Fierce Clashes in Sa’ada after Ceasefire

Violent clashes between Houthi followers and government forces have renewed in some Sa'ada districts. These clashes are timed with ceasefire negotiations made in Doha under Qatari sponsorship.

The negotiations are led by President Saleh's political advisor Abdu Al-Karim Al-Erayani, Brig. Ali Muhsen Al-Ahmar and Saleh Habrah and Sheikh Ali Naser Qarshah from the Houthi side. They were joined later by the former Member of Parliament Yahya Al-Houthi who sought political refuge in Germany.

Well-informed sources mentioned that military forces positioned in some districts have intensified their military operations launched since last Wednesday. These operations targeted Haydan district's Jum'at Bani Fadhel and other areas.

The same sources indicated that the military units also waged a violent attack on Saturday using heavy weaponry on Saqeen district. The attack resulted in killing six people, injuring several others and destroying numerous houses as well.  

Under direct support of Qatari Heir Apparent Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Yemeni government and Houthi representatives signed an agreement for implementing the previous agreement signed between both sides in June 2007.

The agreement has nine points including handing over heavy and medium-sized weapons by Hotuhis, together with evacuating mountains and strongholds. It also include halting the military operations and Abdu Al-Malik Al-Houthi and a number of his followers go to Doha in voluntary exile and further they are not allowed any political or media involvement that go against the Yemeni government.

Moreover, the government has to grant a general amnesty to all Houthi followers and to secure their collective return to their villages with their personal weapons, together with respecting the freedom of expression.

It also allows them to form a political party and works to restore and rebuild what has been destroyed, along with paying compensations to war-affected people from Sa'ada Rebuilding Fund established under Qatari finance.

Local sources ruled out any truce especially when the clashes have been widened, leaving behind terrible consequences that could prevent any settlement even in case Houthis were deported outside the country.

For his part, political analyst and journalist Saeed Thabet ruled out any settlement or achieving positive results, hinting the current agreement will bring nothing new.

He also wished an immediate end of Sa'ada war, stopping of bloodshed and the return of peace, maintaining he fears this truce sponsored by Qatar is just a temporary one in Houthis, politicians and Military men's eyes aiming to win time for achieving certain goals serving wars and crises traders.

So far, four war have been fought and Sa'ada war that erupted for the first time in 2004 has left behind catastrophic consequences and resulted in killing and injuring thousands of both warring sides as well as citizens. Further, it internally displaced over 100,000 locals.

The fifth war was launched by the start of 2008 and over 50 people been killed and dozens injured as of now.

Reliable sources told Yemen Post that over 2,000 Houthi followers are still detained in different provinces' prisons under the pretext that the government is demanding withholding them.  

All political and social parties hope the current tension could be contained as this sedition has caused more disasters to locals and affect Yemen's ailing economy.