Tension Continue in Radfan, Jets Break Sound Barrier

Observed by: Mr. Alaa Isam

Military jets flew over the districts of Radfan in the southern province of Lahej, on Sunday, after nearly a month of military reinforcements took control over the district of al-Melah, attempting to break in the Habilayn city, the major city of Radfan and the major stronghold of the Southern Movement.

After circling of military jets broke the sound barrier, the city's residents launched an angry march procession in which they burned tires and chanted the usual slogans of the Southern Movement that demand an independent state and raised the flags of the previous state of South Yemen.

Media sources in the city stated that the landline and mobile services have been suspended from large areas of the city, considering it as a prelude to intended military actions by the Yemeni army to extend its control over the city after the continuous failed attempts since last month, which hindered by armed tribesmen become known as the "people's resistance".

Al-Melah district in Radfan area witnessed, on Saturday, a night full of violent clashes between militants and soldiers of the Yemeni army at military checkpoints on the main road links the cities of Aden and al-Habilyn, after killing four soldiers including an officer in a raid on trenches and barricades of the army in the region, left at least two wounded from the militants and an unknown number of injuries among the soldiers.

The city of al-Habilyn witnessed sporadic shelling during the past two days as well, the bombing damaged houses and killed herds of cattle in the rangelands of Ruwaid area west of the city, and in which the Yemeni army seeks to enter al-Habilyn through it.

The sporadic shelling resulted in the injury of a person in his groin named "Mukhtar Ali", and another person named "Saif Tanbh," in addition to damaging ten houses during the past three days, six of them in the city of al-Habilyn and four in Ruwaid, and caused the death of livestock.

Travelers said that military forces of the Yemeni army cut off the road between Aden and al-Habilyn in al-Anad district preventing the passengers to come and go out of al-Habilyn. However the siege has been eased lately by allowing access to Aden with stopping vehicles from entering al-Habilyn.

Security forces in a newly-developed checkpoint justified the blockade by saying that the purpose is to protect civilians from going to a "dangerous area" as described, while local sources in Radfan said that the purpose is to facilitate the entry of new military reinforcements to the area and clear the way to them.

The fuel crisis continued in the four districts of Radfan, whereas it was sold on black markets at high prices.

Source http://bit.ly/g6LFvW