Sanaa – Khalid Haroji
Tribesmen-Al-Qaeda gunfire kills 18 in Yemen Sanaa – Khalid Haroji Local sources from the tribe of Kifa in Yemen's Bayda province confirmed that 18 were killed in gunfire between Al-Qaeda members and armed tribesmen. The exchange of fire
between the two parties took place after the murder of Tarek El-Dahab in Bayda by his brother Hizam on Wendesday evening. Tribal sources said to ‘Arabstoday’ that Ahmed Nasser El-Dahab, the third brother of Tarek, and his nephew Ahmed Ali Ahmed Nasser Al-Dahab were killed. The fourth brother was released from prison by the Yemeni authorities after the withdrawal of Tarek and his followers from the town of Radah that was invaded on January 16.
The sources explained that Hizam Al-Dahab killed his younger brother after a quarrel on the existence of Al-Qaeda members in the village of Al-Manasih, his hometown. They added that the conflict broke out months ago and Hizam was reluctant about the idea of his home town becoming a refuge for Al-Qaeda, especially after the establishment of a permanent camp in the desert area of A- Mesheref.
Sources close to Al-Qaeda accused the Yemeni authorities of being behind the murder of Tarek. They said to ‘Arabstoday’ that the security forces pushed Hizam to kill his brother by offering a big amount of money, confirming that the Al-Qaeda will revenge for Tarek Al-Dahab from those who caused his brother to kill him.
The same sources pointed out that Al-Qaeda members who were following Tarek killed his brother Hizam with a bomb car driven by a suicidal person from Al-Qaeda. The car exploded against the residence of Hizam who was at home at that time, while the rest of the dead were members of Aal-Dahab family and of Al-Qaeda.
Tarek, who is one of the most significant leaders of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, was the brother-in-law of cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki, who was killed by means of a US drone last September in Al-Jouf province.