Republican Guard Officers Give up on Saleh and Join Legitimate Forces
The Yemen Army announced that a senior military official from the former Republican Guard’s reserve, accompanied by a number of officers of different ranks, left anonymous, arrived at Ma’rib Governorate. Coincidently, informed sources revealed that Brig. Gen. Ali bin Ali al-Jaefi, chief commander of the Republican Guard, has broken away from the column supporting the ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh as pro-legitimacy forces approached Sana’a.
On the Yemeni battlefield, on Feb.10, the Yemen Army advanced alongside the Popular Resistance securing its control over zones that are infested with Houthi militia and pro-Saleh fighters. The last two mountainous heights in the Furdat Naham area have been put under the control of the Yemen Army, a score of militia members were killed and held captive, Popular Resistance sources in Sana’a said.
Zones subject to cleansing from militia overlook several areas in Sana’a and its frontiers, according to data received from the Popular Resistance.
Sources familiar with the matter stated that Houthi militia operating the Passport Office in Sana’a issued tens of fake passports for figureheads to help them exit the country via escape vessels floating on the ports of coast Tihamah.
In a response to losing further grounds to the Yemen Army and the Popular Resistance in the Naham district, considered the largest in Sana’a, Houthi militia conducted avenging attacks against Popular Resistance leaderships and legitimacy supports in areas still under their control while they were on their way out.
Houthis have detonated explosives in several domiciles belonging to Popular Resistance leaderships after robbing their belongings. The bombing coincided with pro-legitimacy forces’ approaching Sana’a. Sheikh Sadiq Hajla’s house in Masurah was among the residences blasted, sources from the higher council of the Popular Resistance reported.
Youth at the Furdat Naham camp of the Popular Resistance, amid all field developments, will be celebrating on Feb.11 the five-year mark on the resistance breaking out in 2011 and overthrowing Saleh, after he had ruled for 33 years.
Yemen Army Special Operations moved towards east Sana’a. On Feb.10, local sources reported an operation, noted of significant caliber, being carried out in the dividing zone between Arhab and Naham, located in the Sana’a district.
Sources claimed that the battalion was able to destroy a missile Launch pad. Also, Special Operation Forces exchanged fire with the Houthi militia in a clash that resulted in the death of a score of militants.
Across Sana’a district streets and neighborhoods, Popular Resistance flyers are being spread by anonymous groups. Eyewitnesses say that citizens, in quite a few city neighborhoods, testified to waking up with Popular Resistance slogans flashed across walls, houses, and some institutions.
Observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that the appearance of Popular Resistance’s posters and badges in the capital city signifies dynamic activity of pro-legitimacy forces, which also assures that Sana’a will be witnessing in the upcoming few days heated Houthi attempts to counteract the Resistance’s activity and intensify militia dominance. House raids and arrests inflicted on Popular Resistance supports and suspects are also expected.