Sanaa: Yemen`s Shiite rebels said today they
have seized control of a Saudi military post along the border
between the two countries where Saudi and Yemeni forces are
waging a campaign to uproot them.
The claim, which could not be immediately confirmed by
Yemeni and Saudi officials, came as a Saudi newspaper reported
that Saudi forces had detained 1,805 people so far this month
on the border with Yemen.
The Zaidi rebels, in a statement posted on the Internet,
said the rebels had seized "full control of the Al-Jabri Saudi
military post" as well as weapons, communication material,
military vehicles and surveillance equipment.
Rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdessalam, in a telephone
interview, said rebels overran the Saudi post on
Wednesday and forced 200 soldiers to flee.
By taking over Al-Jabri post, the Zaidi rebels "have
opened a fourth front in the war against the Saudi army, after
Jebel al-Dukhan, 20 kilometres further west, Al-Ramih and
Al-Dood."
All these military posts are located along Yemen`s
northern border with Saudi Arabia, across from the mountainous
Saada province which is the stronghold of the rebels.
"The Saudis have tried, without any success, to take back
Al-Jabri, and bombed it Thursday night," Abdessalam said.
The Sanaa government has been fighting the Zaidi rebels
since 2004 and launched "Operation Scorched Earth" against
them in Saada province on August 11, with the authorities
determined to end the revolt.
PTI
