Pro-Saudi Yemeni soldiers have attacked and killed at least three protesters in eastern Yemen, responding to public protests demanding an end to the Saudi occupation with live fire.
Locals reported that there were dozens of protesters present when the troops started firing. Three have been killed, and four others wounded, according to their reports.
The attacks appear to have been the governor’s doing, as he had announced on Tuesday that “anyone threatening stability would be dealt with firmly.” It has subsequently been reported that he ordered security forces to open fire on any protesters.
The Mahra Province is generally relatively quiet, but the arrival of a number of Saudi reinforcements this week appears to have inflamed tensions, and has fueled calls to end the occupation.
Ultimately, Yemen’s greatest hope for peace is a coalition between the Houthis and the Southern Secessionists in a bi-national state solution. North and South Yemen should have never been cobbled together the way they were in the wake of the Cold War. Any UN deal that refuses to recognize this basic fact is doomed to failure.
Yes, but this cannot happen. Our information is continuously riddled with mistakes, misinformation, and just superficial sloppiness. Example, Al Mahra. Even superficial research will show that UAE pushed Saudis out — and while everyone is swearing by “recognuzed” president, and calls this Saudi-led coalition, it is nothing of the sort. Al Mahra is an old Sultanate that did not survive post British colonial period, but now the old nations are coming back due to instability. Saudis have no chance. US suded with UAE after the palace coup removed Crown Prince MbNayaf in June 2017. The same is played out in Hadramauth, Aden and other provinces. Check news articles going back to 2017 to get a sense of what hapoened. The fairy tale of AQIP is similar to game played with ISIS. The game is centered jn someone priming the pump, by sending ruthless terrorist units into tiwnships and villages, overwhelming them, and holding the fort for the competing piwer to take it.
And competing powers are Saudi Arabia that initially took over US managed pricess that put Hadi in place as a president, in fake election with him being the inly person on balllor. The process that started before current King took iver, or his son having any position of power. Saudi role was teo fold — fund and direct fake Al Qaeda (Saudi intellugence person in charge) with the purpise to disrupt South secession. Then the good guys were to show up — Saudi led Hadi forces, mostly from Aden area, with “coalition” behind them. The idea was simple — demolish the fake foe, the ine that got
rid of any secessionist minded tribal leaders, politicians — and establish Hadi loyal regional governirs. They did not count in Houthi ouster of Hadi and even less former president Saleh’s defection — the entire Yemeni army under his control became part of Northern rebellion. So, the effort to break Northern secession (Houthi is just one regional governor, and to hide the fact that Zaidi Yemen (Google it) is reasserting their former independent rule. With Saudi court coup and ouster of US favorite Crown Prince, all bets were off. The new US direction was to cut Saudis off access to South Yemen, so the “fight” against Al -Qaeda was at times real — as thise were Saudi place holders, and niw US us favoring UAE who with the help of US mercenaries went on conquest of South provinces — first removing Al Qaeda by fight or negotiated departure. As a result, UAE now controls good part of South — including Al Mahra and Hadramauth, with some secessionists still holding on. But the biggest fight against Saudi supported Hadi was in Aden, with UAE taking control. US us propping UAE in Eritrea, Somalia as well. Now the pressure is on Oman — border is Al Mahra. It birders Saudi Arabia and Oman. Mahra people are actually living also in Oman and other Gulf states.
Today, Saudi Arabia has been squeezed out of strategic south allong Bab Al Mandeb. Saudis wanted to buld a port in Al Mahra, bypassing essentially Bab Al Mandeb.
It will be interesting if Saudus have any leverage left. If they did nit get themselves too deep into the anti-Iranian narrative, and managed a deal with North Yemen, it would have been very hard for UAE — even with US help to hold onto very independent minded regions of the South. Being undermined by both North and Saudis, UAE with their miniscule army would suffer losses. And to make things worse — Oman caved and UK opened base there. Since Oman is in favor of restoring pre-revolutionary South, Sultanates and Emirates — this would be up UK alley — it once was their colonial master. Of all the actors, North is the only one holding onto independence so far.
But the end game us not near — Al Marva resistance and killing if orotestors are inducative. First — the cause is supposedly arrival of Saudis! Utter and complete rubbish. UAE controls it — period. Second, the blame was put in the Governor! The first fhing UAE did was appoint their man to the position!
The jockeying for control just started. And in the name of “containing Iran” they all intend to stay for long term, and since there is no longer mythical AQAP or ISIS — thery need someone to blame. And any indelendence/secessiknist minded region will be again blamed to another mythical terrorist bogey/placeholder. Or layers of placeholders, insuring that the power behind is not on the front line. And if everything fails, Congress will insure we cannot talk about it,