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Thursday, March 26, 2015
Excerpts:World powers react to Yemen attacks. Saudi-led anti-Houthis airstrikes in Yemen. Jordan joins Saudi-led Yemen airstrikes. Australia active counterterrorism March 26, 2015

Excerpts:World powers react to Yemen attacks. Saudi-led anti-Houthis
airstrikes in Yemen. Jordan joins Saudi-led Yemen airstrikes. Australia
active counterterrorism March 26, 2015


+++SOURCE: Al Arabiya News: World powers react to “Decisive Storm’in Yemen”,
by Staff Writer
SUBJECT:World powers react to Yemen attacks
QUOTE”Western and Arab powers expressed their backing of the Saudi-led
“Operation Decisive Storm” waged to halt the Houthi advance in Yemen”;”The
campaign was met with mixed reactions,however, from Iran,Russia and China”

QUOTES:”Western and Arab powers expressed on Thursday [26 Mar.]their backing
of the Saudi-led “Operation Decisive Storm” waged to halt the Houthi advance
in Yemen. The campaign was met with mixed reactions, however, from Iran,
Russia and China.

United States
The United States is coordinating closely with Saudi Arabia and regional
allies in the military action against Houthi rebels in Yemen, including
providing intelligence and logistical support, the White House said
Wednesday.

“President Obama has authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence
support to GCC-led military operations,” National Security Council
spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement, referring to the Gulf
Cooperation Council.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday held a conference call with Gulf
ministers to discuss the Yemen crisis amid Saudi air strikes on Houthi
rebels, a senior U.S. official said.

The top U.S. diplomat "commended the work of the coalition taking military
action against the Houthis" and noted Washington's support "including
intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, and advisory and logistical
support for strikes against Houthi targets," the State Department official
said.

"The ministers all expressed their support for political negotiations as the
best way to resolve the crisis, but also noted that it is the Huthis who
have instead waged a military campaign," the U.S. official said.


Britain

The UK said the recent Houthi actions and expansion in Yemen are “a further
signal of their disregard for the political process.”

It also said the “ultimate solution” for Yemen was political in nature.

France
Meanwhile, France said on Thursday that it stands with its partners until
Yemen regains stability.

It also described “OperatDecisive Storm” as being a response to the
“legitimate” Yemen authorities’ request.

GCC
In a joint statement Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait said they
“decided to repel Houthi militias, al-Qaeda and ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria] in the country.”

The Gulf states warned that the Houthi coup in Yemen represented a “major
threat” to the region’s stability.

The Gulf states also accused the Iranian-backed militia of conducting
military drills on the border of Saudi Arabia with “heavy weapons.”

In an apparent reference to Iran, the Gulf statement said the “Houthi
militia is backed by regional powers in order for it to be their base of
influence.”

The Gulf states said they had monitored the situation and the Houthi coup in
Yemen with “great pain” and accused the Shiite militia of failing to respond
to warnings from the United Nations Security Council as well as the GCC.

The statement stressed that the Arab states had sought over the previous
period to restore stability in Yemen, noting the last initiative to host
peace talks under the auspices of the GCC.

United Arab Emirates
The UAE considers intervention in Yemen a necessity considering the military
threat posed on the GCC states with Al Houthi group's takeover of large
parts of the country, Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs has said.

“Strategic change in the region is occurring in the interests of Iran, which
is being fulfilled by Al-Houthis, and it cannot be ignored. The encroachment
of Al-Houthis has exhausted all political options,” he wrote on Twitter.

Egypt
Egypt is providing political and military support for an operation launched
by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies against Houthi fighters in Yemen,
the state news agency said on Thursday.

It quoted the foreign ministry as saying coordination was under way with
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries to prepare for Egyptian air,
naval and ground support if necessary.

Egypt is participating in the campaign with its naval and air forces, an
Egyptian military source said.


Jordan
Jordan said it is participating in the operation to support the legitimate
government of Yemen, an official source confirmed Thursday.

“The Kingdom's participation comes in line with supporting legitimacy in
Yemen and its security and stability. It is also an embodiment of the
historical relations between the Kingdom and the Gulf states, particularly
Saudi Arabia, the security and stability of which is a high Jordanian
strategic interest,” the source’s statement said.

The source also stressed that Jordan supports legitimacy in Yemen and the
political process which brings all parties together.

Morocco
Morocco announced on Thursday its support and “complete solidarity” with
Saudi Arabia after the Gulf kingdom began its operation “Decisive Storm”
against the Houthis in Yemen, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

“Morocco announces its complete and absolute solidarity with Saudi Arabia
and its backing to Yemen’s legitimacy,” its foreign ministry said, adding
that Riyadh has the right to “defend” itself against imminent threats.

Sudan
Sudan closed the offices of all Iranian missions and groups in the country
on Thursday as Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia, launched a military
operation against Tehran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen, Al Arabiya News
Channel reported.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir also ended all ties with former Yemeni
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is fighting alongside Houthi rebels to
reclaim power in Yemen, the news channel reported.


Turkey
Turkey has announced its support for the Saudi-led military operation in
Yemen calling on the Houthis and their “foreign supporters to abandon acts
which threaten peace and security in region," a foreign ministry statement
said.

Iran

The Iranian Foreign Ministry demanded on Thursday[26 Mar.] an immediate halt
to the Saudi-led military operation describing it as “military aggression,”
semi-Official Fars news agency reported.

“The Saudi-led air strikes should stop immediately and it is against Yemen’s
sovereignty,” the Students News Agency quoted Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying, according to AFP.

“We will make all efforts to control crisis in Yemen,” Zarif said, according
to the agency’s report from the Swiss city of Lausanne where he is
negotiating with world powers on curbing Iran’s nuclear program.

“Iran wants an immediate halt to all military aggressions and air strikes
against Yemen and its people ... Military actions in Yemen, which faces a
domestic crisis, ... will further complicate the situation ... and will
hinder efforts to resolve the crisis through peaceful ways,” Fars quoted
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham as saying, according to Reuters.

Syria
Meanwhile, the Syrian state news agency SANA said: “Gulf war planes led by
the regime of the Saudi family launch a blatant aggression on Yemen.”

The Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad is an ally of Iran,
which is in turn allied with the Yemeni Houthi rebels who are fighting to
oust the country’s president.

Russia
Moscow expressed its “concern” over the situation in Yemen in addition to
the country’s sovereignty and unity, “which it has always supported.”

Moscow called for all parties to desist from using armed power to reach
ends.

“We believe that a settlement of the crisis cannot be reached without broad
national dialogue. Russia continues to closely communicate with all sides in
the Yemeni crisis through all channels, including the United Nations, to
find peaceful solutions to end armed conflict in Yemen,” a statement from
Moscow said.

China
China's foreign ministry said on Thursday[26 Mar.] it was deeply concerned
about the worsening situation in Yemen.

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that China urges all parties to act
in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions on Yemen, and
to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

Hua told a news conference that China hopes all parties involved will
"quickly resolve the dispute through political dialogue, solve the current
crisis and restore domestic stability and normality to Yemen at an early
date."




+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 26 March ’15:”Storm operation launched against
Houthis”,Saudi Gazette Report

SUBJECTSaudi-led anti-Houthis airstrikes

QUOTE:Saudi Arab and a number of itsGCC and Arab allies have launched
airstrikes against the Houthis strongholds in Yemen”

RIYADH - Saudi Arab and a number of its GCC and Arab allies have launched
air strikes against the Houthis strongholds in Yemen.

Saudi warplanes took off mid night Wednesday[25 Mar.] and raided the Houthis
military installations. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) the
operation, named Al-Hazem (firm) Storm, has resulted in the destruction of
the Houthis air defenses, Al-Dilaimi military base, their SAM missile
batteries and four warplanes.

It said there were no losses in the Saudi Air Force. The agency said
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has ordered the operation in
response to calls by legitimate Yemeni President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi to
save his country from the aggression of the Iranian-backed Houthis.

Defense Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Salman arrived Wednesday[25 Mar.] at
the center of the Air Force Operations Command to command the
operation.Deputy Crown Prince and Interior Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Naif
joined him there.



+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 26 March ’15:”Jordan participates in Saudi-led
airstrikes in Yemen –official”
SUBJECT:Jordan joins Saudi-led Yemen airstrikes

AMMAN –– Jordan is participating in the Saudi-led operations with other Arab
countries against Houthi fighters in Yemen, an official source said
Thursday.[26 Mar.]The source, quoted by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said
the participation is aimed at supporting legitimacy in Yemen and its
security and stability, reiterating that the security of Saudi Arabia and
Gulf countries is a strategic interest of Jordan.

Jordan supports legitimacy and the political process in Yemen, said the
source, who declined to comment on whether the Kingdom would take part in a
possible ground war.

According to Al Arabiya news channel, six Jordanian fighter jets
participated in the airstrikes against Houthis.

Saudi Arabia acted after the Houthis, backed by Yemeni army troops loyal to
former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, advanced on Aden, threatening the
southern city where President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi is based.

Other regional players were involved in the Saudi operation include the
United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, according to Al
Arabiya, which said Egypt also announced political and military support.

Al Arabiya reported that Saudi Arabia had deployed 100 fighter jets, 150,000
soldiers and other navy units.

Meanwhile, the White House said in a statement that the US was coordinating
military and intelligence support with the Saudis but not taking part
directly in the strikes, according to The Associated Press.



+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 26 March ’15:”230 suspected jihadis prevented from
leaving Australia” , Associated Press

SUBJECT Australia active counter terrorism

QUOTE:”Australia counterterrorism squads have prevented 230 suspected
jihadis from departing Australian Airports for the Middle East this month”

CANBERRA, Australia — Counterterrorism squads have prevented 230 suspected
jihadis from departing Australian airports for the Middle East this month,
including at least three teenage boys, officials said Wednesday[25 Mar.].

Officials had previously announced that two Sydney-born brothers, aged 16
and 17, were intercepted at Sydney International Airport on March 8
attempting to board a flight for Turkey without their parents' knowledge.
The siblings were returned to their families and were to be charged.

Within a week, a 17-year-old boy was intercepted at the same airport on
suspicion that he was headed for a Middle Eastern battle, Border Protection
Minister Peter Dutton said Wednesday[25 Mar.]The boy was also returned to
his family, but remains under investigation, Dutton said.

Since counterterrorism units were attached to eight Australian airports in
August, 86,000 travelers have been questioned and 230 people prevented from
flying on suspicion that they were headed for the battlefields of Iraq and
Syria to fight with groups including Daesh terror group, Prime Minister Tony
Abbott told parliament.

Experts disagree about why Daesh had been so effective recruiting in
Australia, which is widely regarded as a multicultural success story, with
an economy in an enviable 24th straight year of continuous growth.

The London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and
Political Violence reports that between 100 and 250 Australians have joined
Sunni militants in Iraq and Syria. The centre estimates that about 100
fighters came from the United States, which has more than 13 times as many
people as Australia.Abbott said his government was investing more on border
security and on countering extremism.

"It is absolutely critical that the people of Australia appreciate that the
death cult is reaching out to vulnerable and impressionable young people,"
he said, referring to the Daesh group. "The death cult is reaching out,
seeking effectively to brainwash people online."

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported this week that Daesh posted
on a social media website on March 14 — two days after the latest
17-year-old was intercepted — a step-by-step guide to help would-be jihadis
leave Australia and fight with the terror groupThe guide included advice on
how to use a Daesh support network and slip through security cracks, the
newspaper said.

The same support network was used by Australian Muslim convert Jake Bilardi,
18, who flew from his hometown of Melbourne in August last year to join
Daesh fighters without alerting security agencies.Bilardi was reportedly
killed in a suicide bomb blast in Iraq this month.
==========
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA

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