By Brandon Turbeville
As Saudi war crimes and crimes against humanity continue apace in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is now apparently attempting to gain public support and better reception from the viewing audience by painting itself as an enemy of al-Qaeda and ISIS, despite the fact that the feudal monarchy’s reputation for supporting these very same terror organizations has been documented time and again. From Syria and Libya to Yemen, Saudi Arabia has proven itself repeatedly as a funder, organizer, and supporter of ISIS and al-Qaeda while, at home, it has demonstrated that its own government and ISIS are more alike than they are different.
Still, Saudi Arabia is attempting to show that it is, in fact, the enemy of al-Qaeda by issuing claims that the Saudi "coalition" in Yemen has recently fought a large-scale battle against the terror organization and that it was able to capture the city of Mukalla after killing around 800 terrorists.
Pro-government forces recaptured an oil terminal as well as the city of Mukalla, which was considered a extremist stronghold, military sources said.
"The operation resulted... in the death of more than 800 al-Qaida members and some of their leaders, while some others fled," Arab coalition commanders said in a statement published by SPA, the official Saudi news agency.
AFP notes, however, that the death toll cannot be independently verified and pointed out that no civilian deaths were reported. This latter detail is most questionable to say the least.
What is interesting is that the alleged operation is part of another alleged operation "aimed at securing parts of the country captured by ... extremist militants who have exploited a 13-month war between Gulf-backed loyalists and revolutionaries...." The operation itself takes place alongside the UN-brokered ceasefire was enacted on April 11 where extremist groups are excluded.
What is even more interesting, however, is the description provided by "military officer" sources quoted by the AFP as to the nature of the battle for Mukalla.
The officer, who requested anonymity, said residents of Mukalla, home to an estimated 200,000 people, had appealed to the extremists to spare the city the destruction of fighting and to withdraw. Yemeni military sources said Emirati military vehicles were used in the operation and that troops from the Gulf country, a key member of the Saudi-led coalition, were among the forces that entered Mukalla.
AFP could not immediately confirm these reports from officials in the United Arab Emirates.
While it was reported that the coalition members had conducted airstrikes against "AQAP positions" in Yemen, it is important to note that coalition forces admittedly met no resistance when entering Mukalla. Putting aside the fact that the Yemeni people would scarcely be able to tell the difference between AQAP and Saudi Arabian control of their country to begin with, at what point did the Saudis kill 800 AQAP members? Was it in the alleged and unconfirmed airstrikes which apparently kill only terrorists but no civilians?
Al-Mukalla is a strategic city in the Abyan Governate, a very important territorial gain since it provides access to the coast.
Source: Activist Post, Edited by Website Team