Al Mukalla: Suspects believed to be involved in a string of attacks in Aden have admitted to links with Al Houthi militants and ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s interior minister said on Saturday.
The men were recently arrested in Aden and questioned by authorities.
“They admitted to receiving support from Al Houthis in the capital,” Major General Hussain Arab said.
“We have also seized firearms and explosives belonging to them,” Arab told Gulf News in a telephone interview from his base in Aden.
“We will put them on trial when judicial authorities resume their work and show the public who exactly is supporting them,” he added.
Since Aden was liberated from Al Houthi control, the country’s temporary capital has been plagued with daily drive-by shootings and suicide attacks. Dozens of security personnel have been killed as a result.
Arab said he was confident that a security plan announced last week by Yemeni Prime Minister Khalid Bahah would be a comprehensive solution and bring stability once again to the city.
He said he ordered the merger of 4,000 resistance fighters into security forces in Aden.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government has been under the international limelight after a string of attacks recently claimed by Daesh terrorists.
An attack on Thursday struck near the presidential palace. Aden’s governor was assassinated in December and its new governor has escaped an attempt on his life.
Al Qaida and Daesh have exploited the security vacuum to take control of some cities like Zinjabar and Jaar in Abyan and the city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout province.
“People do not understand that the security forces which operated under Saleh’s rule for 25 years have been completely destroyed,” Arab said.
“Saleh has used his influence to sabotage the force by asking security personnel to stay away from work.”
Regarding other provinces, the minister said that the government is collecting local fighters and rebuilding some damaged security buildings. “We have forces being trained at Al Anad base, in Aden and elsewhere,”
Supported by forces loyal to Saleh, Al Houthis pushed into the restive south in March and were close from capturing Aden when Saudi Arabia put together an Arab military coalition and managed to blunt their advance.
