Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASMARA413
2009-11-24 11:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
YEMEN DOUBTS ERITREA'S SUPPORT OF AL-HOUTHI REBELS
how-toVZCZCXRO7026 RR RUEHROV DE RUEHAE #0413 3281125 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 241125Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0616 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 1318 RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 1884 RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH 0925 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT RUEPTUT/COLMGTOFCXVIIIABNC FT BRAGG NC RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000413
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/RSA
DEPT FOR NEA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: PTER MOPS PREL PGOV YM ER IR
SUBJECT: YEMEN DOUBTS ERITREA'S SUPPORT OF AL-HOUTHI REBELS
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000413
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/RSA
DEPT FOR NEA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: PTER MOPS PREL PGOV YM ER IR
SUBJECT: YEMEN DOUBTS ERITREA'S SUPPORT OF AL-HOUTHI REBELS
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) Yemen is skeptical of reports that Eritrea is
providing direct support to the Al-Houthi rebels, according
to Mr. Abdella Al-Suqarti, deputy of the Yemen embassy in
Asmara. While Mr. Al-Suqarti maintains that Iran is
supplying arms to the rebels, he told poloff he is not
convinced that Eritrea is providing either military,
financial, or logistic support. "We have no evidence" he
stated. At most, he continued, "Eritrea may be transiting
some arms from Iran to the rebels."
2. (C) Al-Suqarti is suspicious, however, of other activities
in the region. He stated openly that there were three
Iranian ships in the Red Sea, and two smaller Iranian boats
off the Eritrean port city of Assab. He noted the latter
were hidden among old, unused Eritrean boats and served as a
command center. With regard to the ongoing capture of Yemeni
fisherman by the Eritrean government, he maintained this
occurs whenever the fishing boats get too close to Eritrean
covert military activities.
Tabler-Stone
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/RSA
DEPT FOR NEA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: PTER MOPS PREL PGOV YM ER IR
SUBJECT: YEMEN DOUBTS ERITREA'S SUPPORT OF AL-HOUTHI REBELS
Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) Yemen is skeptical of reports that Eritrea is
providing direct support to the Al-Houthi rebels, according
to Mr. Abdella Al-Suqarti, deputy of the Yemen embassy in
Asmara. While Mr. Al-Suqarti maintains that Iran is
supplying arms to the rebels, he told poloff he is not
convinced that Eritrea is providing either military,
financial, or logistic support. "We have no evidence" he
stated. At most, he continued, "Eritrea may be transiting
some arms from Iran to the rebels."
2. (C) Al-Suqarti is suspicious, however, of other activities
in the region. He stated openly that there were three
Iranian ships in the Red Sea, and two smaller Iranian boats
off the Eritrean port city of Assab. He noted the latter
were hidden among old, unused Eritrean boats and served as a
command center. With regard to the ongoing capture of Yemeni
fisherman by the Eritrean government, he maintained this
occurs whenever the fishing boats get too close to Eritrean
covert military activities.
Tabler-Stone