At least 24 killed in Yemen clashes between army, rebelsMarch 1, 2014 - 11:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 24 people were killed on Friday, Feb 28 as Yemeni troops and allied Islamists engaged in heavy fighting with Shiite rebels in the north, tribal sources said, according to Agence France-Presse. The fighting, in which soldiers aided by fighters from the Islamist Al-Islah party were pitted against Zaidi Shiite rebels, was for control of local government offices in Hizm, capital of Jawf province. "The army and Al-Islah lost eight men, while the Shiite rebels lost twice that number, and there have been dozens of wounded on both sides," one of the sources told AFP. Earlier this month, Yemen's president and main parties agreed to transform the unrest-riven country into a six-region federation as part of a political transition. The rebels are apparently seeking to seize Hizm so as to be able to integrate all of Jawf into the Azal region, one of four to be created in the north, that includes their stronghold of Saada province. But as the arrangement currently stands, Jawf would be included in the Saba region, which also includes Marib and Bayda provinces. A tribal source said the rebels, also known as Huthis, were trying to seize the government offices as part of that effort, and that troops and the Islamists were fiercely defending the complex. Given the resistance, the Huthis were calling for reinforcements, who were beginning to arrive, witnesses said. Both the rebels and southern separatists have rejected the proposed federal structure, which would also create two regions in the south. The rebels, who complain that Yemen would be divided into rich and poor regions, have already been trying to enlarge their zone of influence by pushing out from the mountains to areas closer to Sanaa. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Mirzoyan says meeting with Bayramov was “constructive” At the moment, Ararat Mirzoyan said, there is no basis for additional comments. OSCE vows support for Armenia “in all three directions of security” Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. 151 detained as civil disobedience campaigns continue in Yerevan Citizens have been blocking streets in the Armenian capital, demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation. France welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan meeting in Almaty France has welcomed the new round of negotiations between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. |