The tribesmen, who have taken control of the building, briefly held some employees hostage before freeing them a few hours later, the official said, but they were still occupying the building.
Tribesmen have fought alongside government troops in a U.S.-backed offensive against al Qaeda-linked militants that drove insurgents out of several towns in the south of the country last month. Many tribal fighters also sided with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who was toppled by a popular uprising.
(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; writing by Rania El Gamal)
SANAA | Sun Jul 29, 2012 9:25am EDT
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Police Officer: Yemeni Police Forces storm Interior Ministry headquarter
A group of Police soldiers stormed the Ministry of Interior's headquarter in the capital Sana’a, including the Minister's office, a senior officer at the ministry told the Yemen Observer at 2:24 pm.
The officer, who requested anonymity for the sensitivity of the subject, said that some 300 soldiers of the police department called al-Najdah (Police) stormed the Ministry demanding due payments be paid as well as the removal of the head of the Police Department who was recently appointed by President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi.
“An hour ago, groups of the Police Department at the Ministry of Interior stormed the ministry, closing all offices. They also closed the minister’s office demanding due payments and removal of the head of the Police Department, Hussain al-Rathi,” said the officer.
The officer said that the Police Department personnel, along with other security soldiers, had due payments for about seven years now, which was expected to be paid in July.
The officer said that the riot forces are expected to go to the ministry to break it up. “But it is unlikely that the riot police will use force against them as they are also having the same problems,” the officer said.
from Yemen Observer
Written By: Shuaib M. al-Mosawa
Article Date: Jul 29, 2012 - 2:54:14 PM
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