Yemen arrests al-Qaeda suspects

Sana’a, March 4 – Yemeni security forces have arrested 11 suspected al-Qaeda members in raids in the capital Sana’a that sparked a gunfight which killed the father of a suspected militant, state media said on Thursday.

Yemen became a western security concern after the Yemen-based regional arm of al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for a failed attempt to bomb a US-bound plane in December.

As security forces raided a number of houses in the capital on Wednesday, the father of one of the suspects opened fire, injuring one soldier, state media said.

He then died in a shoot-out that followed, the defence ministry’s online newspaper reported.

The 11 suspects would be investigated and brought to trial, the newspaper said.

Western governments and neighbouring Saudi Arabia fear al-Qaeda is exploiting instability on multiple fronts in Yemen to recruit and train militants to launch attacks in the region and beyond.

Analysts say the government is using the battle against al-Qaeda to turn on its other opponents in the country.

In addition to fighting al-Qaeda, impoverished Yemen is also trying to bring an end to a northern Shia insurgency and faces simmering separatist tension in the south.

The past few weeks have seen an increase in violence in the south, where secessionists protesting against the rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s president, have clashed with police, resulting in deaths on both sides.

Last month, the government declared a truce in a long-running conflict with northern Shia rebels, but analysts say it is only a matter of time before fighting starts again as the rebels’ grievances have not been addressed.