Yemen Rejects International Intervention in Rebel Conflict

By Ahmad Shihadah

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East Desk

SA’NA, Yemen – Yemen told outside powers Wednesday to stay out of its battle with the Hutis, a Shi’ite rebel group in its northwest. This came amid concerns that Iran and Saudi Arabia are being drawn into the conflict. The statement was issued by the official state news agency Saba, following a statement of concern for Yemen’s “national unity and territorial integrity” by Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki on Tuesday.

Yemen continued saying the fight between the government and the al-Huthi rebels was an internal issue and that Yemen was able to tackle its own problems without any interference or mediation from others. An unnamed Yemeni foreign ministry official issued a statement saying “as we welcome what Mr.Mottaki said about Iran’s stance towards Yemen’s stability and unity, Yemen affirms that it absolutely rejects any intervention in its internal affairs.”

Yemen has repeatedly accused Iran of supporting the rebels, and in October announced it had captured five Iranians attempting to smuggle a boatload of weapons to them, but no hard evidence was provided.  A Yemeni government official told CNN on Tuesday that Yemen’s navy was ‘on the highest state of alert.”

International concern continues to grow amid the conflict in Yemen, as many view the impoverished nation as a potential safe-haven for al-Qaeda. Further, the stage could be set for a proxy struggle between Shi’ite-dominated Iran and the Sunni-led Saudi monarchy. Yemen has signed an agreement with the United States for co-operation on military intelligence and training, according to Saba, Yemen’s official state news agency. The deal aims to strengthen co-operation in the “extermination of terrorism smuggling and piracy” according to Yemen’s chief of staff Ahmed Ali al Ashwal.

The United Nations continues to express alarm over the fighting and said there has been a “significant increase” in the number of people displaced in recent weeks. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimates as many as 175,000 people have affected by the conflict since 2004, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Tuesday.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Yemen Warns Against Intervention in Rebel Conflict – 11 November 2009

The National – Yemen ‘Rejects Outside Interference’ – 11 November 2009

WashingtonTv – Yemen Rejects Iran’s “Interference” in its Affairs – 11 November 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive