Unity Day: What does it mean to you?
Shabwa in urgent need of security deployments
Large parts of Shabwa’s 40,000 square kilometers lack security and military deployment. Many security military units were withdrawn from remote governorates to Sana’a early 2011.
There are more than four international oil companies operating in Shabwa governorate and they have been targeted in the last two months by Ansar Al-Sharia, an Al-Qaeda affiliated group, who have controlled large parts of the governorate since early June 2011.
“Shabwa’s area is like four other governorates of Yemen [put together], therefore a large number of brigades are needed to maintain security in the governorate,” said Al-Harithi in a telephone interview with the Al-Saeeda Satellite TV Channel on Saturday.
This followed the sabotage of a gas pipeline on Thursday April 26 by Ansar Al-Sharia, who said that their “action came in revenge for US airstrikes launched last week against Shabwa.”
The Yemen Liquid Natural Gas (YLNG) Company confirmed on Thursday that the the 38 inch gas pipeline that links Block 18 to the Balhaf terminal on the Gulf of Aden had been attacked.
“The explosion occurred at 22:20 on 26th April in a desert zone 260 km north of Balhaf Liquefaction Plant. It caused no victims.” The company said on its website.
Security sources in Shabwa said on Saturday April 21 that Ansar Al-Sharia had plans to attack the YLNG Company which operates Yemen’s largest liquefied natural gas operation in Balhaf of Shabwa, and exports to world markets.
Shabwa’s is over 40,000 square kilometers, whereas the area of the capital Sana’a is less than 16,000 square kilometers, yet the latter is surrounded by different military units on all sides.
When the popular uprising erupted early last year against former president Saleh’s regime, security units were withdrawn from Shabwa, Abyan and Hadramout governorates to the capital Sana’a, according to officials of the Yemeni government.
