| 19 May 2007 04:23 SOMALIA WATCH |
Analysis |
|
Yemen:
Al Qaeda Crackdown Empty Gesture Summary Yemeni security forces recently launched a crackdown to capture suspected al Qaeda operatives in the country. The raids are meant to reassure Washington of Yemen's cooperation in the campaign against terrorism, but they really are aimed at troublesome tribes in the oil-rich Marib province. Despite what the Yemeni government would like the United States to believe, the country remains an accessible sanctuary for al Qaeda. Analysis Yemeni security forces Dec. 18 attacked an alleged al Qaeda hideout in the al-Husoun village in Marib province, 125 miles east of the capital, Sanaa. Local tribes fiercely resisted the assault, and 22 people were killed in the clash. Though the government has set up security checkpoints and is conducting more raids, three suspects reportedly escaped and are now being hunted in the Marib, Shabwa and al-Juf provinces along the border with Saudi Arabia. The government characterized the raid as an attempt to root out al Qaeda fighters, but the effort won't necessarily deny sanctuary to members of the terrorist group. Instead, the crackdown is more likely aimed at combating troublesome tribes in the central provinces, as part of a government effort to extend control over the economically vital region. Yemen could remain a base of operations for al Qaeda, despite what Sanaa wants the Bush administration to believe. The Marib province is home to one of Yemen's largest oil fields and is a central locus of operations for the U.S.-based Hunt Oil Co. It is also known as one of the most lawless parts of the country, where kidnappings and attacks on oil infrastructure are common. |
|