Pro-secession gunmen attack voting center in S. Yemen, 2 policemen injured
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, February 19, 2012
Gunmen of the pro-secession Southern Movement attacked Saturday evening a local polling station in the restive southern province of Lahj, leaving at least two policemen injured, a security official told Xinhua.
Three gunmen believed to be linked to an armed wing of the secessionist Southern Movement exchanged fire with the police forces guarding the headquarters of a polling station in Houta city, the provincial capital city of Lahj, injuring at least two policemen, the local security official said on condition of anonymity.
"The policemen positioned around the building confronted the armed attack by some separatist gunmen, who were trying to storm the center in a bid to disrupt the preparations for Tuesday's election in the city," the official said.
"The two injured policemen were taken to a nearby government hospital for treatment," he added.
Meanwhile, a police officer told Xinhua anonymously that security forces had foiled on Saturday a planned attack to blow up a number of headquarters of the electoral committee in the neighboring southern port city of Aden .
"A terrorist cell comprised of five people intended to target the voting centers in the city was captured today," the police officer said, adding that "Explosive devices and bombs were found in the possession of that terrorist cell."
Leaders of the Southern Movement said they would boycott the early presidential election scheduled on Feb. 21 by preventing voters from casting their ballots.
The northern and southern parts of Yemen were unified in 1990 according to a deal between Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's ruling General People's Congress party and the Yemeni Socialist Party. However, the deal fell apart, leading to a crisis between the two sides, which developed into a civil war in 1994.
Separatists who want to end the north-south union are demanding independence in response to the alleged discrimination by the northern people and a lack of financial aid.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)