14 people killed in two suicide bomb attacks against Houthis

Since last year sectarian clashes between the rebels and Sunni Salafists have left dozens killed 14 people were killed and several others wounded in two suicide bombings targeting gatherings of Houthis in Jawf and Saada  governorates in north Yemen.  Local sources in Hazm city, capital of Jawf on  the border with Saudi Arabia, told  Arabstoday that on Friday afternoon, a car loaded with a bomb, rammed into Aisha School where a number of Houthis were gathered, and exploded inside the school  killing 13 people, including three bystanders, and wounding about 20 others. Among the dead were a woman and child.
Al-Qaeda is believed to be responsible for this operation according to local sources. There is a clear hostility between Houthis and al-Qaeda and two similar operations were carried out against Houthis in Jawf, one of which was in November 2010 and targeted a convoy carrying Badr al-Din Houthi, father of the group's leader Abdel Malik Houthi, which led to his death among others.
However, a source in  the Houthi group told Arabstoday that they believed elements of  pro-American intelligence detonated the car bomb in Jawf. The source pointed out that the initial estimates for victims are 11 deaths including a woman, and five wounded, but it is expected to rise during the coming hours. The source described the vehicle as a Toyota Pickup Model 84.  The same source charged the US embassy in Sanaa with "the responsibility of this heinous criminal incident".
The Houthi source confirmed that in another incident, an unidentified young man blew himself up Friday morning, armed with an explosive belt, who was at the forefront of a demonstration march of Houthis in Saada city. The source said the young man chanted  in the demonstrations saying to dozens of Houthi followers who call themselves Ansar Allah , shouting: "Today we will dismiss the American ambassador!" in immitation of the slogans repeated by Houthis since 2004:  "God is Great!... Allah is Great! ... Death to America! ... Death to Israel! ... Curse on the Jews!"
The source pointed out that the suicide bomber and a number of people, including journalists, were subject to security inspection by members of  the Houthi. Before inspecting the bomber, he removed his jacket while repeating: "Allah is the Greatest! Today we will dismiss the American ambassador!" revealing his suicide belt  which was strapped around his body,  alerting security and those standing near him who fled before he detonated his device causing his own death but without any casualties among the bystanders.
A statement issued by the Office of Abdel Malik Houthi said that these incidents were part of a conspiratorial plan against the Yemeni people "and the valiant revolution that shook the thrones of tyrants and those who support them.  The methods are the same as  those used by US intelligence  used in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and they continue their criminal series to increase the cycle of violence so that Yemen will  lose its human destiny and wealth."
The statement which has been seen byArabstoday said that this was part of a  systematic campaign to target the people's revolution of Yemen, citing the march in Saada where a suicide bomber blew himself up,  "but the vigilance of the security authorities protected the demonstration" the Houthi statement added.
The statement went on blame these acts of aggression on "a creature of the intelligence services of America" in order to  provide Americans with an excuse for  "more intervention and political and military hegemony and more hostile activity."   "The Houthis will not be dragged into any illusionary conflict with any party." It explained: "This act is blatantly exposed and did not target a particular party, but was aimed at the revolution, the people and the homeland and its security and stability, the revolution has become a source of concern for foreign ambitions.”
In a separate development Ansar el-Sharia group, the military wing of al-Qaeda in Yemen announced  on Friday night the identity of the suicide bomber who carried out the massacre of soldiers  in Sanaa last Monday. The statement of the armed group, which was distributed through the Internet, named the suicide bomber who blew himself up during rehearsals for a military parade in Sanaa, as Haitham Hamid Hassan Mofreh, a soldier in the Yemeni army.
The statement did not name the unit to which the suicide bomber belonged, who killed 100 soldiers and wounded 311 in the biggest "terrorist" attack by al-Qaeda in Yemen's capital Sanaa.
The Yemeni interior ministry announced Tuesday that the bomber was called Amir el-Din Alorafi and was a member of al-Qaeda who was accused of terrorist-related cases in the southern  Marib and Hadramout governorates; however  theYemeni interior ministry backtracked that announcement, after Alorafi surrendered and confirmed that he was not related to the Sanaa incident.