farsnews
The clashes broke out few weeks ago in Damaj
region of the border province of Sa’ada when after several attacks by the Salafis,
the Shiite Houthi fighters, who control much of the bordering province, accused their Sunni Salafi rivals of recruiting thousands of foreign fighters in preparation of a large-scale war, and raided the Salafis’ Damaj mosque which resulted in the death of one person and injury of seven others, A-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), about 200 to 600 people have been wounded so far.
The two sides declared ceasefire two weeks ago, but it lasted only for two hours.
Addressing the National Dialogue Conference in Yemen, Spokesman of Houthis Ali Al-Bakhiti said that after few hours the ceasefire was broken because Director of Salafis Training Center in Damaj Sheikh Ali Al-Bakhiti could not take control of his foreign armed rebels near Damaj.
Al-Bakhiti reiterated that the clashes are going on between the Houthis and the Salafis in Damaj.
Sectarian rivalry between Salafi Takfiris and Houthis is feared to ignite the fire of civil war in Yemen which is also influenced by foreign meddling, specially by Saudi Arabia.
The continued turmoil on several fronts in the country has risen the alarms of civil war in the country.
The recent events in Damaj have created concern among the Yemeni activists and analysts. “The main goal of these conflicts is feared to be igniting sectarian war,” Yemeni Rights Activist Ali Al-Deilami told FNA earlier this month.
He blamed the Saudi media for the exacerbation of conflicts between Salafis and Houthis, and said publication of the remarks uttered by some Saudi muftis who call for Salafis’ Jihad against the Shiites is threatening and dangerous.
Deilami called on the Yemeni people to keep united against the foreign meddling which seeks to wage a sectarian war in the country.
Sa’ada province is the base for a long-running Houthi fight against the government. Complaining of social, religious and economic discrimination in Yemen, the Houthis fought several battles with government forces between 2004 and 2010, when a truce was announced.



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