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Low-level Fighting in Yemen, Without End in Sight, British Court Outlaws Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia

June 23, 2019 

Houthi shelling of east Ta'iz, June 23, 2019	Police forces in Ta'z, Yemen, June 23, 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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Clashes between government forces and Houthis west of Qa’tabah, and field commanders among the causalities

June 23, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ٢٣ يونيو ٢٠١٩

A number of al-Houthi gunmen and others in the ranks of government forces were killed and wounded by violent confrontations in the southern Yemeni province of al-Dhale in the past few hours.

Field sources said that violent confrontations erupted at Bab Ghalq  front since Friday night between al-Houthi militia and government forces, where the latter launched an attack on Houthi positions at Jabal al-Duair towards Bab Ghalq  west of the Qa’tabah district.

The source added that the government forces, consisting of the units of the 83rd Brigade Artillery and the Fourth brigade, backed by the forces of the security Belt and the southern Resistance, made limited progress in some sites and were able to liberate the heights of the "Al-Hamra hills" and one of al-Duair mountain’s hills.

During the clashes, four Houthis, including a field commander, were wounded and the body of the Houthi leader was taken by government forces while two government forces were killed, including a field commander, Mohammed Ali Mohammed al-Beel, the head of the Artillery squad in the 4th Brigade and he was killed at Bab Ghalq  near al-Fakher, while another soldier, Mohammed al-Dhahani, was killed.

In the Qara’yah area, al-Houthi militia blew up a bridge on the highway west of Qa’tabah district, linking the governorates of al-Dhale  with Ibb, while continuing to prevent citizens from passing to and from the city of Qa’tabah in Salim and Al-Fakher.

Al-Houthi militias intensify its shelling on east of Taiz city neighbourhoods

June 23, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ٢٣ يونيو ٢٠١٩

Al-Houthi militias on Sunday intensified artillery shelling of residential neighborhoods and government forces positions east of Taiz city in southwestern Yemen.

Field sources told Al-Masdar online that the fighting was continuing between government forces and Houthi militias in the vicinity of the Republican Palace and Al-Marasem camp east of Taiz city.

At the same time, al-Houthi militias stationed in the heights of "Sofitel " and  "Al-Sallal " hills have intensified their shelling with cannons and mortars on the neighborhoods of "al-Kanb ", "Al-Jahmalyah" ,"Sala " and  "Kilabah" until the moment.

The government forces began their attacks on Houthi positions and snipers in the eastern city of Taiz last week.

A civilian killed, his father injured in clashes between police and gunmen in Taiz

June 23, 2019, ALMASDARONLINE ٢٣ يونيو ٢٠١٩

A citizen was killed and his father was injured on Sunday, as a result of clashes between police forces and gunmen in Taiz, southwest of Yemen.

A local source told Al-Masdar online that a police forces aboard a patrol had asked gunmen to stop in Jamal Street, the militants refused, and clashes erupted between the two sides.

According to the source, a seller  named Naief was killed and his father was injured with  another civilian by the clashes between the two sides, and the gunmen fled to an unknown destination.

The security forces are working to track down the gunmen, and to prevent them from touring the streets as part of security campaigns to put an end to the security imbalance in Taiz city.

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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 Daily Crime Update for Saturday, June 22nd, 2019

On Jun 23, 2019

YemenExtra, M.A.

The US-backed Saudi-led coalition and mercenaries continued, on Saturday, to launch raids and bombardments on a number of provinces, causing material damage to public and private property.

In Hodeidah, the US-Saudi mercenaries targeted several areas of 7-Yloio residential area with artillery shells. Several areas of Addurayhimi district were also targeted with 19 shells by the mercenaries.

In Hajjah, the US-backed coalition launched 2 raids on Medi and Hairan districts.

In Sana’a, the US-Saudi-led coalition launched 3 raids on Jarban camp in Sanhan district.

Saudi Arabia Sends More Reinforcements to Socotra

On Jun 23, 2019

YemenExtra, M.A.

Saudi Arabia has dispatched additional military reinforcements to the island of Socotra, private sources said, YPA reported.

The sources noted that the Saudi forces military reinforcements have arrived to the island of Socotra in the past two days.

Saudi forces came to Socotra after the outbreak of a severe crisis between officials in the outgoing government and the UAE, when the latter sent military forces to the island. The discord ended with mediation by Riyadh, which then strengthened its military presence there.

The sources confirmed that the reinforcements are “armor, light weapons and ammunition” for the Saudi forces, which are stationed at the airport and the port of the island.

Along with the weapons that arrived in Socotra, it is not excluded that the Saudis would have reinforced additional soldiers.

In the past few days, armed militias calling for secession, backed by the United Arab Emirates, – the so-called “security belt” – have taken control of the gates of Socotra port for hours, before reinforcements from the army and security forces arrived and got them out.

British Court Outlaws Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia

On Jun 24, 2019

 YemenExtra --

The UK has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia over concerns that they might be used in the West-backed kingdom’s bloody aggression on Yemen.

The UK’s Court of Appeal in London ruled on Thursday that the government had to assess whether the Saudi regime violated international human rights law in its military campaign in Yemen before ministers approve further arms sales to the oil-rich kingdom

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the Ansarullah movement.

According to a report by The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, the brutal aggression has killed over 100,000 people and also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.

The British court’s decision could have repercussions for BAE Systems, the UK’s largest defense contractor, and particularly the planned export of 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets worth £5bn to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh represents about 15 per cent of BAE’s annual group earnings and is responsible for its biggest single export contract.

Three judges on Thursday dismissed an earlier court ruling over the lawfulness of the government’s decision not to suspend export licenses to Riyadh. Announcing the ruling, Terence Etherton said the court had concluded that the government’s decision-making process was “unlawful” and “irrational“.

This was because the UK government had made no “concluded assessments” over whether the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen had committed historic violations of international humanitarian law in the past during the conflict and had made no attempt to do such an assessment.

However, Sir Terence said: “The decision of the court today does not mean that licenses to export arms to Saudi Arabia must immediately be suspended.” He added that it did mean the UK government must reconsider its policies and assessments.

Liam Fox, international trade secretary, said in the House of Commons that while the government considers the implications of the ruling on its decision making “we will not grant any new licenses for export to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners which might be used in the conflict in Yemen”.

The Department for International Trade said it disagreed with the judgment and would seek permission to appeal.

The judicial review was brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade, a non-governmental organization, which challenged the British government’s decision to continue to license the export of military equipment to Saudi Arabia. It claimed that the UK was in breach of rules prohibiting the supply of arms in cases where there is a “clear risk” they could be used in violation of international human rights law.

The case follows allegations that Saudi forces might have used UK arms in serious violations of international humanitarian law during the coalition’s bombardment of Yemen, which began in 2015

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