Yemeni army officers prepare to blow up explosives seized from Islamist militants suspected of having links with al-Qaeda near the city of Zinjibar. [Handout/Reuters]
Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar al-Sharia announced its conditions for withdrawing its fighters from Abyan province on Saturday (February 4th), a move that some say is sign of al-Qaeda's weakened position.
Sheikh Tariq al-Fadhli, an elder from Abyan, delivered Ansar al-Sharia's conditions to a Yemeni government committee on Saturday in the coastal area of Shaqra. Yemeni Vice President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi had ordered the formation of the committee, which is led by parliamentarian Sheikh Awad bin al-Wazir al-Awlaki.
Mediation efforts led by local tribal leaders last month succeeded in persuading al-Qaeda to leave the city of Radaa in the southern province of al-Baidaa.
Al-Qaeda has been in control of the city of Jaar in Abyan since March, and violent clashes are ongoing between the organisation and the Yemeni army and tribal fighters for control of Zinjibar, the provincial capital.
"Al-Qaeda members set terms for leaving Abyan, including payment between 5 and 7 billion riyals ($23 million-$32 million) in compensation for their dead and wounded, formation of a local council to manage the province's affairs in accordance with Sharia law, withdrawal of the army and deployment of security forces to take their place, and securing safe passage for al-Qaeda fighters to remote, uninhabited mountain areas," Ahmed al-Rahwi, deputy governor of Abyan province, told Al-Shorfa.
The conditions represent an effort by al-Qaeda to manipulate the government and the citizens of Abyan "who will only agree to an unconditional withdrawal by al-Qaeda and the army's presence to ensure security in the region," al-Rahwi said. He went on to criticise the condition regarding the local council that "would surely be infiltrated by al-Qaeda".
Abdullah al-Muqtari, a member of the House of Representatives, criticised the government for forming a committee to negotiate with Ansar al-Sharia.
"The military committee and the government need to take responsibility for maintaining security and stability but not by negotiating with that terrorist organisation," al-Muqtari told Al-Shorfa.
"Al-Qaeda's exit from Radaa occurred under different circumstances because the militants who stormed Radaa were local inhabitants," he said. "Additionally, the men and the tribes in Radaa took a strong stand against the organisation's members until they forced them to leave, which is not the case in Abyan province."
Mohammed al-Ghabri, a political analyst, said the government might be able to secure gains through the work of the committee.
"Al-Qaeda needs the dialogue as much as the government does because it has achieved nothing on the ground that can be considered an accomplishment, and its members believe that if the situation stabilises, the army would be able to drive them out by force and pursue them as was the case prior to 2011," he said.
"Al-Qaeda's strategy does not take a favourable view of staying within a confined geographical area as is the case now in Jaar and Zinjibar," al-Ghabri said. "They prefer to expand across several locations so the adversary does not have an opportunity to surround them in a confined area, making it easier for the adversary to defeat them."
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READER COMMENTS
احمد إسماعيل سلمان
2012-5-3
I call God with all my heart that our people in Yemen will get rid of the painful torment of living with terrorists and what they are doing of acts of hatred against them that al-Qaeda wants to have control over Yemen in any way so it would be its original habitat.
ياسر
2012-5-2
The activities of al-Qaeda elements and groups in Yemen are a really sad thing, and all of the Yemeni people should stand up against all the criminal acts being perpetrated against the people. As such, all the Yemeni tribes should cooperate in order to confront these terrorist elements, groups and bands that are present in all the countries that lack an atmosphere of security and which suffer from chaos, confusion and instability. The only solution is that all the tribes of Yemen ought to opt for confronting and fighting all the terrorist elements that are engaged in killing people by recruiting the youths and exploiting them and deceiving them in the name of religion and claiming that they are defending people’s rights. Also, they lure the youths with money and weapons so as to implicate them and entrap them, with the objective of making them carry out terrorist operations such as bombings and booby-trapping as well as assassinations, kidnapping, slaughter, robbery and suicide operations in the midst of innocent people that have done no wrong, whether they are women, children, old or young.
محمود محمد عبدالرسول
2012-3-15
Those who spread corruption all over the earth will get their punishment in this life and in the hereafter. They are called gangs and should be sentenced to death.
عمر
2012-3-12
Everyone is asked to bear the responsibility and the army should move further in the recent future to control all matters and not to allow the spread of weapons in the country, because this matter will definitely encourage violence and creating a state of chaos and this is working for the interest of the enemies of Yemen and Al-Qaeda will destroy Yemen in the future.
محمود عبدالله
2012-3-12
What was expected by many in Yemen happened and I am one of them. Here we are now beginning to see the operations of security breach attacks being waged by unidentified bodies, and I do not exclude that they are caused by the terrorist al-Qaeda, which started moving into Yemen, taking advantage of the situation experienced by the country over the past year. It does not want to give an opportunity now for Yemen to return to stability as it was, especially after the departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh. All the Yemenis started aspiring to a better life, but under the terrible security situation I do not think that life will be better ever, but it will go from bad to worse. As the moves made by al-Qaeda recently through which it killed a large number of innocent soldiers, after the attack on an army base and also the start of the attacks on the citizens, there is fear of what is coming next. Frankly, we may see a massacre of innocent people at any time; al-Qaeda may carry out other attacks. Therefore we have to address all of this. From now on we should join hands in Yemen-- everyone: the people and the politicians, especially the politicians. We do not want differences now and division and splitting of rows. They should bless those who lead the country and stand behind him for the country and the country's interest, and not to topple him or make a judgment that his regime is unsuccessful, as this would be at the expense of innocent people and their blood.
alameerahmed
2012-2-25
I would like to say to the corrupt group that claims to represent the Islamic religion: Islam renounces you and your filthy actions. You have nothing to do with Islam. You make it lawful to shed the blood of Muslims. Yet, we say to you, your days are numbered. You will end very soon, God willing. Your end will be in Yemen, because the Yemeni land does not tolerate mercenary guys like you. Tomorrow will come and Yemen is victorious with the loyal men who love to die as much as they love to live. The money you asked for to import weapons will be used to build a good city for the benefit of Yemenis. You will go out of the beloved Abyan very soon. Your bodies will be food for the vicious dogs and wandering beasts in the great deserts and mountains of Abyan. Do not rejoice, because your end is near, you bastards.
سهيل مصطفى
2012-2-25
Everybody should address all the dirty acts that took place and were carried out by the malicious Al-Qaeda organization groups. Its imposition of control and acting against the will of the people will cause a huge amount of damage. It is the duty of the current government, the security forces, the army and the police to address such acts, which lead to the spread of terror, fear and terrorism inside the souls of the Yemeni people. It is very important to chase and follow up and also arrest all those who deal with these malicious groups and to completely get rid of them, so they will not come back to practice their malicious activities, and so they will be a lesson and an example to all those who think of joining or even dealing with these corrupt groups that do not want goodness for the people or all of humanity. They have long become distinctive for their lack of ethics and correct mentality. They have no conscience, principles or values. They are merely groups that work in order to exploit the religion. Their intention is to defame its image, so as to cheat many of the youth so they will be exploited in order to carry out the terrorist operations inside their countries, as well as exploiting the poverty aspect and the unemployment spread among the people, and to allure them to join them. In this way, many of them could be involved so as to expand the scope of their malicious work and completely control the Yemeni state. Therefore, caution and precautions should be considered, and they should fight these evil, malicious and hateful elements that are found in all the countries, which are witnessing a disturbed, chaotic, unstable and unsafe situation. They are mere insects that suck the blood of the innocent people, so as to expand their influence and dominance.
محمد نور
2012-2-24
The terrorist groups of Al-Qaeda have exploited all the events taking place in Yemen. And this is not acceptable. Thus, it is important to put an end to their domination because they have caused the innocent’s death. In fact, the terrorist groups of Al-Qaeda have used dirty methods. Thus, it is important to stop those immediately. It is also important to stop their malicious and evil operations. In fact, the groups of Al-Qaeda want to dominate Yemen which is in a very difficult situation. That’s why all people must fight the groups of Al-Qaeda in order to stop their spread in the Yemeni lands. In fact, all Yemenis must cooperate in order to get rid of Al-Qaeda’s groups that have caused people’s suffering. This is in addition to destruction, damage, death, bloodshed, bombing operations and criminality. In fact, they want to dominate all life aspects.
محمود صدقي
2012-2-23
There are countries that are seized by terrorism and the terrorists from al-Qaeda. Yemen is one of the Arab countries sold out by the regime to the terrorists from al-Qaeda. There are many Yemeni cities which were seized by al-Qaeda terrorists. In my opinion, al-Qaeda terrorists are cowards who have no place and we will get rid of them forever. Also, Egypt, Libya, and the other Arab countries experienced dirty terrorist attacks, but what is important is that all of these countries should work to get rid of al-Qaeda. I pray to God to rid the Arab and Muslim world of the evil of al-Qaeda terrorists. To be clearer, al-Qaeda now is in a critical situation because the countries that were financing them can no longer pay. Therefore, al-Qaeda is in an awkward position and its men certainly wish for other means of support, but there is none. Thus, we should use these opportunities to rid ourselves of them forever and thus rid all Arab countries of their evil and pent-up hatred against Arabs and Muslims. O my Lord, please shatter the terrorists and punish them, and bless the Arabs and Muslims. I wish the Muslim Nation all luck and success.
حسين فرحان
2012-2-10
Al-Qaeda has the most dangerous thought in the Islamic Nation. In fact, they have caused the loss of Afghanistan. This is in addition to the conflicts between Muslims. I pray to God to protect the Islamic countries from the evil of the West and Israel. You will regret the days of Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yesterday, we witnessed the Houthis, today we are suffering from Al-Qaeda, and tomorrow we do not know from whom we will suffer. In reality, the people are the victims. Therefore, the Arab spring is not a spring. It is rather a fall which will destroy the Arab World. God is the source of help and power. We will face problems from al-Qaeda, the Revolution, and Al-Houthi Movement. When will the country regain its glory? We can only say that God is the only helper and protector.