SANA'A, Yemen (AP) - Yemeni government snipers firing from rooftops and houses shot into a crowd of tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators on Friday, killing at least 40 people and injuring hundreds demanding the ouster of the autocratic president.
The protest in the central square was the largest yet in the popular uprising that began a month ago — and the harsh government response marked a new level of brutality from the security forces of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key — if uneasy — ally in the U.S. campaign against al-Qaida who has ruled Yemen for 30 years.
Saleh declared a nationwide state of emergency hours after the shootings in the capital, formally giving the security forces a freer hand to confront the demonstrators. There was no word on how long the emergency laws would remain in place. Dozens of enraged protesters stormed several buildings that were the source of the gunfire, detaining 10 people including paid thugs who they said would be handed over to judicial authorities.
Demonstrators have camped out in squares across Yemen for over a month to demand that Saleh leave office. Security forces and pro-government thugs have used live fire, rubber bullets, tear gas, sticks, knives and rocks to suppress them. The protesters say they won't go until Saleh does.
Before the shooting Friday in Sanaa, a military helicopter flew low over the square as protesters arrived from prayers. Gunfire soon erupted from rooftops and houses above the demonstrators, where witnesses said beige-clad elite forces and plainclothes security officials took aim.
A state TV report denied government forces were behind the gunfire. Police used burning tires and gasoline to make a wall of fire that blocked demonstrators from fleeing down a main road leading to sensitive locations, including the president's residence.
Saleh announced a press conference later Friday. Opposition groups also planned an emergency meeting to discuss their next steps.
Analysis: "This event marks a dramatic escalation in protest violence under President Saleh. The Friday "Days of Rage" protests have seen the largest turnouts across the region, and therefore have been met with the most force. The decision to use sniper fire, as well as the indiscriminate targeting of protesters, will not make things easier for the Yemeni president. Expect more protest violence for the country in the coming week. The nature of these protests will speak volumes for what direction Yemen will head in the near future, but expect an escalation in violence."
Read the Full Article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110318/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_yemen
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Libya to Halt Military Actions
(BBC) - The Libyan government has announced an immediate ceasefire in its offensive against rebels who have seized large areas of the country. The announcement came as a coalition of Western and Arab nations prepared for air strikes against Libyan forces.
Before the ceasefire announcement, heavy fighting was continuing. Rebels said government forces had been bombarding the western city of Misrata. There are claims this has continued despite the ceasefire announcement.
Military action short of an occupation was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council on Thursday evening. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 gave broad backing to taking military action against all threats to civilians, which could include bombing ground forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa said his country was obliged to accept the UN resolution and to observe the air exclusion zone that had been agreed.
The ceasefire announcement came only hours after Col Gaddafi had insisted that the Security Council had "no mandate" for such a resolution, "which we absolutely do not recognise". "This is not a war between two countries that permits the council to intervene," he said in an interview on Portuguese television.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Libyan government would need to demonstrate it was implementing a ceasefire. "We are going to be not responsive or impressed by words, we would have to see actions on the ground and that is not yet at all clear," she said.
"We will continue to work with our partners in the international community to press Gaddafi to leave and to support the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people."
Analysis: "Gaddafi's decision to call a ceasefire may make headlines around the world, but in a practical sense it means very little. As a clear reaction to the passage of UN Resolution 1973, which calls for a military no-fly zone over Libya, Gaddafi's move shows considerable weakness but does not hinder him from further attacks on opposition forces. What remains to be seen is to what degree of commitment and force the international community will throw behind 1973. Expect to see fighting resume soon and the UN's commitment to be tested."
Read the Full Article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12787739
Before the ceasefire announcement, heavy fighting was continuing. Rebels said government forces had been bombarding the western city of Misrata. There are claims this has continued despite the ceasefire announcement.
Military action short of an occupation was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council on Thursday evening. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 gave broad backing to taking military action against all threats to civilians, which could include bombing ground forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa said his country was obliged to accept the UN resolution and to observe the air exclusion zone that had been agreed.
The ceasefire announcement came only hours after Col Gaddafi had insisted that the Security Council had "no mandate" for such a resolution, "which we absolutely do not recognise". "This is not a war between two countries that permits the council to intervene," he said in an interview on Portuguese television.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Libyan government would need to demonstrate it was implementing a ceasefire. "We are going to be not responsive or impressed by words, we would have to see actions on the ground and that is not yet at all clear," she said.
"We will continue to work with our partners in the international community to press Gaddafi to leave and to support the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people."
Analysis: "Gaddafi's decision to call a ceasefire may make headlines around the world, but in a practical sense it means very little. As a clear reaction to the passage of UN Resolution 1973, which calls for a military no-fly zone over Libya, Gaddafi's move shows considerable weakness but does not hinder him from further attacks on opposition forces. What remains to be seen is to what degree of commitment and force the international community will throw behind 1973. Expect to see fighting resume soon and the UN's commitment to be tested."
Read the Full Article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12787739
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Libya Bombards Rebels, gets Closer to Stronghold
TOBRUK, Libya (AP) - Moammar Gadhafi's forces overwhelmed rebels in the strategic eastern city of Ajdabiya, hammering them with airstrikes, missiles, tanks and artillery Tuesday in an assault that sent residents fleeing and appeared to open the way for an all-out government offensive on the opposition's main stronghold in the east, Benghazi.
In desperation, rebels sent up two antiquated warplanes that struck a government ship bombarding Ajdabiya from the Mediterranean. But as tanks rolled into the city from two directions and rockets relentlessly pounded houses and shops, the ragtag opposition fighters' defenses appeared to break down.
Only 10 days ago, the rebellion was poised to march on Tripoli, the capital, and had appeared capable of sweeping Gadhafi out after 41 years in power, but the regime's better armed and organized military has reversed the tide. Efforts led by France and Britain to create a no-fly zone to protect the rebels have gone nowhere, and some rebels lashed out at the West for failing to come to their aid.
"The world is sleeping," he said. "They (the West) drunk of Gadhafi's oil and now they won't stand against him. They didn't give us a no-fly zone."
Residents of the city of 140,000 streamed out, fleeing toward Benghazi, 140 miles (200 kilometers) northeast. But warplanes and artillery were striking roads in and out of Ajdabiya, several witnesses and fighters said. Some reported private cars had been hit, but the reports could not be independently confirmed. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from Gadhafi's regime.
Ajdabiya, 480 miles (800 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, is the gateway to the long stretch of eastern Libya that has been in the control of the opposition since early on in the month-long uprising. With its fall, regime forces would be able to bombard Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and the de facto capital of the opposition, by air, sea and land.
Europe and the United States, meanwhile, were tossing back and forth the question of whether to impose a no-fly zone that the opposition has pleaded for.
On Tuesday, top diplomats from some of the world's biggest powers deferred to the U.N. Security Council to take action against Libya, as France and Britain failed to win support for a no-fly zone in the face of German opposition and U.S. reluctance. France said the Group of Eight agreed that a new U.N. resolution should be adopted by week's end with measures to help Libyan rebels.
A U.N. resolution introduced Tuesday includes no-fly provisions. It also calls for increased enforcement of an arms embargo and freezing more Libyan assets, according to U.N. diplomats said who spoke on condition of anonymity because the text has not been released. One diplomat said the Security Council will be looking to see whether members of the Arab League, which is pressing for the no-fly zone, are ready to seriously participate in the establishment and operation of a zone.
Analysis: "Over the past week, Gadhafi has managed to swing the pendulum of momentum back in his favor. At the same time, the push by the international community for a military no-fly zone over Libya has slowed. Government forces have made significant gains in the meantime, taking back nearly all major cities in the western part of the country, while making significant advances towards Benghazi in the east. Rebel forces are high in numbers, but lack the arms, artillery, and air support to wage a long-term war against government forces. Unless the international community significantly steps up support for the rebels soon (openly or covertly), Gaddafi will continue gaining back populous areas. "
Read the Full Article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110315/ap_on_re_af/af_libya
In desperation, rebels sent up two antiquated warplanes that struck a government ship bombarding Ajdabiya from the Mediterranean. But as tanks rolled into the city from two directions and rockets relentlessly pounded houses and shops, the ragtag opposition fighters' defenses appeared to break down.
Only 10 days ago, the rebellion was poised to march on Tripoli, the capital, and had appeared capable of sweeping Gadhafi out after 41 years in power, but the regime's better armed and organized military has reversed the tide. Efforts led by France and Britain to create a no-fly zone to protect the rebels have gone nowhere, and some rebels lashed out at the West for failing to come to their aid.
"The world is sleeping," he said. "They (the West) drunk of Gadhafi's oil and now they won't stand against him. They didn't give us a no-fly zone."
Residents of the city of 140,000 streamed out, fleeing toward Benghazi, 140 miles (200 kilometers) northeast. But warplanes and artillery were striking roads in and out of Ajdabiya, several witnesses and fighters said. Some reported private cars had been hit, but the reports could not be independently confirmed. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from Gadhafi's regime.
Ajdabiya, 480 miles (800 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, is the gateway to the long stretch of eastern Libya that has been in the control of the opposition since early on in the month-long uprising. With its fall, regime forces would be able to bombard Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and the de facto capital of the opposition, by air, sea and land.
Europe and the United States, meanwhile, were tossing back and forth the question of whether to impose a no-fly zone that the opposition has pleaded for.
On Tuesday, top diplomats from some of the world's biggest powers deferred to the U.N. Security Council to take action against Libya, as France and Britain failed to win support for a no-fly zone in the face of German opposition and U.S. reluctance. France said the Group of Eight agreed that a new U.N. resolution should be adopted by week's end with measures to help Libyan rebels.
A U.N. resolution introduced Tuesday includes no-fly provisions. It also calls for increased enforcement of an arms embargo and freezing more Libyan assets, according to U.N. diplomats said who spoke on condition of anonymity because the text has not been released. One diplomat said the Security Council will be looking to see whether members of the Arab League, which is pressing for the no-fly zone, are ready to seriously participate in the establishment and operation of a zone.
Analysis: "Over the past week, Gadhafi has managed to swing the pendulum of momentum back in his favor. At the same time, the push by the international community for a military no-fly zone over Libya has slowed. Government forces have made significant gains in the meantime, taking back nearly all major cities in the western part of the country, while making significant advances towards Benghazi in the east. Rebel forces are high in numbers, but lack the arms, artillery, and air support to wage a long-term war against government forces. Unless the international community significantly steps up support for the rebels soon (openly or covertly), Gaddafi will continue gaining back populous areas. "
Read the Full Article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110315/ap_on_re_af/af_libya
Thursday, March 3, 2011
US, Europe Tighten Noose around Libya's Government
(Washington Post) - The United States and its European allies tightened their noose around Libya's besieged government Monday, positioning military assets for possible action in the Mediterranean as they launched humanitarian efforts to assist refugees and rebel forces that have seized the eastern part of the country.
Britain and the European Union announced new sanctions against Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, his family and his government. The U.S. Treasury announced that it has frozen $30 billion worth of Libyan assets in this country under an executive order President Obama issued Friday, the most ever blocked under such a program.
On the ground, rebels and forces loyal to Gaddafi appeared at least temporarily to be at a standoff, with neither side taking more territory. Gaddafi's air force bombed weapons depots, apparently to prevent the rebels from gaining access to them.
In Geneva, U.S. and European leaders focused on sending aid to rebels and refugees. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that $10 million in relief funds have been set aside by the U.S. Agency for International Development, and two teams of experts are being dispatched immediately to Libya's borders to assess the refugee crisis and organize the delivery of aid.
Although the administration has repeatedly demanded legal accountability for Gaddafi, Clinton hinted that the United States might be willing to accept a deal in which the Libyan leader would voluntarily agree to exile in a third country. She raised the possibility at a news conference at which she was asked whether Gaddafi might be permitted to seek refuge with Zimbabwe's leader, Robert Mugabe.
Although Clinton and several European leaders said imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya was under active consideration, other senior U.S. and European officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, emphasized that there had not yet been any significant political discussions of such action. It would be unlikely, they said, unless Gaddafi turned his air force directly against the Libyan people.
Other than the bombing of arms depots, "I don't think we've seen . . . indications they're bombing people," the senior administration official said. But reports on the ground "are disturbing enough to merit contingency planning, and the nature of the threats does indicate a potential for escalation," the official said. "We want to have options in place."
For the moment, the United States and its European allies are counting on the harsh financial and travel restrictions in place, along with the threat of international human rights prosecution, to prompt Libyan military and government officials still loyal to Gaddafi to reconsider their position.
Movement of two aircraft carriers that are in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf area was within the "range of possibilities," the Pentagon official said, but still under discussion. This official and others said that U.S. and NATO forces had sufficient resources in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean to take a number of actions if necessary.
A U.S. destroyer passed through the Suez Canal on Sunday and took up position in the southwestern Mediterranean, another U.S. military official said. An amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge, with helicopters aboard, was in the Red Sea and headed toward the canal. The USS Ponce, another amphibious assault vessel, was also moving toward the area, the official said.
"What we're trying to do is leverage all the different contacts and channels that we can," the official said. "This is a new set of actors. We're exploring not just the people we have telephone numbers for, but the business community that has experience working in eastern Libya and other nongovernmental organizations who have people on the ground" in an effort to "get a better ground truth."
Analysis: "Gaddafi is under the international microscope at the moment. As long as he sticks to aerial bombings of weapons caches and other rebel resources, Libya will remain free from foreign intervention. If the Colonel decides to direct air strikes towards the Libyan people, expect the game to change in North Africa. The international community will be under great pressure to protect Libyans if this should happen."
Read the Full Article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR2011022806537_2.html?sid=ST2011022805422
Britain and the European Union announced new sanctions against Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, his family and his government. The U.S. Treasury announced that it has frozen $30 billion worth of Libyan assets in this country under an executive order President Obama issued Friday, the most ever blocked under such a program.
On the ground, rebels and forces loyal to Gaddafi appeared at least temporarily to be at a standoff, with neither side taking more territory. Gaddafi's air force bombed weapons depots, apparently to prevent the rebels from gaining access to them.
In Geneva, U.S. and European leaders focused on sending aid to rebels and refugees. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that $10 million in relief funds have been set aside by the U.S. Agency for International Development, and two teams of experts are being dispatched immediately to Libya's borders to assess the refugee crisis and organize the delivery of aid.
Although the administration has repeatedly demanded legal accountability for Gaddafi, Clinton hinted that the United States might be willing to accept a deal in which the Libyan leader would voluntarily agree to exile in a third country. She raised the possibility at a news conference at which she was asked whether Gaddafi might be permitted to seek refuge with Zimbabwe's leader, Robert Mugabe.
Although Clinton and several European leaders said imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya was under active consideration, other senior U.S. and European officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, emphasized that there had not yet been any significant political discussions of such action. It would be unlikely, they said, unless Gaddafi turned his air force directly against the Libyan people.
Other than the bombing of arms depots, "I don't think we've seen . . . indications they're bombing people," the senior administration official said. But reports on the ground "are disturbing enough to merit contingency planning, and the nature of the threats does indicate a potential for escalation," the official said. "We want to have options in place."
For the moment, the United States and its European allies are counting on the harsh financial and travel restrictions in place, along with the threat of international human rights prosecution, to prompt Libyan military and government officials still loyal to Gaddafi to reconsider their position.
Movement of two aircraft carriers that are in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf area was within the "range of possibilities," the Pentagon official said, but still under discussion. This official and others said that U.S. and NATO forces had sufficient resources in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean to take a number of actions if necessary.
A U.S. destroyer passed through the Suez Canal on Sunday and took up position in the southwestern Mediterranean, another U.S. military official said. An amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge, with helicopters aboard, was in the Red Sea and headed toward the canal. The USS Ponce, another amphibious assault vessel, was also moving toward the area, the official said.
"What we're trying to do is leverage all the different contacts and channels that we can," the official said. "This is a new set of actors. We're exploring not just the people we have telephone numbers for, but the business community that has experience working in eastern Libya and other nongovernmental organizations who have people on the ground" in an effort to "get a better ground truth."
Analysis: "Gaddafi is under the international microscope at the moment. As long as he sticks to aerial bombings of weapons caches and other rebel resources, Libya will remain free from foreign intervention. If the Colonel decides to direct air strikes towards the Libyan people, expect the game to change in North Africa. The international community will be under great pressure to protect Libyans if this should happen."
Read the Full Article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR2011022806537_2.html?sid=ST2011022805422
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Yemen On the Brink of a Showdown
SANA'A, Yemen (TIME) - What began as a simmer in the Arab World's poorest and most capricious state has suddenly started to come to a boil. In Yemen's mountain capital of Sana'a, the threat of civil war hangs like a bad taste in the dusty air. Motley marches of pro- and anti-government protesters block the streets, and tens of thousands of armed tribesmen wait in murky rooms around the country for orders from their chiefs. The mood in the capital is tense.
Yemen's opposition, a loose coalition of parties from Nasserites to socialists to Islamic clerics, now has the ability to rally large numbers. And late Monday night, it quashed a last-ditch attempt by President Ali Abdullah Saleh to form a unity government. Gangs on motorcycles streamed through the streets, draped in red, white and black Yemeni flags, demanding that the President leave. There were fears that pro- and anti-government protesters could face off around the capital; a solitary military helicopter flew low over the capital as the regime very publicly flexed its muscles.
With the situation looking more and more desperate, Saleh offered on Monday to form a unity government with the opposition. The pitch included the formation of a coalition, an end to all demonstrations, the release of prisoners held without trial and the start of corruption investigations. Saleh's plan backfired. After publicly rebuffing the proposal, opposition spokesman Mohammed al-Qubati said, "Saleh has only two options: either to be a former President or a deposed President."
Yemen's opposition, a loose coalition of parties from Nasserites to socialists to Islamic clerics, now has the ability to rally large numbers. And late Monday night, it quashed a last-ditch attempt by President Ali Abdullah Saleh to form a unity government. Gangs on motorcycles streamed through the streets, draped in red, white and black Yemeni flags, demanding that the President leave. There were fears that pro- and anti-government protesters could face off around the capital; a solitary military helicopter flew low over the capital as the regime very publicly flexed its muscles.
With the situation looking more and more desperate, Saleh offered on Monday to form a unity government with the opposition. The pitch included the formation of a coalition, an end to all demonstrations, the release of prisoners held without trial and the start of corruption investigations. Saleh's plan backfired. After publicly rebuffing the proposal, opposition spokesman Mohammed al-Qubati said, "Saleh has only two options: either to be a former President or a deposed President."
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