عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Anticipated Military Victory in Yemen Confuses Insurgents, Drives them to Mobilize Forces

Yemen Houthi militants. (AFP)
Yemen Houthi militants. (AFP)
TT
TT

Anticipated Military Victory in Yemen Confuses Insurgents, Drives them to Mobilize Forces

Yemen Houthi militants. (AFP)
Yemen Houthi militants. (AFP)

Houthi militias killed on Sunday a tribal leader in Dhamar city (100 kilometers south of Sanaa) along with four of his relatives in a continuation of their practices against supporters of former Yemeni President Ali Saleh and civilian, military and tribe members of his party following his death.

The group renewed on Sunday calls for its supporters to mobilize fighters in light of its anticipation and fear of the imminent military victory sought by the legitimate government and the Saudi-led coalition forces following recent field developments.

Houthi militants killed prominent tribal leader Sheikh Dhaif Allah Mothana along with his brother and two of his sons as they were passing a Houthi checkpoint in Dhamar, according to local sources and witnesses in the area.

They said that the militants objected to the tribal leader’s hanging of a Saleh poster on the window of his car. The situation then escalated and the militants broke the glass and shot Sheikh Mothana and his relatives.

Sources in Sanaa meanwhile said that head of the coup Presidency Council of Yemen Saleh al-Sammad met Sunday with officials loyal to the Houthis in Dhamar and Sanaa.

"We are heading to a new stage that requires supporting the fronts with popular momentum and vigils," Sammad said.

He also met Parliament Speaker Yahya al-Ra'i amid speculation that their talks were about the process of forcing the People's Congress party to support Houthis and rearranging it after Saleh’s death to ensure that it remains a political interface for the coup militia.

Houthis described Saleh as the “militia’s traitor leader" since he was assassinated on December 4 and his relatives, supporters and party leaders have been harassed in an attempt to blur everything related to him and criminalize all that glorifies him after the group looted his houses and the properties of his relatives.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
TT
TT

Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)

As Lebanese authorities proceed with the deportation of Egyptian activist Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian source involved in the case told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo plans to formally request his extradition from Abu Dhabi once he arrives there.

Controversy has surrounded the case since Lebanon announced that the government had approved the deportation of Qaradawi to the UAE instead of Egypt, where he holds citizenship.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that citizenship is not an obstacle in extradition cases between countries, saying that a state may decide to extradite a person to another country even if they hold the nationality of a third state, as in the case of Qaradawi’s son.

According to Lebanese sources, the decision to extradite Qaradawi to the UAE is based on a warrant issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. As a member of the council, Lebanon is obligated to comply with the UAE’s request, despite the absence of a direct bilateral extradition agreement between the two countries.

Additionally, the extradition decision was influenced by the fact that the charges against Qaradawi are criminal, not political, as political charges would prevent extradition and instead warrant protection under international conventions.

An Egyptian judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the International Cooperation Office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor had prepared a comprehensive file containing all rulings issued against Qaradawi to ensure that the extradition request met all legal requirements. This file was sent to Lebanese judicial authorities through official channels. However, Egypt has yet to receive a response from Lebanon, though one is expected in the coming days.

Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran, a member of the American and European societies for international law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international law generally allows extradition when the individual is either a citizen of the requesting state, has committed a crime on its territory, or when the requesting state has a direct legal interest in the case.

As Qaradawi is an Egyptian citizen, Egypt “has the legal right to request his extradition under international law and bilateral agreements, provided all legal conditions are met,” Mehran said.

Meanwhile, Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, confirmed plans to file an urgent appeal in Lebanese courts to prevent his client’s extradition, according to Reuters. Mehran explained that extradition laws grant the individual the right to appeal in court, while the requesting states also have the right to challenge decisions.

Mehran suggested that if Qaradawi is ultimately handed over to the UAE, it is highly likely he will later be extradited to Egypt after procedural requirements in the Emirates are fulfilled. This is due to the strong bilateral relations and close security coordination between Egypt and the UAE.

Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, who holds dual Egyptian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Lebanon on December 28 after returning from Syria. His arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued based on an in absentia ruling by an Egyptian court sentencing him to five years in prison for spreading false news, inciting violence, and terrorism. Before his arrest, Qaradawi appeared in a video filmed at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where he made remarks considered offensive to both Egypt and the UAE.