Armed tribesmen take partial control of key military camp

Arhab, 30km south east of the capital Sanaa – Khaled Al-Harouji   This Thursday dozens of people were killed and others wounded in heavy bombing operations carried out by forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh, targeting villages in the province of Arhab, 30km south east of the capital. Sources told ArabsToday that these Republican Guards led by Saleh’s son, randomly bombed areas with missiles and mortars in the early hours of Thursday morning, while military planes took part in attacks, leading to 10 people being killed and 35 wounded, in an early count of civilian victims, including a number of women and children. Sources have confirmed that heavy fighting is taking place between armed tribesmen and forces belonging to Brigade 61 of the Republican Guard in Al-Sama’a Mountain, where Brigade 62 is also operating. The Republican Guards stationed in the Fareja area also took part in the fighting. Sources confirmed to ArabsToday that armed tribes successfully took over the eastern part of the military camp, which led Saleh’s supporters to use military planes to carry out the heaviest bombing operation that has been witnessed in the last two months. Witnesses said that many houses have been destroyed and others damaged, while civilian farms were destroyed. Fearful inhabitants in the north eastern suburbs of Sana’a reported that they could hear the shelling clearly, and that their houses were shaking from the impact. These civilians have not yet forgotten the fierce confrontations that took place in the neighbourhood of Al-Hasaba led by Saleh’s opponent Sadiq Al-Ahmar, Chief of the Hashid tribe, whereby military planes were used in bombing missions. The armed tribes in Arhab province besieged the Republican Guard forces based in Sana’a Mountain consisting of one of the most important military bases. They took this action in order to prevent Saleh loyalists from heading towards Taghyir Square next to Sana’a University, where demonstrators have been campaigning and calling for the President to step down. Human rights and aid organizations in Sana’a have reported that a large number of families of refugees have left the area where the fighting is taking place for more secure locations, and have called upon different organizations to help by sheltering refugees and offering them the support they need.