أقتات من شعري المنى

Published on 25 March 2014 in News

Fuad Mused 

Al-DHALE, March 24—Fighting between the 33rd Armored Brigade and armed supporters of the Southern Movement has finally died down, according to Sadeq Al-Hakami, the spokesperson of the brigade.

Earlier this month a presidential mediation committee brokered an agreement between the two sides.

“The army withdrew from all locations used during the fighting except for one. The army still controls this location in order to secure the nearby roads, fearing that the gunmen may take over the road leading to the brigade’s headquarters,” said Al-Hakami.

He said the presidential committee remains in the governorate and is continuing efforts to maintain peace.

According to Al-Hakami, the army has been committed to the terms of the agreement including the exchange of captives, but the gunmen intentionally provoke the army into using force.

He said the army is willing to conform to the decisions of the presidential committee, which include the brigade’s evacuation from Al-Dhale city. The brigade also showed a willingness to replace the military personnel in charge of guarding the government compound with soldiers from of the Special Security Forces, Al-Hakami added.

“Withdrawing the army from the cities is one of the National Dialogue Conference outcomes. We are committed to it and we agreed with the committee,” he said.

Ali Al-Sya, the head of the Southern Movement youth wing in Aden, said “if the presidential committee fulfills our demands, including the removal of the military camps from the city, we would have no objection.”

He also told the Yemen Times, “the Southern Movement calls for the removal of all the military camps and checkpoints from Al-Dhale. It also demands that the security positions in the governorate be handed over to local security personnel.”

In reference to the military’s bombing of a funeral tent in the Sanah area of Al-Dhale in late December, Al-Sya demanded that the perpetrators be brought to court. The brigade has said that the attack was a mistake.

Residents in Al-Dhale told the Yemen Times that after two months of clashes the security situation has finally started to improve.

Al-Dhale was the scene of fierce fighting between the army and armed secessionists affiliated with the Southern Movement. The unrest resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.