Yemen battles al Qaeda as president clings to power
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 27, 2011 -- Updated 1545 GMT (2345 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: Opposition figure: Saleh is 'like a snake'
* 3 AQAP fighters, 7 Yemeni soldiers killed in fighting, officials said
* Yemeni president: "People are afraid of the Islamists"
* Protesters seek ouster of Saleh, who has ruled since 1978
(CNN) -- Fighting between Yemeni security forces and members of al Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula has left people on both sides dead over the past two days,
Yemeni security forces said.
The reports came as President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been fighting to hold onto
power, arguing that he is best equipped to lead the fight against Islamists.
Three "al Qaeda terrorists were killed" and six others were arrested in
Lawdardistrict, Yemen's official news agency Saba reported Saturday.
On Sunday, seven Yemeni soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded when
members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula attacked them in Mareb, two
security officials said. The attack took place at a military checkpoint a mile
north of the government complex in Mareb province.
The attackers also used grenades and machine guns, and took two military
vehicles from the checkpoint, the security forces said.
After the fighting Saturday, the Yemeni government said it was a sign that
strong measures are needed to combat instability within the country. Saba
reported that Governor Saleh al-Zawari of Abyan province affirmed "the
importance to enhance security performance to strictly confront any attempts to
disturb security and stability in the governorate."
Yemeni leader talks to demonstrators
RELATED TOPICS
* Yemen
* Al Qaeda
* Protests and Demonstrations
Yemen has been facing protests from people citing government corruption, a lack
of political freedom and high unemployment.
Calls for Saleh's ouster have increased in recent weeks following revolutions
in Egypt and Tunisia. Saleh has ruled since 1978.
Saleh told an Arab television network Saturday that he is "ready to step down
with respect and dignity, even within a two hours' notice."
Speaking to Al Arabiya, he also warned that some leadership factions in the
opposition have a "foreign agenda."
"The people are afraid of the Islamists," he said, cautioning against the
influence of groups like al Qaeda. "The Arab world, including the Yemeni
people, are terrified of the possibility that the Islamists will take control."
He described himself as a "constitutional president" and the country as "a
ticking bomb."
"Everyone needs to look at Somalia and learn," he added, describing his
country's tribal roots and the need for compromise.
Opposition leaders rejected the president's latest comments. "Saleh has not
learned a lesson from the millions who are demanding he step down," said Yaseen
Noman, president of the JMP, the country's largest opposition bloc. "All the
different initiatives and negotiations that take place are only there for Saleh
to buy himself more time," he said.
"Saleh's lies show the world that he must leave power -- and people understand
this," Noman added. "Our demands are simple: He must leave office. This is not
open for negotiation."
Hamid Al-Ahmar of the opposition Islah Party said Sunday, "I frequently tell
the youth and JMP that any negotiations with Saleh is a waste of time. He is
like a snake, he never stays in the same spot."
Al-Ahmar said Saleh, during discussions between the government and opposition
parties, temporarily agreed to transfer his powers to the vice president but
then changed his mind. "This is usual from Saleh, and his words and promises
have no value to us," Al-Ahmar said.
An official report on the meeting, in a Saba article, said nothing about an
offer of transferring power to the vice president.
"The president rejected the demands of the JMP for the departure of the regime
and the handover of the power to the opposition," the article read. It then
quoted Saley as saying, "We do not have a problem to meet their demands for the
departure of the regime ... but for whom? and how?"
Saleh's TV interview Saturday came one day after after he spoke to thousands at
a pro-government demonstration in an effort to underscore his intentions to
foster dialogue with anti-government protesters and make concessions to avoid
bloodshed.
The embattled president said he would welcome either European mediators or
those from the Gulf Cooperation Council to be impartial observers in the talks.
The country has been wracked by a Shiite Muslim uprising, a U.S.-aided
crackdown on al Qaeda operatives and a looming shortage of water.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked last week about how the United
States sees cooperation with Yemen if Saleh were to step down.
"We have had a good working relationship with President Saleh," Gates told
reporters during a trip to Cairo. "He's been an important ally in the
counterterrorism arena. But clearly, there's a lot of unhappiness inside Yemen.
And I think we will basically just continue to watch the situation. We haven't
done any post-Saleh planning, if you will."
Saleh has said he accepts opposition demands for constitutional reforms and
holding parliamentary elections by the end of the year.
He said in a written statement that he was "committed to undertaking all
possible initiatives to reach a settlement" with the JMP bloc and "prevent any
future bloodshed of the Yemeni people."
Saleh has also promised not to run for president in the next round of elections.
The president's standing weakened after some government officials and military
officers declared their support for the opposition in the wake of a crackdown
on protesters that left 52 people dead.
During Saturday's interview, Saleh said clashes had resulted in 41 deaths.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for full political dialogue
in Yemen involving all players to find a peaceful solution.
Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years, has been a staunch U.S. ally in the
fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Last week, Yemen's parliament approved a 30-day extension of emergency powers
Saleh declared in response to protests.
The emergency law expands the government's powers of arrest, detention and
censorship.
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