PRELIMINARY REPORTS: ROYG FORCES OPEN FIRE ON A

S E C R E T SANAA 002168

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV YM
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY REPORTS: ROYG FORCES OPEN FIRE ON A
CROWD; ONE DEAD, TWO INJURED

REF: A. SANAA 1856


B. SANAA 1878

C. SANAA 1910

D. SANAA 2047

E. SANAA 2064

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.
4 (b) and (d)

(S) On November 29, a source in Aden told emboff by telephone
that ROYG forces had fired from a helicopter on a crowd of
people waiting at a checkpoint to enter the Aden governorate,
killing one and injuring two more. (Note: In the past ROYG
forces have prevented people from other governorates from
entering Aden in order to better control anti-government
demonstrations. This may have been the case in this
situation as the ROYG prepares for demonstrations on November
30 marking the 40th anniversary of southern independence from
British rule. End Note.) Several reliable Yemeni media
sources are now also reporting that a ROYG helicopter fired
on a crowd in Aden governorate, wounding three. DAO has
received confirmation from ROYG sources that government
forces fired on a crowd at a check point, but the source
specifically denied that a helicopter was used. Tensions
have been rising in the South for months (reftels),and post
has been predicting that these would likely boil over into
demonstrations and possible violence on key holidays
including November 30 (refs b and e). At this point, post
has not heard any reports of violence in Aden city or Sana'a.
SECHE