‘Time for change in Qatar has come’
Ashdown, Richardson, John Simpson join debate on Qatar’s past, present and likely future
The Qatar, Global Security and Stability Conference held in London yesterday has been described as a historic moment for Qatar and its people keen on freedom and living in dignity.
The conference has been organised by Qatari businessman and reformist Khalid Al Hail and other exiled Qataris pressing for reform in their country.
“I am fortunate that I have escaped with the hope of returning one day soon to be able then to express myself freely and talk about my ideas and my aspirations for my country,” Al Hail said at the conference. “However, there are many other honourable people who are still held in terrible jails. Some of their relatives are here with us. They have come here to say that time for change has come.”
Every Qatari citizen hates to see his country loathed by its neighbours and friends and forsaken by the whole world because of the clumsy policies of its rulers, he added.
Lord Paddy Ashdown, Ambassador Bill Richardson, Iain Duncan Smith, John Simpson, Jamie Rubin, General Chuck Wald, Brigadier General Shlomo Brom, Dov Zakheim and Daniel Kawczynski MP joined leading Middle East commentators and members of the Qatari opposition to debate the past, present and likely future of Qatar, organisers said.
UAE-trained Yemeni forces seized control of Al Wadhea district in the province of Abyan from Al Qaida militants, residents told Gulf
News yesterday. Backed by UAE fighter jets, dozens of armoured vehicles stormed villages in the district forcing Al Qaida militants to flee to the mountains.
“More than 40 armoured vehicles carrying soldiers began to roll into Al Wadhea on Wednesday morning and briefly clashed with fleeing Al Qaida militants. The explosions rocked villages as advancing forces cautiously marched towards new areas,” a resident told Gulf News by telephone.
Al Wadhea is the birthplace of Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
Residents said that the number of Al Qaida militants in the district has increased after similar UAE-supported Yemeni forces pushed them out of their strongholds in the neighbouring Shabwa province. “They set up checkpoints and stormed houses in Al Wadhea. They were looking for government soldiers,” another resident said.
The considerable presence of the militants prompted the Yemen army to launch a new offensive in Abyan. Yesterday, the troops completely cleared the district of Al Qaida checkpoints or presence under heavy air cover from Saudi-led coalition fighter jets.
Army commanders who led the offensive said yesterday that three local Al Qaida operatives were arrested and a large weapons stash was found in some raided houses. Large swathes of the Abyan province have experienced lawlessness since early 2015 when thousands of army troops switched sides and backed Al Houthis.
Local army commanders did not respond to Gulf News calls, but they were quoted in the local press as saying that they would establish a permanent presence in Al Wadhea and are moving to dislodge Al Qaida from Abyan’s countryside.