Direct US intervention opposed by Yemen
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2010, Thursday
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YEMEN'S foreign minister said yesterday his country opposes any direct intervention by United States or other foreign troops in the fight against al-Qaida.
Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told The Associated Press that "there is a lot of sensitivity about foreign troops coming to Yemeni territory."
The US has ramped up its counterterrorism aid to Yemen in an intensified campaign to uproot al-Qaida's offshoot here, which Washington warns has become a "global" threat. US military personnel have already been on the ground training Yemeni security forces in the fight, and intelligence cooperation has increased.
Al-Qirbi said Yemen's government would welcome more military trainers, "but not in any other capacity."
"There is a lot of debate among them about how far they should get involved in Yemen," al-Qirbi said, referring to the US and its allies. "I'm sure that their experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be very useful to learn from - that direct intervention complicates things."
So far the US has indicated it is not aiming to deploy ground forces in Yemen. President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, said earlier in the week, "We're not talking about that at this point at all."
But al-Qirbi's comments underscored how Washington must tread carefully as it strengthens its partnership with Yemen's fragile government, which has little control over large parts of the country outside the capital and rules over a population where Islamic conservatism and mistrust of the US is widespread.
There have been media reports that US cruise missile or warplanes were involved in strikes carried out last month against several al-Qaida strongholds, which Yemen says killed at least 30 militants. US officials have not confirmed the reports and Yemen says US help in the attacks was limited to the intelligence level.
Earlier this week, al-Qirbi insisted there is no agreement between Yemen and the US allowing the American military to use cruise missiles, drones or warplanes in strikes on Yemeni territory, "and there is no proposal for such an agreement."
Yemen has intensified its campaign against the hundreds of al-Qaida militants that have built up strongholds in lawless regions of the impoverished mountain nation.
Security forces arrested three suspected al-Qaida militants from a cell that the US has said was linked to a plot against the American or other embassies, the Interior Ministry said yesterday.
The three were captured on Tuesday at a hospital where they were being treated after being wounded in clashes with security forces a day earlier.
Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told The Associated Press that "there is a lot of sensitivity about foreign troops coming to Yemeni territory."
The US has ramped up its counterterrorism aid to Yemen in an intensified campaign to uproot al-Qaida's offshoot here, which Washington warns has become a "global" threat. US military personnel have already been on the ground training Yemeni security forces in the fight, and intelligence cooperation has increased.
Al-Qirbi said Yemen's government would welcome more military trainers, "but not in any other capacity."
"There is a lot of debate among them about how far they should get involved in Yemen," al-Qirbi said, referring to the US and its allies. "I'm sure that their experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be very useful to learn from - that direct intervention complicates things."
So far the US has indicated it is not aiming to deploy ground forces in Yemen. President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, said earlier in the week, "We're not talking about that at this point at all."
But al-Qirbi's comments underscored how Washington must tread carefully as it strengthens its partnership with Yemen's fragile government, which has little control over large parts of the country outside the capital and rules over a population where Islamic conservatism and mistrust of the US is widespread.
There have been media reports that US cruise missile or warplanes were involved in strikes carried out last month against several al-Qaida strongholds, which Yemen says killed at least 30 militants. US officials have not confirmed the reports and Yemen says US help in the attacks was limited to the intelligence level.
Earlier this week, al-Qirbi insisted there is no agreement between Yemen and the US allowing the American military to use cruise missiles, drones or warplanes in strikes on Yemeni territory, "and there is no proposal for such an agreement."
Yemen has intensified its campaign against the hundreds of al-Qaida militants that have built up strongholds in lawless regions of the impoverished mountain nation.
Security forces arrested three suspected al-Qaida militants from a cell that the US has said was linked to a plot against the American or other embassies, the Interior Ministry said yesterday.
The three were captured on Tuesday at a hospital where they were being treated after being wounded in clashes with security forces a day earlier.
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