Sana’a: Yemen’s new President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi renewed on Saturday his commitment to crush Al Qaida militants who control southern Yemen cities.
Addressing senior security officials and students of the Military Academy, Hadi said that the real battle with Al Qaida has not started yet.
“I would like to tell those terrorists who distorted the glorious image of Islam that the real battle has’t begun yet and will only end when we clear all districts, villages [from Al Qaida ], displaced people return home and when the members of the terrorist organisation lay down their arms and renounce violence.”
Hadi also lashed out at political parties and official media, accusing them of not abandoning the past. Hadi vowed that he wouldn’t allow the army to remain divided and there will be only “one commander for police, one commander for the military and only one commander-in-chief for both”
“We all know that the talk about the stability and security of any nation will be meaningless without a unified, strong and qualified army. Using my authority, which is backed by popular legitimacy, I would like to emphasise that I will not allow the continuity of army division.”
Hadi concluded his speech by saying that his top priority is “bringing back the state’s dignity”.
The UN special envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Omar left Yemen on Saturday after convincing army generals to end their rebellion. The government news agency Saba quoted Bin Omar as saying that his latest visit was very successful.
“There is a great progress in the political process, thanks to the Yemenis’ help. There are also many political and economical challenges and Yemen needs aid from friends of Yemen.”
Yemen PM Mohammad Salem Basindwa denied that his government has given US drones to carry out strikes on Al Qaida militants. He told the Saudi Okaz daily that Yemen is able to confront Al Qaida alone provided that the country’s split army was reconstructed.
“Let me tell you clearly that we neither asked [the US] to carry out any strikes against Al Qaida or asked for America’s intervention in the war on Al Qaida. We have the ability to fight Al Qaida alone without any help from America’s strikes.”
