Doha talks aim to end conflict with Al Houthis

Sana'a: Qatari-sponsored peace talks are being held in Doha to end a six-year-old war between the Yemen government and Al Houthi rebels in the north of the country.

These peace talks are proceeding simultaneously with another war launched against Al Qaida in the south. More than 18 Al Qaida operatives have been killed in the last three days.

The battles started when Al Qaida operatives killed more than 15 soldiers in an ambush in Lawdar district, Abyan province, south of Yemen on August 13.

The government forces have been surrounding the town of Lawdar where more than 60 Al Qaida operatives are barricading in some houses.

Yesterday, the government said in a statement the campaign would continue to "break the back" of terrorists in the mountainous district of Lawdar, about 350 kilometres south east of Sana'a.

These developments came after three security officials were assassinated by Al Qaida militants in less than a week in the province of Abyan.

Surrender

Earlier this month, four Al Qaida operatives surrendered. Hezam Mujali, and Ali Hassan Al Tais were probably the most important of the men.

Mujali was one of 23 men who escaped from the Sana'a intelligence prison in February 2006. Al Tais joined Al Qaida after he had returned from Guantanamo detention in 2007.

Lawdar is considered an important stronghold, not only for Al Qaida militants, but also for the southern separatists.

The terror groups have been recruiting the poor and unemployed young men of this remote area.

The government says the separatists are cooperating with Al Qaida fighters while the latter say Al Qaida is used as a justification to strike the southern separatist movement.

Meanwhile, politicians in the south have condemned the government strikes in Lawdar.

"The strike on Lawdar is an attempt to gain international support," said Ali Salem Al Baidh, former president of the south, in a statement from his exile in Germany yesterday.

Al Baidh calls for independence of the south.