Saudi Arabia Bombs Yemeni Shia rebel targets, Islamic World News, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic World News

Saudi Arabia Bombs Yemeni Shia rebel targets

November 8, 2009

The four month war against rebel Shia tribesmen in Yemen has now attracted the attention of Saudi Arabia. Saudi aircraft have, in the last week, used several hundred missiles and bombs on Yemeni rebel targets near the Saudi border. This was triggered by an incident on October 14th, when Saudi police caught two al Qaeda members trying to get past a border post dressed as women, and carrying weapons and bomb making material. The two were killed in a gun battle, along with a policeman.

The Yemeni Shia rebels have been forced back to the Saudi border, where they are hiding out among some 60,000 civilian refugees from the fighting. On October 18th, the rebels reported that Saudi troops fired across the border, to support an Yemeni army attack on some rebels barricaded inside a town. Elsewhere on the border, Saudi troops have been fighting with tribesmen opposed to the security fence the Saudis are building along the border. The tribesmen have freely crossed the border for centuries, but now the Saudis want to halt the smuggling, and movement of al Qaeda terrorists into the kingdom.

On October 26th, Yemeni patrol boats in the Red Sea, seized an Iranian ship, carrying weapons, apparently meant for the Yemeni rebels. On November 3rd, a group of Yemeni rebels entered Saudi Arabia and attacked Saudi police, killing one of them. One of the rebels was killed, and the rest fled back into Yemen. The rebels have demanded that Saudi Arabia stay out of the fighting. The rebels also called on the UN to help negotiate a ceasefire, but the Yemeni army believes it is close to capturing the rebel leaders, and crushing the rebellion.

On November 5th, in response to the Yemeni rebel attack, Saudi Arabia sent F-15 and Tornado fighter-bombers across the border to hit suspected rebel camps. Over a hundred missiles and bombs were used. Saudi artillery was also heard firing into Yemen, and Saudi army units were seen moving towards the border. Apparently those troops soon crossed into Yemen, where they have apparently been fighting the Yemeni rebels.

http://newageislam.com/saudi-arabia-bombs-yemeni-shia-rebel-targets-/islamic-world-news/d/2069

Pakistan: A sustained, determined fight against militancy required, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Pakistan: A sustained, determined fight against militancy required

By Huma Yusuf

September 04, 2008

The fact that local tribesmen decided to raise lashkars to expel the Taliban from their villages also deserves a measured response. No doubt, there's something reassuring about learning that Pakistanis directly affected by the militant presence would rather not have the militants around. But tribesmen moved to raising private armies are in some way pointing to the inadequacies of the state. Raising a lashkar is the military equivalent of meting out justice before a jirga rather than in the courts. If we've learnt anything from the curse of parallel justice systems, it's that competing infrastructures lead to increased discontent and fragmentation. Encouraging tribal leaders to take security into their own hands despite the presence of the Army is akin to deferring a problem. Militancy may be curtailed today, but a network of private armies will pose another challenge tomorrow.

http://newageislam.com/pakistan--a-sustained,-determined-fight-against-militancy-required/war-on-terror/d/707

Significance of the Marriott bombing, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Significance of the Marriott bombing

By Khalid Aziz

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

After the Mahsud operation the insurgency situation in parts of FATA and the NWFP has aggravated considerably. The operation in Bajaur has developed into a small war and the level of violence there is greater than in past confrontations. There are a considerable number of internally displaced persons generated by this new violence. More than 300,000 people have fled from the battle zones to other parts of Pakistan. Due to the increase in collateral deaths the number of motivated tribesmen seeking revenge by joining the ranks of suicide bombers has also increased. This is probably the cause of the Marriott bombing.

On the other hand Pakistan and its ally, the US, have differences over strategy. Pakistanis are upset by the violation of its sovereignty by the US. However, it is for consideration whether we should criticize others when the militants have already usurped Pakistani sovereignty over large tracts of territory south of Kohat; it barely exists in Waziristan. Obviously the loss of control over territory means that the militants have not only obtained control over people and resources but also have the space to plan and prepare operations in Pakistan.

http://newageislam.com/-significance-of-the-marriott-bombing/war-on-terror/d/802

Pak-Afghan border: Nato build-up gives tribesmen the jitters, War on Terror , NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Pak-Afghan border: Nato build-up gives tribesmen the jitters

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

By Mushtaq Yusufzai

The sources said the Nato troops dug trenches at Mughalgai near Zhawar camp, a famous training camp of Afghan Mujahideen commander, Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani, in Khost near Pakistan’s Saidgai town.

Another bunker was set up at Gurbaz near Tarkhobi area of Khost, close to Pakistan’s Ghulam Khan town. Similarly, the sources said, another trench was set up close to Mir Safar and Shawal towns of NWA.

According to sources, the Nato forces had planned setting up four new military camps along the border in the Taliban-dominated provinces of Afghanistan - Khost and Paktika. “They planned establishing four new military camps along the border and this latest deployment of the foreign troops was first step of their future planning,” said the sources.

Senior government officials said the Nato forces were also misinformed about al-Qaeda training camps at Deegan, Mirali and Miramshah in North Waziristan. The sources said the Nato troops were also informed about the presence of senior Afghan Taliban commanders at the residence of Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani at Danday Darpakhel, to condole with him the death of his son, Mohammad Omar Haqqani.

The 18-year-old son of veteran Taliban leader Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani was killed in a firefight with the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan’s Paktia province on Thursday. It merits a mention here that Nato had already deployed a large number of troops close to the border between Afghanistan’s Khost province and Pakistan’s Kurram tribal region.

http://newageislam.com/pak-afghan-border--nato-build-up-gives-tribesmen-the-jitters/war-on-terror/d/243