SANAA – Yemeni Shia rebels opened fire yesterday on government troops sent to quell fighting between the rebels and pro-government tribes, a government official said, threatening a truce in the country’s civil war.
Tensions between the rebels and tribes in the country’s north have been rising in the Harf Sufyan area for months, and exploded after rebels attacked a tribal leader’s home on Friday, killing three of his followers.
The Sanaa government, with agreement of the rebels, sent troops to the area yesterday to restore calm. Rebels said gunfire erupted when the contingent of several hundred soldiers turned out to be much larger than the several dozen expected. – (Reuters)