The tribal blockade of highways and road networks has led to a big crisis in gas and diesel supplies and prevented the smooth movement of tanks and trucks carrying such derivatives from Mareb to other provinces.

The recent tribal blockade of Sana'a-Safer road made by Abeeda Tribe from Mareb and Nihm Tribe from Sana'a province has led to a diesel crisis in the capital Sana'a and other provinces.

Early this week, Interior Ministry directed security administrations in Mareb and Sana'a to work on lifting all tribal blockade points on Sana'a-Safer highway in an effort to facilitate the movement of trucks and oil tanks between both provinces.

Tribal sources told the Yemen Post that tribal blockade of Sana'a-Mareb road is blamed on the inflating crisis of diesel in the capital and some other provinces.

The sources indicated that those in charge of the tribal blockade demand tank drivers to present their IDs before passing. Once a driver is known to belong to the enemy tribe, he is deprived from passing.

Shortage of diesel supplies caused the government early this year to seek having a strategic reserve of oil derivatives to cover up of the country's needs for two months minimally.

The government also decided to raise the domestic consumption of diesel with 40,000 metric tons in an effort to reduce the risks of the current crisis.

Minister of Oil and Minerals Ameer Al-Aidarous announced last month that diesel smuggling is blamed for the increase in its prices, hinting that there are also some complications as for importing mechanism.

In return, Yemen's oil exports mounted over the period January-May 2008 to $2.1 billion, compared with $2 billion during the same period of 2007.

According to an official report, this increase is propelled by the increased production as the produced quantity reached 19.6 million of barrels, while it was 16.9 million barrels in 2007.

It added that the increase is also driven by the increase of oil prices as the barrel was sold for $107.2 instead of $60.2.

The tribal blockade is the first thing rivaling tribes resort to and it is part of the economic and social war practiced by each tribe against the other.