Al-Qaida frees 300 inmates from Yemeni jail

[webfact]

Al-Qaida frees 300 inmates from Yemeni jail
AHMED AL-HAJ, Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Security officials say al-Qaida militants in Yemen have stormed the center of the coastal city of al-Mukalla and freed about 300 inmates, including scores of militants, and that Shiite rebels have fought their way into the heart of Aden to the west.

The officials say al-Qaida militants were deployed on Thursday across major roads leading into al-Mukalla in an apparent bid to thwart any attempt to retake the city.

The capture of al-Mukalla comes as a Saudi-led air campaign targeting Iranian-backed Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, enters its second week.

The Houthis and their allies breached the defenses of forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in the coastal city of Aden on Thursday, reaching the city center.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-04-02

[arjunadawn]

Of course this is tactically brilliant- battlefield recovery of personnel. Of great interest to me is less Aden then who secures bab al mandeb straits and/or Perim (which tactically cannot be held by DAESH).

After further consideration I realize that this act was actually fairly predictable and reminds me of the many arabs I have known in the region who were dangerous because they had weapons but not particularly suited as soldiers. The Houthis should have seen this coming. 300 additional fighters, both grateful and free, will earnestly set to work fracturing what is left of Yemen into another typical example of the full fledged shia sunni battle that is in evidence throughout the region.

[zydeco]

It's all fracturing. This is like watching on of the giant Arctic ice flows break up into tiny pieces and disappear. Now with Mullah Kerry doing all he can to help the Iranians, the rest of the Arab world is going to be ready to go berserk.

[arjunadawn]

This is the most current breakdown of the situation in Yemen. It is a very comprehensive AP article.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_YEMEN_PERILS_AHEAD_ANALYSIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-04-01-15-28-28

Edited April 2, 2015 by arjunadawn