Yemen president Saleh: wounded or dead? Updated
LA Times is now reporting that Saleh will soon address the nation amid conflicting reports regarding his status.
This article from opendemocracy.net:
Yemen on the verge of collapse
The security situation in Yemen is unusually complex. In addition to the fighting between government forces and tribal groups under the banner of the powerful Hashed confederation, there are several other battles being fought across the country. The most important to Western security logic is that between the government and Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula; political chaos in Yemen will allow what is already considered to be the most active Al-Qaida affiliate outside of South Asia to gain further ground in building its support base among the tribes.
AFP report that Saleh was wounded in a rocket strike on the presidential palace
Some reports claim he might have been killed. Developing.
From ahram online:
Yemen sliding towards all out civil war
On Thursday, tribesman attacked security forces in the city of Taez, south of the capital, apparently to avenge deaths of protesters there last week or to protect them from new crackdowns. Saleh’s security forces have cracked down hard on the street protesters, killing well over 100 since February, but until now tribal fighters had stayed out of the fray.
Thursday’s attack suggests other tribes may see the fighting between Saleh and al-Ahmar as a sign it is time to get out their guns, as well.
Deeply worrisome to the United States in particular is the possibility Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen — one of the terror network’s most active franchises in the world — will exploit the chaos.
The NYT is reporting that Saleh was lightly injured in the attack on the palace