Yemen: Security Tension in Abyan, Shabwa and Socotra

A general view of Aden. (Reuters)
A general view of Aden. (Reuters)
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Yemen: Security Tension in Abyan, Shabwa and Socotra

A general view of Aden. (Reuters)
A general view of Aden. (Reuters)

As services in Yemen's interim capital Aden continue to deteriorate, security tension mounts between the legitimate government and the followers of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Abyan, Shabwa, and Socotra.

Yemenis hope that Jeddah dialogue would result in normalizing the relation among Yemeni components and unifying efforts to face the Houthi coup.

In this context, local sources and witnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that there is a security tension in Abyan, Shabwa, and Socotra.

STC followers accused the legitimate government of repressing Thursday a protest that called for separating south Yemen from its north. They demanded, in a statement, restoring forces known as ‘Shabwani Elite’ to handle security tasks in the province.

One at least was killed and others were wounded by the fire of government forces in Azzan, according to the statement that also accused the government forces of arresting several activists.

STC followers called for the return of ‘Shabwani Elite’ to their previous positions and all the province regions to maintain security, stability and to combat terrorist groups.

Moreover, government sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the legitimate security bodies are carrying out their duties in protecting the government headquarters and maintaining security as well as preventing the spread of chaos.

Field sources in Abyan reported that the government forces were keen in the past weeks to reinforce their military presence in Abyan regions in coincidence with STC forces continuing to foster their presence in regions ruled by them especially in Zinjibar and Jaar.

Yemeni activists told the newspaper that they hoped the ongoing dialogue in Jeddah would progress between the legitimacy and the STC leadership.

According to political sources close to the legitimate government, there is no direct dialogue until now between the parties’ representatives. However, the sources affirmed to the newspaper that there are Saudi efforts that would result in an agreement to end the crisis and guarantee the return of the legitimate government to Aden.



Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Resolution 1701 Only Tangible Proposal to End Lebanon Conflict

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Resolution 1701 Only Tangible Proposal to End Lebanon Conflict

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)

Politicians in Beirut said they have not received any credible information about Washington resuming its mediation efforts towards reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon despite reports to the contrary.

Efforts came to a halt after US envoy Amos Hochstein’s last visit to Beirut three weeks ago.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri dismissed the reports as media fodder, saying nothing official has been received.

Lebanon is awaiting tangible proposals on which it can build its position, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The only credible proposal on the table is United Nations Security Council resolution 1701, whose articles must be implemented in full by Lebanon and Israel, “not just Lebanon alone,” he stressed.

Resolution 1701 was issued to end the 2006 July war between Hezbollah and Israel and calls for removing all weapons from southern Lebanon and that the only armed presence there be restricted to the army and UN peacekeepers.

Western diplomatic sources in Beirut told Asharq Al-Awsat that Berri opposes one of the most important articles of the proposed solution to end the current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

He is opposed to the German and British participation in the proposed mechanism to monitor the implementation of resolution 1701. The other participants are the United States and France.

Other sources said Berri is opposed to the mechanism itself since one is already available and it is embodied in the UN peacekeepers, whom the US and France can join.

The sources revealed that the solution to the conflict has a foreign and internal aspect. The foreign one includes Israel, the US and Russia and seeks guarantees that would prevent Hezbollah from rearming itself. The second covers Lebanese guarantees on the implementation of resolution 1701.

Berri refused to comment on the media reports, but told Asharq Al-Awsat that this was the first time that discussions are being held about guarantees.

He added that “Israel is now in crisis because it has failed to achieve its military objectives, so it has resorted to more killing and destruction undeterred.”

He highlighted the “steadfastness of the UN peacekeepers in the South who have refused to leave their positions despite the repeated Israeli attacks.”