Saudis seek to separate central Yemen from other parts: Activist

Press TV has conducted an interview with Hussain al-Bukhaiti, an activist and political commentator in Sana’a, to discuss Saudi Arabia’s ongoing military aggression against Yemen.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you make of Saudi Arabia sending more tanks as well as military equipment into Yemen? Do you think Saudi Arabia is now moving beyond the face of just airstrikes?

Bukhaiti: Yes, I think they started with the invasion through Aden with the help of United Arab Emirates troops and tanks and now there are reports that they are gathering troops by the border of al-Jawf and I believe that they want to separate central Yemen which is Sa’ada, Sana’a, Dhamar from the rest of the country. They will try to close the northern Yemen port in Hodeidah and as well they have closed the Sana’a airport and they want all ships and flights to go through Aden and for that they are going to make a similar type to Gaza in the occupied Palestine and they will create it in central Yemen. And as well with the continuing airstrike and blockade, the humanitarian situation and crisis in Yemen is increasing and especially with the hospitals that are out of medicine and fuel and other supplies.

Press TV: Let’s not forget that Yemen has been pounded by Saudi Arabia since late March that is over four months now, relentless bombings have been taking place by the Saudis against Yemeni civilian areas as well as military infrastructure. Will the Yemenis be able to resist?

Bukhaiti: Of course because always if you destroy army of a country then you will have group fighters, guerrilla fighters and it is hard and it is impossible to defeat those groups and we have seen in Palestine as well as in southern Lebanon when Israel and the United States, they failed to defeat Hezbollah and as well here in Yemen we have seen the same Saudi strategy used in Yemen, similar to what the Israelis used against Gaza and against Lebanon by destroying all infrastructure but I am sure the Yemeni people now, because this is an invasion, a foreign invasion on Yemen, this will unite Yemeni more.

And I just want to mention after they have controlled Aden and they seized Lahij, al-Qaeda has destroyed the only church in Aden and they have vandalized a Christian graveyard and as well yesterday they destroyed Imam Ali bin Omar al-Saqqaf mosque in Lahij just hours after the Saudis controlled that city and I think what they want to create in Yemen is similar to what is in Syria.

And just one last thing, we have seen that the United States, when they destroyed Iraq and when they spread terrorism all around Iraq, they have invaded Iraq directly and they have lost thousands of soldiers. That is why in Syria they used a different type by sending terrorists, by helping terrorists but without a direct invasion. They have failed to do this in Yemen through terrorists like they did in Syria. That is why instead of going straight and sending American troops or British troops into Yemen, they have used an Arab country, an oil rich country to do the job that they have failed to do through terrorists in Yemen. 

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