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| map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com) |
At least nine people were confirmed dead and dozens of others wounded when tribal gunmen fired at a crowd walking through a Sunni-dominated al-Khalk district in al-Jouf province late Saturday, after they attended the annual celebration of Eid al- Ghadir in neighboring province of Saada, the official said on condition of anonymity.
Another one was killed and several others injured when rocket- propelled grenades hit a convoy of the Shiite celebrators on Saturday night near al-Ghail area in al-Jouf, the official said.
The celebration, which Shiites believe that Prophet Mohammad nominated his cousin Ali to be his successor, was organized by Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the leader of the Shiite-Houthi group based in Saada.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.
In 2010, the Sunni al-Qaida militants claimed responsibility for twin suicide car bombings on the Shiite followers in al-Jouf and Saada, which left more than 90 people dead, including the group's spiritual leader Bader al-Deen al-Houthi.
Last week, the Yemeni Defense Ministry said a drone strike killed at least three al-Qaida operatives, including two Saudi fugitives, in a desert valley in Saada.
Saada, bordering top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, is also a stronghold of Shiite rebels known as Houthis, who have been controlling most parts of the province since they signed a cease- fire deal with the Yemeni government in August 2010 that ended an on-and-off war since 2004.
The Shiite then got involved in sectarian clashes with local armed Sunni tribesmen, which rocked the northern regions and forced thousands of Sunni local residents to flee the conflict to remote areas.
The well-armed Houthis have agreed to join a United Nations- sponsored reconciliation national dialogue planned by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi this month.
Rival Islamic militants exploited security vacuum during Yemen' s political upheaval last year and captured swaths of remote lands.
from XINHUA
Editor: Lu Hui
2012-11-04 15:59:34
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