Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Tribal gunmen blew up Yemen’s main oil pipeline in Ma’rib on Wednesday, in the latest of a series of attacks on the country’s key facilities.
This is the fourth time gunmen have attacked oil pipelines in the country this month.
Ma’rib governorate sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that unknown militants bombed a pipeline in the “Kilo 103” area, halting oil transfer from Safir to the port of Ras Isa in Al-Hudaydah governorate.
The same sources said that one of the gunmen—whom the Yemeni government usually describe as saboteurs—suffered serious burns during the attack.
The injured gunman’s tribe has reportedly threatened to stage more attacks on the government unless it gives him medical treatment.
In separate news, senior sources of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) predicted that the southern issue working committee would meet again, following its suspension after elements linked to the Southern Movement—also known as Al-Hirak—boycotted the conference after demands that sessions on the issue of the south be held abroad.
The head of the southern issue working committee Mohammed Ali Ahmed was said to have returned to Aden after a trip to Sana’a, the sources added.
Reportedly, all 85 southern representatives will convene in Sana’a to decide whether to attend or completely withdraw from the conference.
In another development, Yemeni official sources claimed that the special ministerial committee tasked with implementing the 31 points raised in the conference regarding issues in the south and the province of Saada have decided to form a mini committee to put these points into effect.