Drone strike in Yemen kills two suspected militants

According to a number of reports, a drone strike in eastern Yemen has killed two alleged al-Qa'ida militants. A security official told AFP news agency that the unmanned aircraft hit a car in the province of Hadramout. He noted that the strike caused a number of subsequent blasts as the vehicle was reportedly carrying explosives.

A week ago, the Yemeni army launched an offensive to wrest control of cities in south Yemen from fighters belonging to the al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula. Both Washington and Sana'a deny there are drones deployed in Yemen, but there are wide reports of their use.

Additionally, some Yemeni officials and Western diplomats claim that US military specialists are closely involved in the Yemeni government's campaign against Qa'ida militants.

Over the past year, Yemen has been plagued by political upheaval and protests, which ousted long-term Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. A newly-elected government is under pressure from the US to curb militant activity across the country.

Al-Qa'ida militants have taken advantage of the upheaval and breakdown of central government control to gain ground across Yemen, which is now considered to be the stronghold of al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Suorces: AFP, BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Yemeni security forces are targeting al'Qa'ida militants in the south

According to Yemeni officials, about 40 al-Qa'ida militants have been killed in a number of air raids in the mountainous part of the south. It is believed that the government forces have taken hold of an al-Qa'ida base of al-Rahha after three days of attacks. The strikes follow an assault on a nearby army base that left 30 people dead.

Since President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February, militant groups have renewed attacks across the country.

Reports about the number of militants killed vary. One unnamed Yemeni official told AFP news agency that 38 militants had died, while another said 43 people had been killed.

Militant groups have taken advantage of on-going political turmoil and protests. In particular, a group connected to the al-Qa'ida called Ansar al-Sharia has been increasing its influence in southern Yemen over the past year.

The US has been encouraging the Yemeni authorities to fortify their efforts in tackling militant activities, as well as reportedly intensifying its own drone strikes. But the on-going tension within the country's political and military establishments is stifling the new government's efforts to curtain and control the militants.

Sources: AFP, BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Yemen: More than 100 killed in clashes

According to Yemeni officials, the number of people killed in the clashes between security forces and suspected Al-Qa'ida militants has risen to more than 100. Dozens of soldiers were killed in the fighting at an army post in southern Yemen and 50 were reportedly taken prisoner.

It is estimated that at least 20 of the suspected al-Qa'ida members died. According to the BBC, some of the militants may also have links with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who surrendered power only a week ago.

The fighting occurred in the southern province of Abyan, west of the provincial capital and militant-held town of Zinjibar. It is thought that the clashes ensued after twin suicide bombings aimed at military posts in Zinjibar.

It is also thought that the militants appropriated some of the army's heavy weaponry before returning to Zinjibar and were helped by army leaders, who served under Saleh.

Islamist began taking control of Abyan last year and the country's security forces have been involved in trying to regain control ever since.

Sources: BBC News, AFP, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Three French hostages kidnapped in Yemen released

The French authorities have confirmed that three French aid workers who were kidnapped in Yemen in May have been freed. They were captured by suspected Al-Qa'ida militants in Seyun, 600km east of Sana'a.

The captives, two women and a man, were working for the French charity Triangle Generation Humanitaire. France's President Nicolas Sarkozy thanked the Sultan of Oman for his help in securing their release.

A statement released by Sarkozy's office, said: "The president warmly thanks the Sultan of Oman and the Omanese authorities for their crucial help, as well as all those who contributed to this happy resolution."

The French authorities are yet to reveal more details about the circumstance of the release. The captives appeared in video footage in September, saying the demands of their abductors had not been met.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Tunisia arrests Libyan PM near Algeria's border

Two rather extraordinary events – both reported by the Tunisian authorities - occurred last Wednesday 21st September near Tunisia's border with Algeria. So far, information about both is limited.

That evening Tunisia's Defence Ministry reported that it had attacked an armed convoy of nine vehicles, some mounted with anti-aircraft guns, at Bir Znigra in Tunisia's southern desert region of Irg, some 470km southwest of Tunis. The location is only 20km from the Algerian border. The convoy was spotted by an air patrol at 05:00. The convoy opened fire on the plane, prompting an armed response.

Ministry spokesman Haykel Bouzouita said that ground forces, backed by h elicopter gun ships, destroyed seven of the nine vehicles, killing some of the occupants. Two other vehicles were stopped and their occupants taken into custody. Their identities are yet to be disclosed. Bouzouita made no further comments other than to say that “these people are very tenacious”.

The news prompted a response from Algeria, who said that the vehicles belonged to Al-Qa'ida militants. Tunisia, however, made no comment on whether the convoy belonged to AQIM or armed smugglers or, perhaps, Qadhafi loyalists trying to gain entry into Algeria.

The latest, if unverified, news to date (Friday morning 23rd) comes from the Oman Daily Observer, which quotes a senior Tunisian army officer, Mokhtar Ben Naceur, as saying that the army was sweeping the desert region where the attack took place “in search for the remnants of an armed convoy that infiltrated from Algeria”. He is also quoted as saying: “These people came from Algeria where they were being hunted down. They tried to find refuge in Tunisia in a remote area with huge sand dunes.” He added that Tunisian authorities were liaising with Algeria on the issue. The neighbouring countries share a 1,000km border.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Violent clashes continue in Sana'a despite ceasefire

Violence has once again erupted in Yemen's capital city of Sana'a; just days after Yemen's Vice President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi agreed a truce following negotiations with western envoys who had urged an end to the violence.

It is estimated that at least three people have died while protesting. It is thought that they were hit by sniper fire and shelling, which put an end to the ceasefire. Thousands of people gathered in a protests camp called Change Square in the city centre, for the funerals of those killed in recent days.

It is thought that at least 75 people have been killed in violent clashes since Sunday 18th September.

Anti-government protesters and tribal fighters have promised to continue their demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who refuses to step down despite being in Saudi Arabia.

Yemen's state news agency Saba has reported that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) chief Abdulatif al-Zayani, who arrived in Yemen on Tuesday, has now left the country after failing to reach a resolution about the ongoing crisis.

Speaking to AFP news agency an unnamed military official from the First Armoured Brigade, commanded by dissident Gen Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, said the shelling had targeted their headquarters, based near Change Square.

UN and GCC officials arrived in Yemen in hope of finding a solution to the ongoing crisis but failed to do so. The opposition have accused the government of orchestrating violence to derail any chance of agreement.

Speaking about it, the head of the opposition Yemeni National Council, Mohamed Qubaty, said it was an attempt by the authorities to "dodge" the requirements and the views of the GCC, especially the restructuring of the army and security forces.

The accusations have been continually rebuffed by government officials, who say that the unrest has been incited by Al-Qa'ida militants. The past three days have been the deadliest since demonstrations against Saleh began in January.

Sources: AFP, BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Yemen: Al-Qa'ida raids a prison freeing militants

On Wednesday 22nd June, armed Al-Qa'ida fighters raided a prison in southern Yemen, freeing dozens of suspected militants, killing one security guard and wounding two others.

Armed with heavy machine guns the militants fought their way through the guards. The prison in Al-Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt province, is said to house more than a 100 Qa'ida members, 58 of whom have been tried in court and have received sentences.

Spokesman for the civil society organisations in Hadramawt, Nasser Bakazzuz, has accused Yemeni authorities of assisting Al-Qa'ida with the raid and subsequent freeing of militants.

Speaking about it Bakazzuz said, “The regime is living its last days and wants to create chaos in Hadramawt province ... there was no attack by Al-Qa'ida on the jail to free prisoners.”

Just days ago Yemeni troops killed 12 suspected Al-Qa'ida militants near the southern town of Zinjibar. The rebels were targeted while planting roadside bombs. It is estimated that at least a 100 soldiers have been killed and 260 injured since the violence in Zinjibar erupted more than three weeks ago.

Despite President Ali Abdullah Saleh's departure for Saudi Arabia, where he recently underwent surgery for injuries sustained during an attack on his compound in Sana'a, Yemen remains split between government loyalists in the south and tribesmen and renegade military units in the north. There a fears that the situation is getting out of control and could potentially lead to a civil war.

Sources: BBC News, The Guardian, AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Bloody siege in Tikrit masterminded by suspected Al-Qa'ida militants

Iraqi officials have said that the bloody siege in the town of Tikrit, the capital of the Salahuddin province, was masterminded by suspected Al-Qa'ida militants. It is estimated that more than 50 people were killed in a fierce gun-battle, which ended when the attackers blew themselves up.

The siege, which to took place near a local government building, left about 100 people injured. Local government officials and an Iraqi journalist were among those killed in the attack, which began at 1300 local time (1000 GMT) and lasted several hours.

Masked gunmen wearing military uniforms blew up a car outside the council headquarters to create a diversion, then raided the building and shot more than a dozen people, including three lawmakers.

The northern provinces of Salahuddin, Diyala and Ninewa continue to be attacked by insurgents. Speaking about the latest one, Salahuddin Governor Ahmed Abdullah said it was "a tragic incident carried out by ruthless terrorists".

Sources: BBC News, Washington Post, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Explosions in an arms factory leave at least 70 dead

A series of explosion in an ammunition factory in the southern town of Jaar has killed at least 70 people and left many injured. According to a number of reports, the factory had recently been seized by Islamist militants that clashed with Yemen's security forces on Sunday 27th March.

Government officials have said they expect the death toll to rise as victims were still being recovered from beneath the rubble. The factory, in the Khanfar area, makes munitions and Kalashnikov rifles.

Over the last few weeks, Yemen has been shaken by political turmoil and an upraising which seems to be gaining momentum with eatch day. Inspired by the “Jasmine Revolution” in Tunisia, Yemeni people took to the streets demanding better living conditions, employment opportunities and more political freedom.

Yemen has been plagued by security issues including Al-Qa'ida activity, members of which are said to have looted the factory while taking control of Jaar. The cause of the explosion remains unclear.

Sources: BBC News, Aljazeera, Reuters, Ynet News

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Suspected Al-Qa'ida militants attack two Western targets in Yemen

Suspected Al-Qa'ida militants have attacked two Western targets in Yemen, firing a rocket-propelled grenade at vehicle carrying five British diplomats and killing a Frenchmen working at the OMV oil and gas installation.

No single group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but experts say that Yemen is emerging as a crucial testing ground for the Obama administration's approach to countering the threat from the Al-Qa'ida.

The UK embassy convoy was said to have been carrying the British deputy chief in Yemen when it was hit. The UK Foreign Office issued a statement, saying "One member of staff suffered minor injuries and is undergoing treatment, all others were unhurt. We are informing their families at the moment. We are aware of at least two bystanders injured during the attack, and are seeking further details."

Speaking about the attacks UK Foreign Secretary William Hague described them as “shameful” further adding that, “British diplomats will only redouble Britain's determination to work with the government of Yemen to help address the challenges that country faces."

The other attack occurred inside the installation of an Austrian gas company OMV, near Yemen's capital Sana'a. The compound was surrounded by security forces and the gunman was eventually disarmed. The attacks come two days after Yemeni authorities tightened security around embassies in the capital following information of a planned strike by Al-Qa'ida.

Source: BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says most people believe the US responsible for 9/11 attacks

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said most people believe the US government to be responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York Ahmadinejad claimed that the US government had orchestrated the 9/11 attacks to tighten its loosening grip on the Middle East.

The US and other Western delegations walked out in protest during the speech. However, that did not deter the Iranian leader as he moved on to say that the sanctions against Iran were unjust and ineffective, and added he was ready for the annual public dialogue with the US president.

Reiterating Iran's denial of its nuclear programme Ahmadinejad said some members of the UN Security Council had, "equated nuclear energy with nuclear bombs,” and added that 2011 should be the year of nuclear disarmament.

Addressing the General Assembly, Ahmadinejad said it was mostly US government officials and statesmen who believed that Al-Qa'ida militants carried out the 2001 attacks on the US. He said it was universally believed, "that some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy, and its grips on the Middle East, in order to save the Zionist regime” and that the “majority of the American people as well as most nations and politicians around the world agree with this view".

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Iran, please see Iran Strategic Focus.