Sana'a completely occupied by Houthis, Ansar Allah: UN Special Envoy
Ansar Al-Shari'a target Houthi base in Ma'rib
Written by : <
http://www.aawsat.net/author/arafat-madabish> Arafat Madabish
on : Monday, 29 Sep, 2014
"The reality is Sana'a is now occupied by armed groups belonging to Ansar
Allah," Benomar said. "These groups have taken over Sana'a International
Airport, all government buildings and important facilities, and it [Ansar
Allah] is acting as though it were a replacement for the state."
The Shi'ite Houthi movement and Ansar Allah have occupied key sites in the
capital since last Saturday, following a month-long series of large protests
staged by the group demanding the appointment of a new government and the
reinstatement of fuel subsidies.
A UN-brokered ceasefire was signed between the government and the Houthis
last Sunday agreeing to the Houthis' demands, but also stipulating an end to
violence and protests, and the appointment of members of Ansar Allah to act
as advisers to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, together with some members
of the pro-secessionist movement Al-Hirak.
An addendum to the agreement was also signed the following Saturday,
stipulating the withdrawal of Houthi and Ansar Allah fighters from areas
they are currently occupying and the return of government forces to these
areas. It also tasked the Houthis and Ansar Allah with returning all weapons
seized from the state.
However, the clashes have since continued despite the agreement, with the
Houthis continuing to lay siege to several government buildings including
the intelligence headquarters, as well as breaking to the homes of a number
of top-ranking security officials.
Despite the continuing instability in Sana'a and elsewhere, Benomar said the
agreement would be "implemented categorically."
He said: "There will be no room for [picking and choosing] with regards to
the relationship between the agreement and the addendum. We have always
insisted this is a complete agreement that cannot be divided; all its
articles must be implemented fully whether they are related to political,
economic or security issues."
The Un enovy said the situation in the country was "still very dangerous,"
and that it was up to all the different political sides involved to
"cooperate in order to fully implement all articles" of the agreement and
the addendum.
"If this agreement is [fully] implemented, the country will be able to come
out of this crisis," he added.
In addition to the Houthis and Ansar Allah, Benomar also partly blamed the
current state of chaos in the country on figures from the regime of former
president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted from power following widespread
protests in the country in 2012.
He said: "What happened in Yemen was the result of miscalculations made by
all sides, which caused the situation to deteriorate to this dangerous
level. The danger comes from the Ansar Allah group and others using violence
as a means to achieve political ends, exploiting the weakness of the state
and the disintegration of the army. Also, the vengeful role played by
leadership figures from the previous regime who formed alliances [with the
Houthis] and helped the Houthis enter the capital."
Speaking about incidents relating to Houthis breaking into the homes of
political and security figures, Benomar said this was "still happening
despite the assurances we have been receiving from the leadership of Ansar
Allah."
He said the UN sanctions committee on Yemen was now ready to investigate
"individuals and groups" that could be sanctioned in accordance with UN
resolution 2140, which stipulates travel bans and asset freezes on
'individuals and groups seeking to derail Yemen's political transition,"
according to the language of the resolution.
"I am willing also to condemn and investigate any breach of the agreement
from any side," Benomar said, and warned that continuing violence threatened
Yemen's fragile political transition.
"If the political establishment is present and everyone truly has good
intentions then the political situation will progress and we will be able to
implement all the gains of the transitional period, including agreeing on
drafting a new constitution and holding general elections in light of the
constitution," he said. "But if violence continues to be used as an
alternative to dialogue, and if the militias continue to occupy the capital
and spread throughout the streets and loot the state's weapons stockpiles,
this will hinder the political process."
Speaking of the UN's expectations regarding the most likely scenario for the
country, and any steps that can be taken to stop further deaths taking
place, Benomar said: "The UN Security Council issued a statement in light of
these latest events which said this agreement is the ideal way to achieve
stability . . . without further violence."
He said all members of the Security Council members called upon "all sides
to implement fully and immediately all the articles of this agreement
without omission, including returning medium and heavy weapons to the
relevant state institutions. The Council also stresses that President Abd
Rabbuh Mansur Hadi represents the only legitimate authority in the country,
and that all tribes and political parties in the country need to unite
behind him to keep the country on the road to stability and security."
Meanwhile, signs of another brewing conflict were apparent in Yemen and
Sunday, this time between the Shi'ite Houthis and the local Al-Qaeda
affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
AQAP took responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on a hotel being used as
a base by the Houthis in the city of Ma'rib in central Yemen, killing at
least 15 people and wounding 50 more, according to Reuters.
AQAP, a radical Sunni organization, regards Shi'ites like the Houthis as
heretics. While it has so far largely focused its attacks on government and
security force targets, the latest bombing indicates that the group may
begin to pursue a more broadly sectarian agenda in its attacks in the
future.
"Dozens of dead and wounded from the . . .Houthis in a martyrdom operation
by Ansar Al-Shari'a using a booby-trapped car in Ma'rib," the group said in
a statement on its Twitter account.
Received on Mon Sep 29 2014 - 09:17:15 EDT