Republican Guard failed raid on Yemeni Ministry of Defence

Yemeni Ministry of Defence Sanaa – Khalid Haroji The supreme security committee in Yemen said that limited members of the Second Infantry Brigade of the Republican Guard gathered on Tuesday with their personal, light and medium weapons around the defence ministry in Sanaa.  They tried to control some hotels surrounding the ministry. GPC, which is headed by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, denied any relationship with the events of the Ministry of Defense. GPC said that the media presented the events as a war in Yemen and accused head of the General People's Congress and the Republican Guard chief of inciting on the events.
The official Yemeni news agency quoted an official source in the committee as saying that these soldiers who have been enrolled under the leadership of the southern military zone by a presidential resolution blocked the street leading to the ministry asking for some illegal and excessive demands. They then attempted to attack the guards of the Ministry of defense, forcing the ministry to strengthen its forces of the Military Police and 314 Brigade.
The security source that they had been trying to persuade the gathered members to return to their camps and their demands will be considered. The guard of the defence ministry opened fire, killing two people and wounding ten members of the armed security forces and passer-bys. A number of the attackers were arrested and will be investigated and referred to military justice in accordance to law.
The source confirmed the formation of a joint committee of the  Defense and Interior Ministries to look into the causes and circumstances of the incident and to urgently refer the results to the Supreme committee. The supreme security committee warned of the recurrence of such incidents by any subversive elements that may try to destabilise the security and stability of the country. It asserted that it will deal firmly with anyone who tries to disturb the security and public order.
For his part, the GPC which is headed by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, denied any relationship between the party or President Ali Abdullah Saleh or his son Ahmad, the commander of the Republican Guard forces, with the events at the Ministry of Defence headquaters.
Yemeni politicians considered what happened as a rebellion by the Republican Guard against the decisions of President Ali Abd Rabo Mansour Hadi, related to restructuring the army. Their attempt to break into the Ministry of Defense represents a coup against the Gulf Initiative agreement and a direct rejection of the plan of restructuring the army and security.
In a related context, America called on all Parties of Yemen to exercise restraint and respect for the reforms of President Hadi. US spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: "We call on all parties to exercise restraint and end the violence immediately and respect President Hadi’s reforms and the democratic transition.”