[04/June/2008]

SANA'A, June 04 (Saba) – The rebels who have handed themselves in to the Yemeni authorities at the district of Bani Husheish claim the loyalists of Abdul Malik al-Houthi told them they can travel to the US if they fight the government forces.

The Saba-run alsiysiah newspaper quoted the surrendered as saying they were also informed they would enter paradise if they were killed.

They said the Houthi loyalists came to them while chewing Qat and distributed publications and CDs inciting a rebellion against the government.

They said many of the rebels who fought the troops were youths who left school and their posts after the Houthi loyalists incited them against the government.

They have expressed their regret for fighting the forces and called on the rest rebels to hand themselves in.

The government forces have been fighting the rebels in the volatile northern province of Saada for more than four years.

Recently the military operations against the rebels and the loyalists of the rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi have extended to two more provinces.
FR