SANA, Yemen — Yemeni security forces clashed with al-Qaeda fighters Monday, killing two, the latest sign the embattled, longtime president is making good on vows that his country will cooperate with the United States in fighting the terror network.
Washington is embracing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the battle against al-Qaeda’s offshoot here, but it may be making a risky bet. The mercurial Saleh has held onto power for 31 years in this fragmented nation by relying on a system of manipulation — centralizing power within his family while buying off rivals and unruly tribesmen, Yemeni and American observers say. At times, that has meant forging alliances with Islamic extremists.
Observers warn that Saleh’s rule is buckling under the weight of multiple crises, deep poverty and widespread corruption. For the U.S., the situation raises parallels with Iraq and Afghanistan, where Washington has had to go beyond military action to infuse economic help while pushing political reform on sometimes reluctant political leaders in hopes of undermining support for militants.
In Monday’s clashes, Yemeni security forces attacked a group of al-Qaeda militants moving through the mountainous area of Arhab, northeast of the capital, security officials said.
Among them was Nazeeh al-Hanaq, a senior figure on Yemen’s most-wanted list. He escaped, but two fighters with him were killed, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the news media.
The battle came as the U.S. and British embassies in Sana were shut down for a second day Monday after threats of an imminent al-Qaeda attack. Other Western embassies took similar steps Monday.
