The arrests hinted at growing dissent within one of the key
units that Saleh has relied on most to retain power in the face of five months of
massive street protests demanding his ouster.
The regular military has already been fractured by the
uprising, with some units breaking away to the opposition.
But at least outwardly, the Republican Guards and other
elite units that are the best trained and equipped in the country have remained
loyal, leading the fight against Saleh’s enemies. Those elite units are led by
Saleh’s close relatives, including his son Ahmed, who commands the Republican
Guards and Special Forces.
Ahmed ordered the arrests at a time when he is trying to
ensure the continuation of his father’s rule, with Saleh out of the country
undergoing treatment in Saudi Arabia after he was wounded in a blast at his
presidential palace in June.
The military officials could not give an exact number of
those who were arrested, but they said they numbered in the dozens and that
most came from the Republican Guards.
Others came from the Central Security Forces, which are led
by Ahmed’s cousin Yahia.
The arrested officers came under a variety of suspicions of
disloyalty. Some allegedly opened secret talks with Maj.
Gen. Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, the most prominent figure in the
regular military to defect to the opposition. Others were suspected of giving
information to Saleh’s opponents or refused to open fire on civilians in
defiance of orders, one of the officials said.
Another military official at the southern province of Shabwa
said more than 10 high ranking officers were detained after speaking publicly
about their “loyalty to the revolution.” The officials spoke on condition of
anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been demonstrating
daily for months, trying to push Saleh out. Along with military figures like
Al-Ahmar, major tribal leaders have also joined the opposition. Still, Saleh
has managed to survive because of the loyalty of his elite units, defying
international pressure to negotiate an exit after 33 years in power.
The United States fears that Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen —
the terror network’s most active — is taking advantage of the chaos to
strengthen its position in the country. In recent weeks, militants — some
believed to have links to Al-Qaeda — have taken over entire towns in southern
Yemen.
Amid ongoing clashes, a member of Abyan leading tribe said
that tribal leaders are mediating a cease-fire between extremists and army
troops. It is not clear yet if any of the two parties will accept a truce.
