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Arabia

Governor dismissed over AQAP ties

2017-07-25

SANAA, Yemen: Yemen’s president has sacked a governor who was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for his ties with Al-Qaeda. The presidential decree by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was issued on Sunday. Hadi removed the governor of the central province of Al-Bayda, Nayef Al-Qaysi, and named Salah Al-Rassass as his replacement. Bayda is a known Al-Qaeda hotbed, and where the US had carried out airstrikes and raids in the past years hunting the group’s operatives. Al-Qaysi was classified by the US as a “specially designated global terrorist” over allegations that he financed the group. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemen affiliate is known, has long been seen as the global network’s most dangerous branch, and has been implicated in a number of attempted attacks on the US homeland. Separately on Monday, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), made a rare visit to the front lines in Yemen, taking a road to reach the besieged western of Taiz. The visit by Peter Maurer aims to provide the ICRC with a firsthand look at Yemen’s raging cholera epidemic and the humanitarian disaster amid the civil war. Maurer already visited the southern port city of Aden and will be ending his trip in Sanaa. The executive directors of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are also in Yemen to urge for humanitarian aid. The $2.1 billion humanitarian appeal for Yemen is only 33 percent funded, and the response to the cholera epidemic requires an additional $250 million, of which just $47 million has been received, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of Taiz residents have been caught across fire and residents use donkeys to carry smuggled goods and basic necessities on unpaved roads in and out of the city. Since April, a cholera epidemic has ravaged the country with around 400,000 suspected cases and over 1,800 deaths. The rainy season underway threatens to worsen the situation and the numbers of cholera cases are expected to double by the end of the year, according to ICRC.

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Arabia

Soddy forces destroy munitions cache in Hayfan

2016-08-10

The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia yesterday launched airstrikes on crowds of Houthi militias and their stores of weapons in the Al-Hitari Mountain in the Hayfan District (south Taiz). It also carried out raids targeting a Katyusha rocket launcher in Wirzan, south Dimna Khadeer which is located is east Taiz. Raids on crowds of Houthi militias and their stores of weapons were resumed in the city of Al-Mokha, Muwazza’ah Assahiliyya and Jabal Al-Naar which led to many deaths and military equipment being damaged. Furthermore, violent clashes in the province of Taiz between the legitimate forces (the national army and the Popular Resistance) on the one hand, and Houthi militias and forces loyal to the deposed president on the other, took place on different battlefronts in Taiz. The clashes were concentrated in the Al-Silw district, southeast Taiz. The Al-Silw district witnessed fierce battles that were concentrated in the Al-Rassa area in the Al-Silw Mountain. 16 members of the rebel militia were killed and dozens of them were injured as a result. Rebel militias also used various types of weapons to heavily shell sites belonging to the Popular Resistance and the national army in the area of Sharaf in the Al-Silw Mountain. These clashes came after rebel militias attempted to infiltrate sites belonging to the national army and popular resistance in the region. These areas are now controlled by legitimate forces after rebel militias were previously able to seize all of the national army and Popular Resistance’s strongholds on the fronts of Hayfan, south Taiz. The clashes are a pre-emptive step to prevent the militias from entering and invading the district of Al-Mawasit; a matter which would enable them to reach the main route between the provinces of Aden and Taiz.

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Arabia

Whereabouts of Al-Hayari's wife and child still unknown

2005-07-06

The whereabouts of the wife of deceased terror suspect Younes Ibrahim Al-Hayari, a Bosnian woman, and her child are still unknown. They both accompanied him on his journey that started in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage in February 2001, during which he decided not to return to his country of origin, and to join Islamic militant groups. "Dang! I really like it here in Arabia! And those guys with the automatic weapons are really keen! I wanna be like them! Whaddya think, honey?" "Yes, dear! **God, please martyr this goof!**" Al-Hayari participated in the Bosnian war from 1992 to 1995 with other Arabs who volunteered themselves as part of a holy war. During this period, he married a Bosnian woman and later acquired a Bosnian passport. The Bosnian ministry of interior affairs has denied this, after they had thoroughly investigated files with information about all Bosnian nationals. They asserted that passports were confiscated from a number of people who fought in the Bosnian war. Okay, so it's a false Bosnian passport. The intense media coverage of Al-Hayari and his companions has neglected the situation of his wife and child. I hadn't given them a thought. As soon as I'm done reading this article I'm going to forget them... Al-Hayari would frequently use his wife and child as a ploy to conceal his movements when shifting between locations. That's because he's an Islamic hero. They do that sort of thing... However, they were not present at the scene of his death. "Hrarrr! Cops! We're surrounded by cops! Get my shootin' iron, woman!" "Here you are, dear!... Ummm... I have to run down to the drug store..." What adds to the ambiguity of this case is that the wife of formerly wanted terror suspect Al Majati, who was murdered in last April's Al-Rass incident, confirmed that she was unfamiliar with Al Hayari and his family.

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Arabia

Soddies looking out for returning Iraqi jihadis

2005-06-01

Saudi security forces, having dealt a blow to Al Qaeda inside the kingdom, are on guard for the return of Saudi militants from their "jihad" against US troops in neighbouring Iraq. Funny, so are American forces in Iraq. "Of course we expect whoever is left (in Iraq) to come back to Saudi Arabia. But of course, we will deal with them the same way we dealt with the others," said interior ministry spokesman Brigadier-General Mansoor Sultan Al Turki. Two years after the outbreak of a bloody wave of attacks, Saudi authorities say they have broken the back of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, whose last strike now dates back to December. According to official figures, 90 civilians, 41 security personnel and 110 militants have died in a spate of deadly attacks in Saudi Arabia, many targeting Westerners, since May 2003. "I would say we have accomplished the mission by either killing or capturing them," Turki said in an interview with AFP. But "we cannot say we have reached the situation where we can ensure that no terrorist crime could be implemented in the kingdom. We are not saying that," he cautioned. "No, no! Certainly not!" In a major coup for the Saudi authorities, 15 suspected militants were killed, including two Al Qaeda chiefs, in early April in a gunbattle with security forces in Al-Rass, 320km north of Riyadh. From a list of 26 most wanted militants published in December 2003, only three remain at large, including Saleh Al Oufi, an ideologue of the movement who reports at the time had said was killed in the Al Rass clash. "He is still alive and he is still wanted," said the interior ministry spokesman. A diplomat posted in Riyadh said that behind the official statements on a job well done, the Al Qaeda threat still posed a real threat. "I don't think they are naive enough to believe Al Qaeda is finished," he said. The next generation is waiting in the wings. "Whatever the outcome in Iraq, those people will come back one day," said the diplomat.

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Arabia

Al-Oufi escaped Soddy seige

2005-04-17

The leader of Al Qaida was said to have escaped a dragnet by Saudi security forces. Saudi security sources said Saleh Al Awfi had not been trapped in the 60-hour siege of an Al Qaida stronghold last week. Two leading Al Qaida operatives died in the battle in the northern town of Al Rass, but Al Awfi was not identified as among the 15 insurgents killed. "Al Awfi is still a fugitive whom the authorities are searching for and continue to track," Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Mansour Al Turki said. Earlier, Saudi opposition and security sources said Al Awfi was one of those killed in the battle. The opposition sources said Al Awfi's body had been found burned in a wheelchair.

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Arabia

Death of Top Terrorists in Al-Rass Gunbattle Confirmed

2005-04-10

The Interior Ministry yesterday confirmed the death of Saud Al-Otaibi, the leader of Al-Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia, and Moroccan Abdul Kareem Al-Majati, the No. 4 on the list of 26 most wanted terrorists, in last week's gunbattle in Al-Rass. Yeah, their names have been floating about for the past week. Now it's official... In a statement, an official source at the ministry said 15 terrorists were shot dead in the three-day gunbattle at Al-Rass, 320 km northwest of Riyadh. The toll went up as security agents found one more body in the area during combing operations. The ministry described Otaibi as "head of the gang" as he took over the leadership of the Al-Qaeda cell after the death last year of Abdul Aziz Al-Muqrin, the No. 1 on the wanted list. I thought al-Oafi took it over? I'm so confused... Otaibi was responsible for bombings, including the attack on Al-Mohaya housing compound in Riyadh in 2003. "Otaibi was also involved in taking booby-trapped vehicles from Qasim to Riyadh, carrying out attacks on security officers and smuggling weapons into the Kingdom," the official said. Majati came to the Kingdom with his wife and two sons using fake passports, the ministry said. With the support of his son Adam, he kidnapped and killed an expatriate and carried out an attack on patrol police in Al-Ghat. Adam Al-Majati also died in the operation. Glad to hear the lad's passed on... Other terrorists killed and identified by the ministry were: Hani ibn Abdullah Al-Joaithen, Faisal ibn Muhammad Al-Baidhani, Majed ibn Muhammad Al-Masoud, Fawaz Mufdhi Al-Anazi, Abdul Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Jarboue, Nawaf ibn Naif Al-Hafi, and Abdussalam ibn Suleiman Al-Khudairy. But no al-Oofi, even though their front organization in London said he'd been iced. The ministry named three of the six arrested terrorists as Adel ibn Saad Al-Dhubaiti, Hamad ibn Abdullah Al-Humaidi and Saleh ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Shamsan. The security forces had seized a large cache of weapons and explosives as well as documents and more than SR250,000 in cash from terrorists in the Al-Rass operation.

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Arabia

Terrorist Armaments Destroyed in Al-Rass

2005-04-09

After a thorough sweep for booby traps and the thunderous reports of detonations from large Al-Qaeda arms caches, residents are beginning to return to the site of what is considered the longest, toughest and bloodiest battle of the war against terrorism in Saudi Arabia. Calm prevailed in the northwestern town of Al-Rass yesterday in the aftermath of Saudi security forces' rout of Al-Qaeda militants last week. Residents of Al-Jawazat District, where the militants holed up for three days, were allowed to return after security forces cleansed the area of explosives. Many families have already returned. Special forces stationed in Al-Rass were scheduled to withdraw yesterday. "I feel things are back to normal," said Suliman Al-Ayed, a resident of Al-Rass. "Except for the guys in turbans running around shooting people, of course..." Security forces detonated hand grenades and other explosives left behind by the terrorists in the district. "Three big explosions were heard on Thursday. These were the sound of detonations carried out by the security forces to destroy a large cache of weapons and explosives left behind by the terrorists," Al-Ayed said. The detonations delayed the return of some 1,000 Saudis and expatriates who were evacuated from the area during the siege, security sources said. "We can't go home now, Fatimah! Things are still exploding!" Col. Muhammad Al-Shahrani, commander of special forces in the Qasim region, said residents were prevented from returning to the area soon after the operation for their own safety as terrorists had booby-trapped houses in the area. Khaled Al-Johani, a resident, said he heard about the operation on Sunday while he was at work, adding that he was concerned about his wife and four small children who were at home at the time of the gun battle. "By the grace of God, I was able to bring them out with the help of security officers. Over the past five days we have been staying with a relative," he said. The signs of fierce combat are evident on a number of pockmarked buildings in the area. Police found a check for SR20 million in a briefcase, SR200,000 in cash, forged number plates and a computer system used for forgery from houses in the area, Al-Madinah newspaper reported. Wonder who wrote the check? Meanwhile, a military transport plane removed the bodies of terrorists killed in the fighting to Riyadh for forensic examination. These included the bodies of Saud Al-Otaibi and Abdul Kareem Al-Majati, both of whom were on the list of the Kingdom's most wanted terrorists. It was unconfirmed whether Saleh Al-Oufi, the top leader of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, was among those killed in the Al-Rass battle. "Only after DNA analysis can we identify the bodies," said a security source. Three of the bodies were disfigured beyond recognition.

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Arabia

Terror Groups Dealt a Blow, Says Naif

2005-04-08

Still teasing on those names, is he? Life returned to normal to the town of Al-Rass, 300 kilometers north of Riyadh, where security forces fought a pitched battle with terrorists killing 14 and arresting a number of them in a standoff that lasted nearly three days. Power and other services were restored to the neighborhood where the fighting took place and debris removed from the surroundings. Police were looking for unexploded shells they think may have been left over from the fighting but in general the area has been cleared of debris, said Al-Rass Vice Governor Khaled Al-Assaf. Five wounded militants were captured while a sixth surrendered. Fourteen security personnel were wounded Interior Minister Prince Naif said the terrorist group has been dealt a blow but cautioned that more attacks may be carried out by the deviant group. Over the past four days 16 militants have been killed, including three on the Ministry of Interior's list of 26 most wanted terrorists. One of those killed was the Moroccan Abdul Kareem Al-Majati who was suspected of masterminding Al-Qaeda bombings in Casablanca two years ago. Only three militants on the list of 26 remain at large. Prince Naif said he cannot say the battle against militants was over. "I cannot say operations have ended, although members of the deviant group have been weakened. They may still surprise us anywhere in the Kingdom. We will continue to fight them," he said in statements after visiting the site of the fighting in Al-Rass in Qasim region.

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Arabia

Most Wanted Terrorists Killed

2005-04-06

As many as 14 suspected terrorists, including most wanted Al-Qaeda leaders, have been killed and five others have been wounded in three days of fierce clashes, which ended here yesterday, the Interior Ministry said. Crown Prince Abdullah commended the bravery displayed by the security forces in their fight against terror. "Our security men will remain a thorn in the throat of every aggressor who tries to undermine the country's security and stability," he said in a message to Interior Minister Prince Naif. "Until the time of preparing this statement, 14 terrorists have been killed and five others have been wounded and arrested," a ministry official said, adding that one gunman had surrendered to police. The official said the security forces had successfully completed their mission in Al-Rass, 320 km northwest of Riyadh, where the clashes started on Sunday. Only 14 security men were wounded and hospitalized, the official said. Most of them, except two, sustained minor injuries, he said, adding that the injuries sustained by the two were not life threatening. Earlier, Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Mansour Al-Turki said security forces were still combing the area after the end of the battle to evacuate casualties and collect evidence. It was the longest and toughest battle with the terrorists who used rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and machine guns against security forces. It was unclear whether Saleh Al-Oufi, commander of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was among the killed in the Al-Rass battle. However, some sources said Saud Al-Otaibi, a Saudi, and Abdul Kareem Al-Majati, a Moroccan, both on the most wanted list, were among the dead. One militant belonging to the Onaiza cell surrendered to authorities, the sources said. The faces of three dead terrorists were disfigured beyond recognition and their true identity can be established only after DNA tests, a source said. Security forces were cleansing the scene at the time of going to press and the sound of helicopters disturbed the tranquility of Al-Rass city that was awake for three nights. "Thank God the siege is over. It is a great moment to see these terrorists vanishing from our sights," said Abdullah Al-Ruwais, a resident of Al-Rass.

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Arabia

Is Al-Rass the Last Stand for Al-Qaeda?

2005-04-06

Saad B. Al-Matrafi, saad@arabnews.com If it is confirmed that two leading figures — Saud Al-Otaibi (Saudi) and Abdul Kareem Al-Majati (Moroccan) — from among the 26 announced wanted terrorists in the Kingdom were killed in Al-Rass, then that may mean a huge change in the status of the terrorist organization in the Gulf and might put an end to what was once an organized group. Oh, I doubt it. In an organization where human life means nothing, they can always come up with another mastermind. They may even luck out and get somebody competent... In fact, Al-Otaibi has been known as one of the ideologues of the so-called Al-Qaeda organization in the Arabian Peninsula. He has been running the media battle on the Internet and writing articles encouraging his followers to fight and attack the government and foreigners in the Kingdom. Al-Otaibi has also been leading the organization as No. 2 man along with Al-Oufi — the latest leader of Al-Qaeda in the Kingdom. Due to the fact that he is one of the oldest in the organization — he is 33 — Al-Otaibi was recognized as a major leader after the death of Issa Oushin in Riyadh on July 20 last year and the capture in Abha on Aug. 5 of Faris Al-Zahrani. As the No. 1 spokesman of Al-Qaeda in the Kingdom through the organization's two electronic magazines, Nashrat Al-Battar and Sawt Al-Jihad, and because he belonged to one of the largest and best known families in the Kingdom, it was expected that Al-Otaibi would be a leading figure in the organization. In the past two years, Al-Qaeda had three ideologues, Faris Al-Zahrani, Issa Al-Oushin and Abdullah Al-Rashood, who played the role of the organization's official scholars. Al-Rashood is known as an aggressive spokesman who has several times verbally attacked Saudi religious scholars in their presence and blasted them for what he called silence regarding the truth. Al-Rashood is believed to be still at large.

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