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35 Yemenis Killed in Attacks, While Ceasefire Is Holding in Most Areas, Millions Still Close to Starving

January 19, 2019 

War Effects on the Vital Lifeline for Millions of Starving Yemenis, file, Januaryt 19, 2019

 

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The following news stories are from the Yemeni independent website Al-Masdar ( http://www.almasdaronline.com/category/42  ):

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Two most wanted gunmen killed in Taiz city

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٩ يناير ٢٠١٩

Two of the most wanted gunmen in the southwestern city of Taiz were killed by gunmen following Abu al-Abbas brigades on Saturday at the al-Ma'afer district southwest of the province.

A military source told the aL-mASDAR online that members of the Abu Abbas Brigades intercepted the gunmen Anas Adel Abdul Jabbar, and Walid Atef, and shot them in the area of "Nakhlan " on the road of al-Kadhah.

Abdul Jabbar and Atef were killed immediately, the source said.

According to the source, the gunmen who were killed were among the most dangerous extremist elements wanted by the police for their involvement in the murders of security and army soldiers.

9 Houthis killed in air raid in al-Kadha area west of Taiz

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٩ يناير ٢٠١٩

Nine militants of the al-Houthi group were killed last night by an air raid by a fighter of the Saudi-led Arab coalition, southwest of Taiz province according to a military source said the raid targeted reinforcements of Houthis  in Naqeel Al-Koura, Al-Kadha front, the raid destroyed a Houthi vehicle which was  carrying more than 10 Houthis and killed 9 of them.

Violent confrontations with heavy and medium weapons are taking place between government forces and the Houthis in Bowaiter and Lazakh in the nearby Maqbana district, military sources said.

Clashes between government forces and tribal gunmen near oil company in Shabwah

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٩ يناير ٢٠١٩

A soldier of the government forces was wounded Saturday in clashes between government forces and tribal gunmen, in front of the gate of the oil Company (OMV) in the Armaa district of Shabwah Province.

A military source in the company's protection forces said to Al-Masdar online, that government forces removed points erected by gunmen near the gate of the company, through which they prevented the passage of crude tankers to and from the company.

He added that the government forces gave the gunmen two days to remove those points from the front of the company's gate, but the militants refused to do so, prompting the government forces to intervene and remove the points by force.

He noted that this led to clashes between government forces and militants, which resulted in the injury of one of the soldiers while these confrontations reinforced the fears of the termination of the company's work in the province.

The source asserted that the gunmen were heavily armed with medium and light weapons, which threatened to secure the company and its employees, those gunmen loyal to one of the influenced named   "Khabili", and the latter seeks to obtain the concession of the crude oil transport contract from the Directorate to the Port of export.

Governor Mohammed bin Adeo, however, formed a committee to grant transport concessions in accordance with a tender to Shabwah contractors.

On the one hand,  OMV company statement said that the crude oil tankers from the S2 sector were intercepted on their way to the unloading facilities in Sector 4, last Thursday, by «Khabili», the second interception during the month of January.

The statement, which was issued by the company and sent copies to oil Minister Aws al-Oud, his deputy Saeed al-Shamassi and governor of the province bin Adeo, that «Al-Khabili was intercepting the carriers and detained for seven hours on 5 January, after the intervention of the local authority allowed to pass.

The company pointed out that the actions of the "Khabili" and its gunmen prevent the export of oil and restrict the quantities of production, and is a very serious threat to the operations of the company if not dealt with.

That incident was not a separate one, but an extension of recurrent operations.

It said that as a result of the process, the company had to reduce production to the lowest level, and all oil wells in sector S2 would be stopped within the next two days, threatening production operations for the next month.

Spokesman: The Houthis did not abide by the truce in Hodeidah and we monitored more than 500 breaches in a month

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٨ يناير ٢٠١٩

The spokesman for the government forces, Brigadier General Abdou Megally, on Thursday held a press conference in which he reviewed the violations committed by the Houthis since the truce came into effect on December 18th last year until January 17th.

Brig. Gen. Megally said that the ceasefire agreement in Hodeidah Province was abided only by government forces, while the Houthis continued their violations and hostile actions against military positions and civilians.

It revealed 520 violations by the Houthis in Hodeidah province since the truce came into force, of which 212 were in attack and firing shells at government forces positions.

Brig. Gen. Megally explained in a statement published by the official news agency  "Saba " that the violations of the Houthi militia and the repeated attacks on residential neighborhoods in several governorates including the province of Hodeidah through the firing of indiscriminate shells on the homes of citizens, most recent yesterday by the launch of a Katyusha missile on residents of al-Rawdha district in Marib province, injuring 2 citizens, including a child.

The official spokesman of the government forces said that (the attack by the Houthi militia, targeting the government team of legality, which is monitoring the shooting and in the presence of the UN Monitoring committee in Al-Drihimi  by sending a drones  carrying high explosives, is a blatant challenge to the international community In disregard of his decisions.)

United Nations: We don't know the source of the shooting in Hodeidah and we won't exaggerate over one incident

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٨ يناير ٢٠١٩

The source of the bullet that targeted the convoy of the head of the Observer mission Patrick Cammert in Hodeidah was unknown, UN spokesman Stefan Dujarric said.

Dujarric said at a press conference that Cammert was at a meeting with representatives of the Yemeni Government in the Coordination Committee, and when he left with his team in an armored car with UN insignia was fired upon by small arms.

He said that Hodeidah was a dangerous area and that the United Nations did not want to exaggerate the occurrence of one incident, while the team returned to its base without any further incidents.

He reported that General Patrick Cammert, chairman of the Redeployment Coordination Committee and members of his team, returned unharmed in Hodeidah after a shooting incident.

Ten Houthis killed in one district, including a prominent tribal sheikh and his two sons in Haradh

January 19, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ١٧ يناير ٢٠١٩

Ten militants, including a prominent tribal leader and his two sons, were killed by an air raid by Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighters in the northern province of Hajjah, according to local sources of Al-Masdar on Thursday.

The source added that tribal leader Abbas al-Ma'amari and his two sons died instantly, along with seven others when they were fighting among the Houthis, against government forces, before they were targeted by the air raid.

The Directorate of Haradh is witnessing ongoing fighting between government forces and the Houthis and the fighting turned into a massive war of attrition for Houthis, with the nearly 800 deaths from al-Shahl district alone, on a number of fronts, most notably Haradh front.

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The following news stories are from the pro-Houthi website Yemen Extra (http://www.yemenextra.net/):

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Saudi-led coalition kills, injures more than 14 civilians in Hodeidah

Jan 18, 2019, YemenExtra, M.A.

The US-backed Saudi-led coalition and its paid-militias continued violating the cease-fire agreement in Hudayidah province, killing and wounding more than fourteen civilians, including a woman and a child, and targeted with scores of air raids several provinces over the 24 past hours, a security official reported on Friday.

Three civilians were killed, including a woman and a child and four were injured by the shells of the Saudi-paid militias on al-Fazah area in al-Tuhaita district, added the official.

Moreover, a drone targeted one of the Yemeni Army positions north Hudayidah, killing seven.

The Saudi-paid militias opened fire on the UN team while the security forces opened the road on the 50th Street towards the hospital of May 22 in the city of Hodeidah in order to reach the other team’s place and injuring the driver of the Winch and a number of security personnel.

The Saudi/UAE-paid militias conducted a failed attack in al-Fazah area of al-Tuhaita district; they heavily combed the area with artillery shells and machine guns. They also fired medium weapons west of al-Tuhaita.

Saudi-led mercenary’s artillery shelling targeted with medium weapons east al-Durihmi district, and a military bulldozer observed fortifications of the Saudi/UAE paid militias east of Hays while the coalition warplanes hovered over the port and a number of the districts.

Saudi-led coalition warplanes also launched two air raids on Shuaba area in Thaibin in Amran province, three air raids on Haradh and Medi in Hajjah province, and launched three air raids on Baqim district in Saada province.

Yemeni army forces respond after the coalition commits 209 violations of ceasefire in Hodeidah over 48 hours, attacks UN team monitoring ceasefire

Jan 18, 2019, YemenExtra, Y.A

Yemeni army forces launched missile attacks against the Saudi-led coalition, backed by the US, in retaliation for the coalition’s regime’s military campaign against their country.

The Yemeni army’s drone waged on Friday an attack on groups of  coalition’s paid fighters in Jawf Province. The drone hit the target accurately, leaving heavy casualties on the paid fighters.

It also waged an attack on groups of Saudi army in Asir border Province. The attack hit the target accurately.

Rocketry force of the Yemen army forces on Thursday fired six missiles at gatherings of the coalition’s paid fighters and Saudi soldiers in Najran border province and Hajjah province.

It, in addition,  fired five missiles, Zilzal -1, at the coalition’s forces in A’kifa site and in front of Sudais site.

It  , moreover, fired four missiles at gatherings of the coalition’s paid fighters in Najran border province.The missiles, Zilzal -1, were fired at the gatherings of paid fighters in front of Sudais site, causing heavy losses in lives and military equipment of their enemy .

Religious scholars in Hudayidah province on the same day greeted the great triumphs and sacrifices made by the Yemeni army forces in defending the country and its sovereignty.

The move came during a meeting that held in the Province, stressing on the importance of standing united and the ongoing support to the combat fronts to back the army against the coalition.

In a separate context, the coalition’s paid fighters on Thursday fired on the United Nations team in Hudayidah province, according to an official source in the team representing the national delegation within the Joint Coordination Committee for the cease-fire.

“The mercenaries fired bullets at the security staff accompanying the UN team at 11 am on Thursday, during opening the road in the 50th Street towards the May 22 Hospital in the city of Hudayidah in order to reach the place of the other team,” said the source in a press statement.

A winch driver and a number of the security personnel were wounded in the shooting, he added.

Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee head Mohammed Ali al-Houthi highlighted the failure of the UN mission to support the Hudayidah Agreement (UNMHA) to hold the Saudis accountable after one of its own vehicles was targeted in the port city of Hudayidah.

As a result of the qualitative operations of the Air Force in Al-Anad airbase and in the Saudi depth, which resulted in killing and injuring Saudi officers and high rank leaders of the paid fighters . The voices in Tel Aviv rose in their military and security research centers, warning of the growth of these capabilities and the effects of the victory of the Yemenis and its impact on the security of the Zionist entity.

While the Yemeni ballistic strikes in the deep Saudi land and the operations of the Naval Force prompted Tel Aviv, the government of the Zionist enemy, to address the connotations and effects of these capabilities in more than one station as posing a threat to Israeli naval navigation.

Spokesman of the Yemeni army, Brig. Gen. Yahya Sarei , for its part ,said that paid fighters loyal to the coalition fired 128 shells at residential neighborhoods, houses and farms of citizens, and the army locations in Hudayidah province.

The coalition warplanes waged 53 raids on several provinces over the past two days, the spokesman added.

Sarei pointed out that the army forces managed to repel eight infiltration attempts by the militias on the inside fronts and across the border.

The army forces carried out more than 15 offensives against the troops and paid fighters sites in several fronts, which led to the killing of a paid fighters leader in Boqa area and a commander of engineering battalion in al-Ajasher desert in Najran region, according to the spokesman.

He added over 190 troops and paid fighters were killed and wounded during repelling infiltration attempts or the army attacks.

In March 2015, the US -backed –Saudi-led coalition started  a war against Yemen with the declared aim of crushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement, who had taken over from the staunch Riyadh ally and fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, while also seeking to secure the Saudi border with its southern neighbor. Three years and over 600,000 dead and injured Yemeni people and  prevented the patients from travelling abroad for treatment and blocked the entry of medicine into the war-torn country, the war has yielded little to that effect.

Despite the coalition claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi bombers are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

More than 2,200 others have died of cholera, and the crisis has triggered what the United Nations has described as the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.

However, Saudi Arabia relies heavily on the US in its brutal war on Yemen. Washington has deployed a commando force on the Arab kingdom’s border with Yemen to help destroy arms belonging to Yemen’s popular Houthi Ansarullah movement. Washington has also provided logistical support and aerial refueling.

War Effects on the Vital Lifeline for Millions of Starving Yemenis

Jan 17, 2019, YemenExtra, SH.A.

The Yemeni port of Hodeidah is a vital lifeline for millions of starving civilians.Yemen’s key port city of Hodeidah, the lifeline for more than 20 million Yemenis, plays a crucial role in food, fuel and medicine imports into the country.

Humanitarian agencies working in Yemen are deeply worried about by the likely impact of an assault. As many as 600,000 civilians currently live in and around Hodeidah, which lies on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, the United Nations said.

“A military attack or siege on Hodeidah will impact hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.”

In a prolonged worst case, we fear that as many as 250,000 people may lose everything — even their lives.

The United Nations says Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and 22.2 million Yemenis are in need of humanitarian aid, and 8.4 million are at risk of starvation, a number that will rise to 18 million this year if conditions do not improve.

Around 80 percent of Yemen’s food and medicine is imported through the Port of Hudayidah. Jens Laerke is Spokesman for the U.N. Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs or OCHA. He said fuel and other essential humanitarian relief also arrive via the port.

“OCHA warns that sustained hostilities in Hudayidah city, interruptions to the port operations, which are critical for vital imports of food and fuel or a siege of the city would be catastrophic. There is no contingency plan that can effectively protect civilians from the humanitarian consequences if the conflict escalates further. The response capacity of international organizations on the ground would quickly be overwhelmed,” he said.

To further complicate matters, the World Health Organization warns the country may be on the brink of another major cholera epidemic. WHO emergency response chief, Peter Salama told VOA essential medications needed to fight this fatal disease are imported through the Port of Hudayidah. “If the port at Hudayidah is destroyed, that could create an absolutely catastrophic situation,” Mr Guterres told France Inter radio during a trip to Paris.

Yemen is already facing a “disastrous” humanitarian situation, Mr Guterres said, adding: “The hostilities must stop.

This war has made three-quarters of the population in need of humanitarian assistance and pushed the country to the brink of famine, while the United Nations has considered the crisis facing the Arab country as the worst in the world.

The Yemeni warring parties have not come to an agreement concerning the possible reopening of the airport in Sanaa, with the dispute on whether it should be open for international, domestic, or both flights still ongoing, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said.

During their UN-mediated talks held in Sweden last month, the parties agreed to reopen the airport, officially closed in August 2016, for domestic flights.

The Saudi-led coalition’s mercenary forces continued their violations of the cease-fire agreement regarding Yemen’s Hudayidah.

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CENTCOM air strikes in Yemen 2018 rollup

Release No: 19-003
Jan. 7, 2019
Release Number 20190107-01
 
TAMPA, Fla. -

U.S. Central Command conducted 36 total air strikes in Yemen
in 2018, targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS-Yemen.
 
CENTCOM conducted 10 air strikes in January targeting both AQAP and
ISIS-Yemen, six air strikes against AQAP in February, seven air strikes
against AQAP in March and four airstrikes against AQAP in April.
 
CENTCOM conducted two air strikes in May, two air strikes in June, two air
strikes in July, one air strike in August, and two air strikes in September,
all targeting AQAP terrorists.
 
No strikes were conducted in Yemen in October, November, and December.
 
The air strikes took place in Abyan, al Bayda, Hadramawt, Shabwah and Zamakh
governorates.  

http://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/1725188/centcom-counterterrorism-strikes-in-yemen-2018-rollup/

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