility “since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government.”
“This was a mistake. And I must take all actions to avoid such a thing in the future.”
Asked how those two members of his inner circle could have been involved without him knowing, MbS said: “Today the investigations are being carried out. And once charges are proven against someone, regardless of their rank, it will be taken to court, no exception made.”
Asked about prominent women activists who have been detained on charges related to human rights work and tarred by local media as traitors, including Loujain al-Hathloul, MbS said: laws “must be respected, until they are reformed.”
and more details:
(* B K P)
Mohammad bin Salman denies ordering Khashoggi murder, but says he takes responsibility for it
Saudi Arabia's crown prince also discusses the impact of a September attack on Saudi oil facilities, and responds to allegations that a female Saudi activist has been tortured in prison
It was nearly midnight by the time we spoke with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Tuesday, at the royal court in Jeddah. There was a lot to ask. Our first question was about the death, a year ago, of Jamal Khashoggi, something the crown prince has never discussed in a television interview.
Norah O'Donnell: Did you order the murder of Jamal Khashoggi?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): Absolutely not. This was a heinous crime. But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government.
Norah O'Donnell: What does that mean that you take responsibility?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): When a crime is committed against a Saudi citizen by officials, working for the Saudi government, as a leader I must take responsibility. This was a mistake. And I must take all actions to avoid such a thing in the future.
Norah O'Donnell: The world wants the answer to this question. How did you not know about this operation?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): Some think that I should know what three million people working for the Saudi government do daily? It's impossible that the three million would send their daily reports to the leader or the second highest person in the Saudi government.
Norah O'Donnell: Two of your closest advisors who are accused of orchestrating this plot were fired by the king, removed from your inner circle. The question is, how could you not know if this was carried out by people who are close to you?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): Today the investigations are being carried out. And once charges are proven against someone, regardless of their rank, it will be taken to court, no exception made.
[…]
Norah O'Donnell: This attack hit the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry. Were you blindsided?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): I might disagree with you. This attack didn't hit the heart of the Saudi energy industry, but rather the heart of the global energy industry. It disrupted 5.5% of the world's energy needs, the needs of the U.S. and China and the whole world.
Norah O'Donnell: The kingdom is the world's number one importer of arms, of military equipment; billions of dollars spent on equipment. How could it not prevent an attack like this?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): Saudi Arabia is almost the size of a continent, it is bigger than all of Western Europe. We have 360 degrees of threats. It's challenging to cover all of this fully.
Saudia Arabia's air defenses include U.S. Patriot and Hawk missile systems which were not designed to shoot down drones.
Norah O'Donnell: What do you think was the strategic reason that Iran struck Aramco?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): I believe it's stupidity. There is no strategic goal. Only a fool would attack 5% of global supplies. The only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did.
Norah O'Donnell: Secretary Mike Pompeo has called what Iran did in his words, "an act of war." Was it an act of war?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Translation): Of course. Yes.
(* B K P)
Lawrence Davidson: War on Yemen Undermining Saudi Arabia’s Economic Growth
In an exclusive interview with FNA, professor Davidson said, “Further escalation of this war could prove ruinous to the Persian Gulf Arab states… as the UAE has already witnessed an economic downturn in part due to the negative budgetary impact of participation in the Yemen conflict.”
Commenting on the economic effects of the attack on Aramco, professor Davidson said even if there are no more attacks on Aramco, it endures record low stocks value, and “Investors will remain skittish — a factor that will also carry over into investment in the Persian Gulf region generally.”
Lawrence Davidson is a retired professor of history from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. In his academic researches, he has focused on American foreign relations with the Middle East.
Below is the full text of the interview:
A: The Saudis buy their defense in the form of weapons purchases. They are under-trained to effectively use much of this material. Thus, they have purchased anti-missile weaponry but it was obviously not deployed to protect the oil site in question. The Americans will no doubt be asked to deploy and man this defense network at the oil sites for the near future. The White House counts on the income made by staffing the defense facilities with its contractors.
https://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13980706001058
(* B K P)
Saudi military filled with cronies, not competent: Analyst
Saudi Arabia’s failure to defend itself against recent retaliatory attacks by Yemeni forces is proof that the Saudi military is in no way competent and just a “fraud,” says an American political analyst.
The remarks by Brian Downing, a US journalist and political commentator, on Press TV came in the wake of audacious attacks on the kingdom’s southern border region of Najran and Aramco oil refining facilities.
“The Saudi military is pretty much a fraud, the house of cards spends a lot of money but it’s not a competent military at all," he told "The Debate" program Saturday night.
"The Saudi military is filled with cronies. You don’t get to be a colonel or a general by passing professional tests and showing your medal. You get it by being related to someone in the royal family or a friend thereof,” Downing said.
“Furthermore, there are a lot of tribal factions within the Saudi military. They don’t work side by side together very well, they don’t trust one another and that’s going to hurt the unit combat ferocity,” he added (with film)
(A P)
I can now confirm the death of personal guard of #Saudi @KingSalman
General Abdulaziz AlFaghem by gunfire. He is seen here with the king. He was dismissed from his post just days ago which makes his death extremely suspicious. Working on details.
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1178109081770496000
Update: #Saudi king palace in #Jeddah is high alert & on lockdown. I know that palace & have reviewed its plans & photos from inside & had sources there since 2005 until recently. Also royal court #Riyadh is on lockdown.
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1178121355096678401
AlFaghem had many secrets & had served since as personal guard of King Abduulah - from 2002- as far as we can confirm. This made him a threat to #MBS given he supervised palace guards who killed #JamalKhashoggi
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1178121355096678401
I can say now, it was a political murder. The report will come out Sunday with details. @GulfInstitute
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1178134478620901376
and
(A P)
King's Bodyguard Killed
Clown prince Mohamed bin Salman may have removed his father's bodyguard to make it easier for himself to take the throne. The recent Yemeni attack on Saudi oil installation and the defeat of at lest two brigades of Saudi troops must put a lot of pressure of him. MbS is the Defense Minister. He started the war on Yemen. He must fear for his job and position. With the king removed he would become unassailable.
and this is the official story:
(A P)
Saudi king's bodyguard shot dead in row with a friend in Jeddah: SPA
The long-time personal bodyguard of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was shot dead by a friend while at a private residence in the western city of Jeddah, in what the state broadcaster described as “a personal dispute”.
State media did not give details about the row that sparked the shooting on Saturday night of Major General Abdul Aziz al-Faghm
A police statement, published by state news agency SPA on Sunday, said Faghm had a verbal exchange with Mamdouh bin Meshaal Al Ali, a man described as his friend, who then retrieved a firearm from outside and opened fire.
The shooter refused to surrender to police who had surrounded the site and who shot him dead, the statement said.
(A P)
Saudi Arabia: UN experts urge freedom for Loujain Al-Hathloul after 500 days in prison
UN human rights experts have joined forces to urge Saudi Arabia to release Loujain Al-Hathloul whose arrest 500 days ago marked the start of a crackdown against women human rights defenders across the country.
Ms Al-Hathloul, who was detained on spurious national security grounds, had been instrumental in the movement to allow women to drive, and the push to end male guardianship laws. Saudi Arabia has since received international commendation for its recent efforts to reform discriminatory legislation in these areas.
"It is shockingly hypocritical that Ms Al-Hathloul remains in prison for campaigning to change laws which have since been amended. Indeed, she should never have been imprisoned in the first place for exercising her fundamental rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association."
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25074
(B K P)
The End of Saudi Arabia’s Illusion
Time to face reality: The United States doesn't want to go to war with Iran to protect its Arab allies.
But it seemed to get back on track with Mr. Trump’s election. The Saudis and Emiratis initially believed he would be a tougher guardian than Mr. Obama. They were delighted when he withdrew from the n…
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/opinion/saudi-arabia-attack.html
(* A P)
Saudi Arabia implements public decency code as it opens to tourists
Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it would issue fines for 19 offences related to public decency, such as immodest dress and public displays of affection, as the Muslim kingdom opens up to foreign tourists.
The Interior Ministry decision accompanies the launch of a visa regime allowing holidaymakers from 49 states to visit one of the world’s most closed-off countries. Till now, most visitors have been Muslim pilgrims and business people.
Violations listed on the new visa website also include littering, spitting, queue jumping, taking photographs and videos of people without permission and playing music at prayer times. Fines range from 50 riyals ($13) to 6,000 riyals ($1,600).
(* B P)
Saudi Arabia moving to execute dozens of dissidents as crackdown intensifies
Saudi authorities are going to execute dozens of imprisoned political dissidents from the country’s oil-rich and Shia-populated Eastern Province, amid a crackdown led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman against pro-democracy campaigners, Muslim preachers and intellectuals in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
London-based and Arabic-language Nabaa television news network, citing social media activists, reported that 39 Qatif residents are facing death penalty at various levels of litigation.
The report added that five detainees are already on the death row, while nine others have been sentenced to death. Another 26 inmates are facing death penalty at a request from the Public Prosecution.
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
Siehe / Look at cp8 (Salman interview)
(A P)
You are all invited to #Khashoggiday to reach the goals we have in common. (infographic)
https://twitter.com/Stop_Alsaud/status/1178580220519075840
(* A B P)
Sand in die Augen
US-Politsendungen beschäftigen sich mit Saudi-Arabiens Kronprinz und dem Mord an Chaschukdschi
Der saudi-arabische Kronprinz Mohammed Bin Salman hat offenbar mit Einschränkungen die politische Verantwortung für den Mord an dem Regimekritiker Dschamal Chaschukdschi (Jamal Khashoggi) übernommen. So zumindest klingt es in einem Trailer des Politmagazins »Frontline«, den der öffentlich-rechtliche US-Sender PBS auf seiner Homepage teilte. Für Dienstag ist die gesamte Dokumentation über den Thronnachfolger ankündigt.
»Es geschah unter meiner Verantwortung«, sagte der Kronprinz, auch wenn er nicht in das Komplott eingeweiht gewesen sei. Er könne eben nicht alles mitbekommen: »Wir haben 20 Millionen Menschen. Wir haben drei Millionen Regierungsangestellte.« Er wisse auch nicht immer, wer, wann, welche Flugzeuge benutze. »Ich habe dafür Offizielle, Minister, die diese Dinge verfolgen, und sie sind verantwortlich.«
In dem Trailer ist der Prinz nicht im O-Ton zu hören, seine Aussagen sind nur eingeblendet. Außerdem stammen die Äußerungen vom Dezember letzten Jahres. Das Gespräch fand laut »Frontline«-Journalisten Martin Smith in der Nähe von Riad statt, am Rande eines Rennens für Elektroauto, anscheinend ohne Kamera und Aufnahmegerät.
Vielleicht kommt die Sendung aber auch zwei Tage zu spät, denn der US-Sender CBS kündigte für den gestrigen Sonntag ein 60minütiges Interview mit Mohammed Bin Salman an. Möglicherweise hat der designierte König dort nach jW-Redaktionsschluss seine Aussagen vom Dezember wiederholt.
https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/363825.sand-in-die-augen.html
(* A B P)
CIA Intercepts Underpin Assessment Saudi Crown Prince Targeted Khashoggi
Conclusion that Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘probably ordered’ killing relies in part on 11 messages he sent to adviser who oversaw hit squad around time it killed journalist
How did the CIA conclude that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed on the orders of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman? WSJ’s Warren P. Strobel has an exclusive look at the secretive evidence behind the assessment.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent at least 11 messages to his closest adviser, who oversaw the team that killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the hours before and after the journalist’s death in October, according to a highly classified CIA assessment.
The Saudi leader also in August 2017 had told associates that if his efforts to persuade Mr. Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia weren’t successful, “we could possibly lure him outside Saudi Arabia and make arrangements,” according to the assessment (paywalled) (with film; free)
(* A B P)
Film: THE CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA
FRONTLINE Raises Serious Questions About Jamal Khashoggi’s Murder in Contentious Interviews
Saudi officials maintain that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no prior knowledge of the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
But in powerful and occasionally contentious new interviews, FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith raises serious questions about how Khashoggi’s murder in October 2018 could have been, as they have insisted, a “rogue operation.” In the FRONTLINE documentary The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Smith presses high-ranking Saudi official Adel al-Jubeir about how they could come to such a conclusion while the murder is still being investigated.
“You’ve reached a conclusion that this was a rogue operation before the investigation is complete,” Smith tells Jubeir, who is now the minister of state for foreign affairs.
“It seems to me — that you have made up your mind before you watched the due process,” Jubeir responds in the heated exchange.
“No, you’ve made up your mind that it’s a rogue operation,” Smith says. “There are so many holes in — in your story — the story that you put out there, even the president in the United States said, ‘This is the worst cover-up I’ve ever seen.’”
Yet as the new FRONTLINE film recounts, of the 15 Saudi agents believed to have carried out Khashoggi’s killing, five are reported to have worked under Prince Mohammed’s aide Saud al-Qahtani. Maher Mutreb, the alleged ringleader on the ground, was on the crown prince’s personal security detail.
Smith also pressed Jubeir about the crown prince’s ties to Mutreb, Qahtani and the murder in the above exchange from The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
“You went on television on FOX News on October 21 — and you said that none of those involved in Khashoggi’s death had close ties to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman,” Smith says.
“Because he has … these were security individuals. Security people have rotations, they sometimes serve — for specific times in terms of security or other issues,” Jubeir says.
“But these weren’t just security individuals,” Smith counters. “Mutreb, who traveled extensively with the crown prince, including in the United States, was on the scene. Are you saying that you didn’t know that the people that were involved in the murder were close to the crown prince at the time that you said that?”
“They — the crown prince has a lot of people who are close to him or who claim to be close to him. He has a lot of people who take their pictures with him,” Jubeir responds.
“You’re asking all these questions,” Jubeir says when Smith went on to ask him about Qahtani.
Snippet: https://twitter.com/walid970721/status/1178105517262213121
Comment: Clips of trembling, panicked #AlJubeir trying to defend the indefensible lies about #JamalKhashoggi followed by betrayer Turki covering up the murder of his close friend of decades -- what a sight to see!
https://twitter.com/sarahleah1/status/1178089507092078593
(A P)
Call for justice in the US one year after Khashoggi's murder
Fiancee of murdered journalist says Saudi crown prince's statement on 2018 killing 'pure political manoeuvre'.
The fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the United Nations official who investigated his killing made an impassioned plea for justice on Thursday, days before the first anniversary of his death.
UN rapporteur Agnes Callamard, who investigated the murder, urged Cengiz and others to be "patient and resilient", saying justice would only be won after a "long haul" given the current geopolitical climate.
"Accountability is not delivered in 12 months, that's summary justice. True justice takes time and I know it's painful, but that's the reality of the world we live in," said Callamard.
Callamard also dismissed a domestic trial of 11 suspects in Saudi Arabia as a sham, adding that "political, economic and symbolic pathways" should be pursued to isolate Riyadh diplomatically.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/call-justice-year-khashoggi-murder-190927024447434.html
cp9 USA
(A P)
White House restricted access to Trump's calls with Putin and Saudi crown prince
White House efforts to limit access to President Donald Trump's conversations with foreign leaders extended to phone calls with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to people familiar with the matter.
Those calls -- both with leaders who maintain controversial relationships with Trump -- were among the presidential conversations that aides took remarkable steps to keep from becoming public.
(* A P)
Poll: Most Americans support sending troops, missile defenses to Saudi Arabia
A majority of voters support sending at least some U.S. troops and missile and air defenses to Saudi Arabia after airstrikes on Saudi oil fields this month that the U.S., European and Arab nations have blamed on Iran, according to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents in the poll released Thursday said they would back sending such military support to Saudi Arabia, while 42 percent said they would oppose such a move.
A larger majority of respondents, 72 percent, said they support sanctions that the Trump administration has placed on Iran in the wake of the oil field attacks, according to the survey.
Nearly as many respondents, 71 percent, also said the U.S. should to ramp up diplomatic and economic pressure on Tehran instead of launching a military strike on the country.
My comment: In earlier polls, the great majority had rejected military support for Saudi Arabia. Well, it seems the media are playing their role well.
And
(* A P)
Just 13% of Americans would support US military going to war over Saudi oil field attack
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Wachsende Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Mounting tensions at the Gulf
(* A P)
Amid Tensions With Iran, US Shifts Middle East Command From Qatar to S Carolina
The United States Air Force temporarily shifts its command center from Qatar to South Carolina amid US President Donald Trump’s escalation of tensions with Iran.
The unannounced operation marked the first time in 13 years that the US command and control was moved out of the region, reported The Washington Post, which had been invited to observe the measure.
As a result, the Combined Air and Space Operations Center at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar was left empty on Saturday and Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina was put in charge of controlling US operations from 7,000 miles away.
“The functions that the CAOC provides for air power are so critical and so essential that we can't afford to have a single point of failure,” said Major General B. Chance Saltzman, using an acronym for the center.
Colonel Frederick Coleman, the commander of the 609th Air and Space Operations Center, also claimed that, “Iran has indicated multiple times through multiple sources their intent to attack US forces.”
(A P)
Saudi Arabia has sent messages to Iran's president: Iran government
Saudi Arabia has sent messages to Iran’s president through the leaders of other countries, an Iranian government spokesman said on Monday, at a time of heightened tensions between the regional rivals.
and
(A P)
Gov't Spokesman: Iran Welcomes Change in S. Arabia's Behavior
"If Saudi Arabia is really after changing its behavior, then Iran will welcome that. Some messages have been brought to us from Saudi Arabia, but we should come to be informed of their open message and one of which could be the end of invasion of Yemen," Rabiyee told reporters in his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday.
He confirmed reports that some leaders of the world countries have brought messages from Saudi Arabia to Iran, and said, "We have been after ending the Saudi aggression against Yemen since the very first day and consider ceasefire as the solution."
https://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13980708000688
(A P)
Supreme Leader: US, EU3 Not Trustworthy
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined the necessity for the country's interaction with different world states, except Israel and the US, and said Washington and the European states which have shown clear animosity towards the Iranian nation should not be trusted.
https://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13980704000589
(A P)
Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's side project: Bashing Iran, in Poland
President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told USA TODAY on the sidelines of a rally here organized by an exiled Iranian opposition group that the central problem in the Middle East is Iran.
"If we don't have a peaceful, democratic Iran then no matter what we do we'll have turmoil, difficulties, problems in the Middle East. Everyone agrees that Iran is the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism in the world. That has to tell you something: Iran is a country you can't rely on, do business with, can't trust," said Giuliani as an international conference on the Middle East kicked off in Poland's capital Wednesday.
New York's former mayor was in Warsaw to participate in a protest by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a controversial Paris-based political organization also known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK.
(A P)
Iranian foreign minister warns U.S. 'won't be able to finish' any war it starts
Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif warned in an interview that the U.S. could not "finish" a war against Iran, while blaming U.S. intelligence agencies for a "cyber war" he said was being waged against Iran.
In an interview airing Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," Javad Zarif urged the Trump administration against pursuing a military solution to conflicts with Iranian-backed forces in the Middle East.
"There is a cyber war going on. The United States started that cyber war, with attacking our nuclear facilities in a very dangerous, irresponsible way that could've killed millions of people," Zarif said.
"There is a cyber war and Iran is engaged in that cyber war," he continued. "Any war that the United States starts it won't be able to finish."
(A P)
Iran Foreign Minister tells Saudis that ‘security cannot be bought’
Iran’s foreign minister has urged arch-rival Saudi Arabia to accept that “security cannot be bought”, saying an end to the war in Yemen would quell regional tensions.
In an interview with Tehran’s official IRNA news agency on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the Saudi leadership of stirring up strife.
“They think that, in the same way that they have so far bought everything with money and have managed to buy weapons, friendship and support, they can buy security with money as well,” he said, urging Riyadh to “put aside this illusion”.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iran-foreign-minister-tells-saudis-that-security-cannot-be-bought/story-tuXxnHZw8C6D976zEPlJUN.html = https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/iran-fm-tells-saudis-security-cannot-be-bought-gulf-tensions-28056
(A P)
Russia lambasts US for breaching UN resolutions, withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal
Russia has denounced the United States for its “attacks” on international law and for breaching the United Nations resolutions, taking aim at the US withdrawal from the landmark 2015 unclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the remarks during a scathing speech to the annual UN General Assembly on Friday, warning that attacks on international law have reached “alarming levels.”
“The US withdrawal from the JCPOA, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, is widely discussed. Washington not only repudiated its obligations enshrined in this resolution but started demanding for others to play by American rules and
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/09/28/607300/Russia-US-UN-resolutions-Iran-JCPOA-Venezuela-INF
(A P)
Israel calls for maximum pressure on Iran
Foreign minister said ‘the world cannot allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons’
Israel’s top diplomat said the cruise missiles and drones that disabled key Saudi Arabian oil facilities, leading to the largest-ever surge in oil prices, were launched from Iran on the orders of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Israeli Foreign minister Israel Katz reiterated long-standing support for President Donald Trump’s campaign of maximum pressure on Iran.
“We must stop Iran today, in order to prevent war tomorrow,” Mr Katz said in his address.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/israel-calls-for-maximum-pressure-on-iran-1.915773
My comment: ??? Israel itself has nuclear weapons.
(A P)
Financial pressure is the best way to control Iran, says Saudi foreign minister
Saudi Arabia is calling on the world to counter Iranian aggression after Aramco attacks
Saudi Arabia called on the world to apply maximum pressure to end Iran’s aggression, saying the most effective way to control Tehran is to cut off its financial resources.
Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Assaf again blamed Iran for the September 14 missile and drone attack on Saudi oil facilities, which jolted global oil prices and temporarily knocked out nearly 6 per cent of daily global crude production.
“We know very well who stood behind this aggression,” Mr Al Assaf told the UN General Assembly.
He called the strikes a flagrant breach of international laws and a threat to international peace and security
My comment: LOL. He should not lament about these strikes, as Saudi Arabia had started bombing Yemen 4 ½ years ago.
(A P)
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed delivers UAE's message of de-escalation and moderation at United Nations
My comment: What does he really want to tell? Behave like the UAE did in Yemen??
(A P)
UN Envoy Raps Saudi Allegations against Iran
Iran’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations took a swipe at the Saudi regime for using fear-mongering against Tehran in order to win Western support for its “stupidity, be it in either Syria or Yemen.”
In remarks at the UN, Eshaq Al-e Habib slammed the Saudi regime as a source of “hatred” and “radicalism”, saying Riyadh employs the “Iran card” as a cover for its “backwardness” and malign ambitions. https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/09/28/2106556/un-envoy-raps-saudi-allegations-against-iran (A P)
Iran, Kuwait Discuss Tehran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavor
Zarif and Al Sabah conferred on regional issues in particular Yemen crisis on the sidelines of UNGA in New York.
The two sides also underscored reinforcement of mutual ties, regional security issues, while also discussing Iranian Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE).
https://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13980705000612
(A P)
Iran Underlines Role of Ancient Civilizations in Restoring Global Peace
“Ancient civilizations have a considerable role in the international peace and security in today’s world,” Zarif said, highlighting the diversity of ancient civilizations and its role in countering the cultural hegemony and monopoly of certain players.
“Apart from the civilizational diversity and special features of each of these civilizations, all ancient civilizations respect human and its dignity,” Zarif said, adding that today’s world needs this phenomenon.
(* B P)
European powers endorse US war provocations against Iran
Berlin, London and Paris issued an endorsement of US pretexts for military aggression against Iran in an official statement yesterday. As Donald Trump prepared his denunciation of Iran as a bloodthirsty threat to peace at the UN General Assembly in New York, the governments of the three largest European imperialist powers baldly declared that the US war provocations against Iran are self-evident truths.
Noting the “risk of a major conflict,” Berlin, London and Paris turned the situation upside down, placing blame for the danger of war not on the aggressive actions of US imperialism—from its scrapping of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal to its threat this year to bomb Iran—but on Tehran. They demanded that Iran fully comply with the nuclear deal Trump scrapped last year and “refrain from choosing provocation and escalation.”
As Washington dispatches troops to Saudi Arabia and warships to the Persian Gulf to prepare war against Iran, the content of this statement is unambiguous. The leading European imperialist powers are abandoning their initial criticisms of Trump for scrapping the 2015 treaty.
The European endorsement of US war threats against Iran will not strengthen peace, but encourage the Trump administration to step up its threats and provocations, risking a catastrophic war.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/09/25/euir-s25.html
(* B K P)
Saudi Arabia will not go to war against Iran on its own
Moreover, in response to a question after a meeting with Bahrain’s Crown Prince on 16 September, Trump said that he had not promised to protect the Saudis: “No, I haven’t. No, I haven’t. I haven’t promised the Saudis that. We have to sit down with the Saudis and work something out, and the Saudis want very much for us to protect them, but I say, well, we have to work.”
If there is a red line for Trump, then that seems to be American lives.
The question is, if Iran is proven to be behind the attack, how will the Saudis respond? They have failed to contain the Houthis in Yemen with the help of a coalition of several countries, plus US weapons and logistical support. If they couldn’t do that, how will they contain Iran if they respond on their own? It is impossible for them to enter such a conflict without help. Trump, though, is unlikely to get into a war, and the same can be said about the UAE, which has been getting closer to Tehran.
Some may argue that even if the US enters the conflict, Riyadh is aware of the consequences.
If there is to be a Saudi military response, regardless of who was really behind the Aramco attack, then it may be against one of Iran’s proxies. This seems evident from the way that the Saudi-led coalition launched a military operation on Friday against “legitimate military targets” to the north of Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190923-saudi-arabia-will-not-go-to-war-against-iran-on-its-own/
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
(A P)
SDRPY begrüsst Delegation des britischen Parlaments in Riad
Am Mittwoch wurde eine Delegation des britischen Parlaments unter der Leitung von MP John Woodcock in der Zentrale des Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) in Riad begrüsst.
Die Mitglieder der britischen Delegation äusserten ihre Freude darüber, das Königreich zu besuchen und Botschafter Al Jabir und sein Team zu treffen. Sie drückten auch ihre Bewunderung für das aus, was sie von den laufenden Projekten des Programms im Jemen gesehen hatten
https://www.finanzen.ch/nachrichten/aktien/sdrpy-begruesst-delegation-des-britischen-parlaments-in-riad-1028561339 = https://www.presseportal.de/pm/132628/4388440
Mein Kommentar: Schande.
(A P)
SDRPY Greets UK Parliamentary Delegation in Riyadh
On Wednesday, a British parliamentary delegation headed by MP John Woodcock was welcomed at the headquarters of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) in Riyadh.
Together with SDRPY staff, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and SDRPY Supervisor-General Mohammed Al Jabir delivered a presentation to the UK delegation on the Kingdom's development efforts in Yemen and the support that the program was providing to the Yemeni government through development projects in different sectors
My comment: Shame.
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
(* A P)
After Saudi attacks, Russia makes its regional presence felt
In the two weeks since attacks blamed on missiles or drones shut down half of Saudi Arabia’s oil output, the country that has arguably moved most deftly to position itself for any upside is Russia.
Within hours of the attacks, Moscow’s state arms exporter said it would hold talks with countries in the Middle East on selling them new anti-drone weapons systems, muscling in on a market long dominated by the United States. [nR4N265016]
Next month, President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Saudi and the Gulf, a chance to deepen cooperation on energy and oil, drum up investment and promote Russia’s Pantsir group of anti-UAV weaponry, the arms systems the state export company will put on display at the Dubai Airshow in November.
“Recent events in the world have shown that the effective fight against reconnaissance and strike UAVs, as well as other air attack weapons, is becoming increasingly important to ensure the protection of high-priority facilities,” Rosoboronexport said in a press release issued days after the Saudi attacks.
(A K P)
Iran welcomes Yemen’s offer to halt attacks
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi has hailed an offer by Yemen’s National Salvation Government to halt the launch of missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia in exchange for a halt to Saudi attacks on Yemen.
https://en.isna.ir/news/98070805860/Iran-welcomes-Yemen-s-offer-to-halt-attacks
(A K P)
Iran reiterates support to Yemeni govt. against Saudi aggression
“Iran backs the [retaliatory measures of] the legal government of Yemen against the aggressors. Iran has always lend its spiritual and political support to Yemenis,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said at his weekly presser on Monday.
“We consider Yemenis’ measures as defensive moves [against aggressors,],” he added.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/150652/Iran-reiterates-support-to-Yemeni-govt-against-Saudi-aggression
(A K P)
Saudi Arabia still pursues warmongering policy in Yemen: Iran
Iran has slammed Saudi Arabia for the continuation of its warmongering policy in Yemen despite the latest proposal by the Ansarullah-led National Salvation Government that if Riyadh stops its bombardment, Yemeni forces will end drone and missile attacks on the Saudi soil in return.
(A K P)
Deputy IRGC Commander: Saudi Arabia Desperate ٌwith Yemenis’ Resistance
Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi underlined that Saudi Arabia has failed to achieve its goals in Yemen due to the Yemenis’ resistance.
“Despite the imposed sanctions of Yemen’s military industry, the country has been able to bring Saudis to their knees,” Rear Admiral Fadavi told reporters on Sunday.
https://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13980707000616
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
(A P)
Qatar spokesperson: Blockade an 'existential threat' to GCC
The blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain represents an “existential threat to the very existence of the GCC,” says Lolwah R.M. Al-Khater, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Ms. Al-Khater expressed appreciation for the mediation of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the emir of Kuwait, adding that while there have been “many attempts” to resolve the dispute, although there were no such initiatives during the UN General Assembly last week.
cp12b Sudan
(* A H)
WHO EMRO Weekly Epidemiological Monitor: Volume 12, Issue 38 (22 September 2019)
Cholera outbreak in Sudan
On the 9thof September the Federal Min-istry of Health (FMoH) of Sudan an-nounced a cholera outbreak in the Blue Nile state and soon the outbreak spread to Sinner state. Till 18thSeptember a total of 124 suspected cholera cases, with 7 related deaths (CFR 5.65%) were reported.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/statement-special-envoy-yemen-30-september-2019 = http://applications.emro.who.int/docs/epi/2019/Epi_Monitor_2019_12_38.pdf?ua=1
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* B K P)
Photos: New evidence: Serbian mortar shells from the state arms manufacturer Krusik smuggled to Saudi-backed militants in #Yemen. However, #Serbia refuses to stop the arms supplies as the exporter is the Serbian vice prime minister's father who buys state weapons at a much lower price.
https://twitter.com/dgaytandzhieva/status/1178299126590689282
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
Siehe / Look at cp1d
(* A K pH)
Coalition pushes Sudanese army’s brigade to fight in Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition has pushed a new brigade of Sudanese soldiers to Hajjah province after hundreds of the soldiers killed by the Yemeni army in various fronts, according to military sources.
The coalition-hired brigade arrived at Medi district after the withdrawal of the former brigade, which suffered the heavy casualties by the army in Haradh district in the same province.
http://en.ypagency.net/135017/
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
(A E P)
After Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on importing it. Does the decision restore prosperity for Yemeni pomegranate cultivation?
Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that it has reversed a decision to ban the import of Yemeni pomegranate fruit, according to an announcement by the Saudi Food and Drug Administration to lift the ban on the import of pomegranate fruits from the Republic of Yemen.
The Saudi government, represented by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, decided in late December last year to ban the import of pomegranates from Yemen.
The Saudi authorities justified the ban at the time as "it came after it was found that pesticide residues in pomegranates exceeded the global limit," according to the state-run news agency at the time.
The ban has had a significant impact on the lives of farmers and traders
The Saudi decision is expected to have a positive impact on the cultivation and production of pomegranates and the conditions of farmers in a number of pomegranate farming areas,
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172036
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
(A K T)
#ISIS in #Yemen claims it ambushed #AQAP vehicles on Thursday in Upper Dhi Kalib, al-Bayda'. But ISIS remains the weaker group. AQAP's campaign against ISIS has surged over the past 6 weeks. This month AQAP has conducted over 4 times as many attacks on ISIS as vice versa
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/1178307158003208193
(* A K T)
Documents found in #Saudi military locations after their brigades fall down, which provide evidence on connection between what #Saudi call #AlFath military brigade with #AlQaeda (photos)
https://twitter.com/mamashami/status/1178391622918258690
cp15 Propaganda
(A K P)
The Use of Force Is Justified in Yemen. The International Community Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Use It.
If conducted properly, the use of overwhelming force by an international coalition could halt the fighting, pave the way for a negotiation, and end the humanitarian crisis.
Despite the widespread violation of international humanitarian law, the right use of force is still justified. The Houthi insurgency threatens the civilian population, Saudi security, regional stability, and world oil prices. The international community should not be afraid to use overwhelming force to coerce the Houthi insurgency to negotiate. The status quo will result in continued suffering for the people of Yemen.
The Houthis (officially Ansar Allah) began as a moderate theological movement but have grown into an extremist insurgency intent on establishing an Islamist state—albeit one they claim will be democratic. Their slogan, “God is greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam”, leaves their intent to create an inclusive democracy highly suspect.
Is Force Justified?
Just War Theory advocates for the use of force in circumstances where there is just cause, right intention, when all peaceful alternatives have been exhausted, and when the benefits of war are proportionate to the costs. Yemen meets all these conditions. The Saudi-led coalition outlined their intentions at the outset specifying self-defense, regional stability, and aiding the people of Yemen.
The coalition was (and is) assisting a democratically elected government against a foreign-backed, violent insurgency. Iranian sponsorship of Ansar Allah means that the insurgency is not purely domestic.
The Just Use of Force
International Humanitarian Law provides three guiding principles on the just use of force: distinction, proportionality, and military necessity.
Just Resolution
To end the conflict, coalition forces must keep fighting, but do so in accordance with international law. Popular opinion has demonized the coalition, construing them as solely responsible for the humanitarian disaster.
In a rapidly liberalizing world, the realities of geopolitical self-interest remain unchanged and actors will continue to result to force when it serves them. Those who love peace, must learn that the counter-use of force remains not only a justified option but, at times, the only option – by Michael Galloway
My comment: Crazy. I rarely had seen such a warmongering article on Yemen. It’s the West / the US which would claim to use violence where ever on earth.
(A P)
A Total Fail for the Khamenei Regime
Iran’s response to world outrage at the terrorist attack targeting Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil facilities on September 14th, can be truthfully characterized as saber-rattling:
The mullahs’ dictatorship in Iran thought it could carry out these attacks while having its proxies in Yemen, the Houthis, claim responsibility, and thus gain the upper hand against its adversaries while avoiding censure.
Khamenei resorted to these military “tools” in his attack on the Saudi Aramco facilities, certain the U.S. will not retaliate militarily
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/09/a_total_fail_for_the_khamenei_regime.html
(A P)
Extreme Poverty Threatens Yemenis Living under Houthi Rule
Since the coup by the Iran-align Houthi militias in Yemen in September 2014, 75 percent of the population slid into poverty and 230,000 were killed. The tragedy transformed into the worst humanitarian disaster in the world, according to international reports.
Several recent reports seen by Asharq Al-Awsat revealed the extent of damage to the country’s economy as a result of successive crises caused primarily by the Houthis systematic and repeated targeting of the sector.
My comment: Looking at what happens in Yemen, Saudi propaganda really is odd.
(A P)
[Hadi gov.] FM: Houthis ruined dream of all Yemenis in freedom
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Yemen’s Foreign Minister said, “The Iran-backed Houthi coupist militia of ruined, in a handful of years, the dream of all Yemenis in freedom, equal citizenship and dignified life.”
Mohammed al-Hadhrami was referring to the Houthi coup of September 2014 that sabotaged a historical political transition in the country and triggered in 2015 the armed conflict continuing to now.
“The dream of Yemen and Yemenis was about to materialize, by the virtue of the GCC Initiative and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference,” he continued, “but despite what happened the Yemeni people will not give way to lassitude.”
“In the same way they toppled the (pre-1962) myth of God-given reign … they are going to topple the worse version of that theocracy.”
“I stand before you today broken-hearted for how situations ended up in my country of deeply rooted history and civilizations . My country is severely wounded because of the war imposed by an armed religious militia that habitually tortures, excludes and murders oppositionists,” he said naming Iran, Houthis backer, as “the first sponsor of terrorism in the world.”
http://en.26sepnews.net/2019/09/29/fm-houthis-ruined-dream-of-all-yemenis-in-freedom/
My comment: What a fireworks of propaganda for the international audience. Securing “freedom” with the help of Saudi Arabia is just a starter joke.
(A P)
Houthi militia entrenches hate into the minds of young generations, intellectuals warn
(A P)
Defense Minister: Yemenis will not accept going back to the past
At the meeting, Al-Mqdashi said that Yemenis and their Armed Forces will not going to the past or turning against the objectives of revolution, the republican system and unity.
http://en.26sepnews.net/2019/09/29/defense-minister-yemenis-will-not-accept-going-back-to-the-past/
My comment: Nice propaganda, with a president being the most obvious political dinosaur in Yemen.
(A P)
Oil weapon: Houthi tool to threaten Yemen and hit shipping
The Houthi coup militia continues to violate international norms and threaten the security and stability of Yemen, by all possible means.
The oil weapon is the tool used to wage an economic war and even geopolitical threat to the entire world. Therefore, oil is one of the biggest weapons affecting the fateful battles between all the parties to the conflict in recent times.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/13412
My comment: This story again, blaming the Houthis for it. The Hadi government tries to get the money from selling this stuff, the Houthis refuse, as it’s on their territory.
(A P)
The Houthis cover up for Iran. Here is why.
Regardless of the origin of the attacks, it is clear that Iran was the mastermind of the operation. By claiming responsibility for the attacks, the Houthis have demonstrated that Iran is their priority – and that they are prepared to put Yemen at risk of retaliation for the greater goal of Iran’s regional project.
Iran has a clear motive. Tehran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt the flow of oil in the region with attacks in response to US sanctions, part of Washington’s “maximum economic pressure” campaign to counter Tehran’s malign role in the Middle East. President Hassan Rouhani explicitly threatened to affect “neighboring countries’” oil exports as sanctions s
Given what we know about the attacks, it is clear that the Houthis are covering up for Iran. Even in the likelihood that experts cannot confirm the origin of the attacks, it should be a given that the Houthis have claimed them on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
This is not the first time the Houthis have claimed an attack which they did not conduct.
But why are the Houthis agreeing to cover for Iran? There are three main reasons.
First, the Houthis cannot say no to Iran, their most important financial and military backer. W
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/2019/09/29/The-Houthis-cover-up-for-Iran-Here-is-why-.html
(A P)
Our story as Yemenis is being told on our behalf, facts are stood on head
Since almost no Yemeni writers take the initiative to present what is going on in their country to the world on international media platforms, the story of our Yemen, in war for five years, is told by foreigners, with the facts stood on head for most of the time.
Across the English-speaking media outlets and across the international political circles you see the Houthi extremists portrayed as a normal peaceable "rebels."
Yemeni politicians at the beginning of the ongoing war between the government and Houthis realized that peace with Houthis is next to impossible and were ruling out sitting with them for talks.
The UN kept insisting on the government's engagement in such an impossible mission, even though the terrorist theocratic organization openly state and otherwise show their absolute refusal of dialogue.
With the repetition of pressures and demands, the UN finally convinced the once sober Yemeni officials and, as well, international audience that dialogue with Houthis is plausible and pursuable.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-33399
My comment: Islah party website pledges for “Make war, not peace”.
(A P)
Dearborn: Imam blames Trump, Israel for jihad attacks on Saudi oil fields
We see it again and again. Islamic supremacists, and increasingly their Leftist allies as well, never, ever take responsibility for what they have done. It is always someone else’s fault, the fault of someone they hate. Qazwini here blames Trump and Israel, predictably enough, for the attacks on the Saudi oil fields. It is too bad that Qazwini was born in Iraq; if he were born here, the Democrats would want to run him for President.
(A P)
More Saudi coalition „We are benefactors” propaganda
http://www.wam.ae/de/details/1395302790918 (Deutsch)
http://en.adenpress.news/news/13413
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1975050
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* A K pH)
Saudi coalition air raids and shelling day by day
Sep. 29: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/pb.551288185021551.-2207520000.1569846318./1426070464209981/
Sep. 28: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/pb.551288185021551.-2207520000.1569814903./1425170690966625/
Sep. 27: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/pb.551288185021551.-2207520000.1569814903./1425168847633476/
Sep. 26: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/pb.551288185021551.-2207520000.1569814903./1425167260966968/
Sep. 25: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1425166804300347
(A K pH)
Film: Hysterical raids of the war of aggression on the homes of citizens and public and private property in Sarab Marib 28-09-2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZZEy7ued8A
(A K pH)
More Saudi coalition air raids recorded on:
Sep. 28: https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9025 Saada p., Hajjah p.
Sep. 27: https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9005 and https://sabanews.net/en/news3071696.htm Saada p., Hajjah p.
https://sabanews.net/en/news3071726.htm Saada p.
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
Siehe / Look at cp1b, cp1d
(A K pS)
Command of Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Houthi terrorist militia fired a ballistic missile from Sana'a Governorate using civilian facilities for launching, the missile fell inside Saada Governorate
Spokesman of the Coalition Forces "Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen" Colonel Turki Al-Maliki stated that the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia fired a ballistic missile from Sana'a Governorate on Sunday morning 29/9/2019, using civilian facilities for the launch, but it fell afterwards in Saada Governorate, inside the Yemeni territory.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1975288
(A K pH)
Sep. 28, Saada p.: Saudi missiles and artillery shells targeted populated villages in Razih district.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9025
(A K pH)
In Sa'ada, A child was killed and 2 civilians were injured by targeting them with US-Saudi mercenaries' shells in Adh-dhaher district
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9006
https://sabanews.net/en/news3071724.htm (one injured only)
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
(A D)
Women and Young Girls Play Music for Peace at the Cultural Center in Sana’a
“When words end, music goes on.” This is how one feels entering the hall of the Cultural Center in Sana’a and listen to Riyam play ‘Asmar ya Asmarani’ on her violin as if she has been holding it for a thousand dream-filled years so that peace comes
(* A)
Ferry with 55 people missing off eastern Yemen's coast
Yemeni local authority in Socotra Island announced Saturday that a ferry carrying an estimated 55 people went missing on the Indian Ocean off the country's eastern coast.
Socotra's local authority said in a statement released by the state-run Saba News Agency that "we received a report today (Saturday) that a ferry went missing after leaving the port of Mahrah towards Socotra Island with 55 people on board."
An official of the local authority in Socotra said that "we made necessary communications with the Saudi-led coalition after receiving the information about the ferry that went missing and a search and rescue operation was launched."
The Yemeni official named as Raed Huraibi said that the ferry that's owned by a local trader left the country's province of Mahrah on Wednesday but failed to arrive on time.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-09/29/c_138431899.htm
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/172077: with 40 passengers missing
(B D)
Oh Shepherdess, Oh Black-Eyed One!
Images of Women in the Poetry of Muhammad Abdulbari al-Futaih
The well-known poet Muhammad Abdulbari al-Futaih (d. 2013) is one of the Yemeni poets who established the Union of Pioneering Writers and Authors, and influenced literature and culture in general, and popular lyrical poetry specifically. He had a style that was known for its innovation and originality.
https://almadaniyamag.com/2019/09/17/oh-shepherdess-oh-black-eyed-one/
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-580-yemen-war-mosaic-580
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-580 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-580:
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
http://yemenwarcrimes.blogspot.de/
Liste aller Luftangriffe / and list of all air raids:
http://yemendataproject.org/data/
Untersuchung ausgewählter Luftangriffe durch Bellingcat / Bellingcat investigations of selected aur raids:
Was ist Ihre Meinung?
Kommentare einblendenDiskutieren Sie mit.