Hotels burn in Aden amid crisis

Aden, March 22 Unidentified individuals thought to be militants burned and destroyed a number of hotels in Aden City early Tuesday morning. .

In addition to burning sections of the hotels, the perpetrators also destroyed the contents of the various hotel rooms, offices and showrooms as well as ripping out electrical wires and damaging the gardens that adorn the hotels’ entrances and parks.

Among the hotels and resorts that were attacked were the Sailors Club, the Nashwan Resort, Pearl Hotel, Wadhah Resort, and Sun Motel.

Eyewitnesses reported that the vandalism occurred in clear view of the Central Security forces and private forces stationed nearby, but the authorities did not intervene.

For over two months, growing public protests throughout Yemen demanded the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power since 1978. Saleh’s authority suffered blows this week when hundreds of military commanders and government officials resigned following a violent attack on protesters in Sana’a last Friday. Over 50 unarmed demonstrators were killed by sniper fire and more than 200 seriously injured in the horrific attack.

It was reported in Aden that the Saleh regime plans to deliver Aden to fundamentalist groups as a last ditch effort to retain western backing. The earlier withdrawal of some security forces stationed in Aden is seen by some to be an indication of the scenario, as is today’s destruction of the hotels.

Security forces remain stationed at the presidential palace and other sensitive and important locations.

Al Qaeda in Yemen took credit for several lethal terror attacks on tourists beginning in 2007.