Three Yemeni soldiers killed in ambush

Three Yemeni soldiers killed in ambush

2012-02-02 22:08:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

SANAA (BNO NEWS) -- At least three Yemeni soldiers were killed on Wednesday in an ambush by unidentified gunmen in the eastern province of Marib, local media reported on Thursday.

The soldiers were tasked to protect pipelines between Marib and Safer, two regions where attacks against electricity facilities and oil pipelines occur frequently. The gunmen ambushed the convoy on its way to the province, a day after suspected insurgents blew up a major oil pipeline, the Yemen Post reported.


The state-run Saba News Agency said on Tuesday that the government ordered the ministries of defense, interior and electricity to fix electricity lines and take tight actions to secure them. According to government sources, electricity lines between Marib Gas Station and the capital Sana'a have been subjected to nearly 70 attacks by criminals recently.




Yemenis live in the dark for more than 20 hours a day, and many are deprived from refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, cleaning, watching TV and satellite channels. The electricity crisis has led to the paralysis of factories, laboratories, workshops and many service sectors, pushing Yemenis to unemployment.


Yemen's electricity supplies have been damaged many times since the eruption of the anti-government protests demanding the ousting of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The gas-powered Marib station, which began operating in 2010, was closed down after attacks by tribesmen.

Government troops have been battling opponents since early 2011 after massive protests calling for greater democracy and freedoms erupted across the country. A national unity government, led by Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, was sworn in late last year in an effort to restore peace and democracy, but violence has continued.

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