Several Al-Maeili tribesmen killed, injured in in Marib clashes

MARIB, Sept. 17 (YPA) – Several sheikhs and members of the Al-Maeili tribe, including women and children, were killed and injured on Thursday after Islah Party elements launched intense artillery shelling on civilian homes in Al-Wadi district, east of Marib city.

Tribal and local sources familiar with the matter said Islah artillery shells directly hit the home of citizen Naji Mohsen bin Maeili, killing Sheikh Hassan Abdullah Hassan Maeili, Sheikh Saeed Ali Jarfan Harmal, and around five others, including women and children, according to a preliminary toll. Others were injured, with the final number of casualties not yet known.

The sources attributed the armed clashes to confrontations between elements of the so-called “Road Security Forces,” affiliated with Islah, and tribal gunmen from the Al-Maeili tribe after the latter rejected attempts to establish a military checkpoint on their land in the Al-Hazma area of Al-Wadi.

They said the tribesmen’s rejection of violations and the establishment of the military checkpoint escalated into armed clashes, during which Islah elements used artillery and heavy and medium weapons, directly and heavily shelling Al-Maeili homes.

The sources added that the clashes between the two sides were still ongoing amid growing repercussions and opposition from members of the Abidah tribes in Al-Wadi district to violations against members of the Al-Maeili tribe.

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