Tribal Mediation Leads to Short Truce in Yemen’s Abyan

Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
TT

Tribal Mediation Leads to Short Truce in Yemen’s Abyan

Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)

A tribal mediation led to a short truce between the legitimate government and Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen’s Abyan province for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The three-day truce went into effect on Sunday some two weeks after fighting erupted between the two sides, with neither claiming any progress on the ground.

Abyan tribal sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that tribal elders in al-Marashqa met with field commanders from both parties to propose a short-term truce in the Sheikh Salem, Tarya and surrounding areas.

Including a complete cessation of hostilities, people were allowed to traveled to and from Abyan’s capital, Zinjibar, which is held by the STC, and Shaqra city, which is held by the government.

Local sources said calm prevailed on the frontlines on Sunday morning and until late at night.

The government did not comment on the truce, but STC spokesman Nizar Haitham said the council is committed to the ceasefire as long as the other side is.

“We are in a state of self-defense. We are committed to any truce and we back the tribal efforts for the humanitarian truce,” he remarked.

The mediators said the truce could be extended if the two parties committed to the ceasefire, which ends of Tuesday.

The truce got underway a day after some of the fiercest fighting in Abyan during which commander of the government’s 153rd Brigade, Mohammed Saleh al-Aquili, was killed.

President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Vice President Alli Mohsen Saleh and Defense Minister Mohammed al-Maqdishi offered their condolences over his death, saying he fought at the frontline along with the army and resistance on various fronts. He had commanded several operations to liberate territory from the Iran-backed Houthi militias and was among the first to meet the call to save the country from the militants.

The Defense Ministry also announced the death of commander of the 61st Brigade, Hussein al-Usseimi, during battles against the Houthis in the al-Jawf province. It hailed his heroics while he carried out his national duty in defending the revolution and republic.



Hezbollah Chief Urges Lebanese State to ‘Deal Firmly' with Israel’s Violations

FILE PHOTO: Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivers an address from an unknown location, November 29, 2024, in this still image from video. Al Manar TV/Reuters TV via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivers an address from an unknown location, November 29, 2024, in this still image from video. Al Manar TV/Reuters TV via REUTERS
TT

Hezbollah Chief Urges Lebanese State to ‘Deal Firmly' with Israel’s Violations

FILE PHOTO: Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivers an address from an unknown location, November 29, 2024, in this still image from video. Al Manar TV/Reuters TV via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivers an address from an unknown location, November 29, 2024, in this still image from video. Al Manar TV/Reuters TV via REUTERS

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Saturday called on the Lebanese state to “deal firmly” with Israeli violations.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in a conflict parallel to the Gaza war in November. That ceasefire, which was brokered by the United States and France, requires Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, and for Hezbollah to remove all its fighters and weapons from the south.

Both sides have since accused each other of breaching the ceasefire.

"Don't test our patience and I call on the Lebanese state to deal firmly with these violations that have exceeded 100," Qassem said.

He also congratulated Palestinians over the Gaza ceasefire deal, saying in a speech that it proved the "persistence of resistance" against Israel.

The remarks were the first in public by the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese group since Israel and Hamas reached the accord on Wednesday.

"This deal, which was unchanged from what was proposed in May 2024, proves the persistence of resistance groups, which took what they wanted while Israel was not able to take what it sought," he said.
Qassem also referred to the election of Lebanon's new president, Joseph Aoun, who commanded the Lebanese military until parliament elected him as head of state on Jan.9.

"Our contribution as Hezbollah and the Amal movement led to the election of the new president with consensus," Qassem said.

The nomination of Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam had angered Hezbollah, which accused opponents of seeking to exclude it.

Salam was nominated by a majority of lawmakers last week to form a government but did not win the backing of the Shiite parties Hezbollah and Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement.

Salam said the formation of a new government would not be delayed, indicating a positive atmosphere in discussions over its composition.