Battles between rebels and government troops have flared up again this week in the Sadah governorate, Nasser Arrabyee reports A new rebellion has erupted once again in Yemen. Dozens of people from both sides were killed and others injured as the battles between rebels and government troops continued in the Sadah governorate, 250km north of the capital Sanaa. Government troops say they have seized the key rebel stronghold of the three main areas where rebels are fortified: Al-Shafaa, Al-Ruzamat and Al-Nushur north of the country near borders with Saudi Arabia. At least 36 rebels and 20 soldiers were killed on Saturday and Sunday as battles got fiercer. Officials say efforts are being exerted by security forces, local authorities, social figures, and tribal sheikhs to contain the situation peacefully. The government has accused Badruddin Al- Houthi, a Shia cleric, of inspiring and leading the rebellion with the objective of creating a royal system instead of the current democratic and republican system. It has also accused opposing socialist and Islamist groups of supporting the insurgence. Last year, the son of Al-Houthi, Hussain Badruddin Al-Houhti, led an armed rebellion which resulted in three months of fighting with the government troops. Hussain Al-Houhti was killed along with 400 Yemenis from both sides. Tens of Al-Houhti's followers were imprisoned. At the time, President Ali Abdullah Saleh declared "safety" to Badruddin Al-Houthi, father of the slain preacher, in order for him to "live as a good citizen". Al-Houthi remained in the Yemeni capital Sana'a for six months, where he lived with a son of his who is a member of Parliament in the ruling party, before returning to his Shia stronghold in Sadah where the new clashes have been taking place for over a week. The government said Al-Houthi had reneged on all his pledges to the state and went to Sadah with the aim of gathering his subversive elements and inciting them to fight the state. The cleric was accused of wanting to overthrow the ruling system because he believes that the "Imamah" or rule must be restricted only to Ahlul- Bait, the Prophet Mohamed's household, to which Al-Houthi lays claim. The Shia hardliner, however, told press before he left Sana'a early last month, that the solution of his issue would depend on whether or not the state fulfils its commitments. Observers say Al-Houthi has called for the release of hundreds of detainees after last year's fighting, as well as compensations for the damages, and the handover of the dead body of his son to the family. Residents in Sadah say the mastermind of the recent confrontations is Abdullah Al-Ruzami who was Al-Houthi's top aide in the first rebellion. In spite of the fact that the authorities declared that Al-Ruzami and his followers had surrendered only 10 days after Al-Houthi was killed last September, Al-Ruzamai stayed at home. He never has been imprisoned.
