Tensions grow as US heightens its role in Yemen

SAN’A, Yemen (AP) — Yemen insisted Tuesday it is capable of leading the fight against al-Qaida, revealing friction with the United States in their growing alliance against the terror group.

The Yemen government sent thousands of troops this week to remote provinces where al-Qaida has set up strongholds, and it has carried out a series of U.S.-backed strikes against militant hideouts in the past month. Yemeni officials have been angered by suggestions the state is too weakened to handle the fight.

The closure of the U.S. Embassy in the capital this week became a case in point, rankling some officials who said it gave the appearance that Yemeni security forces could not protect the facilities.

On Tuesday, as the embassy reopened, the Interior Ministry insisted the fight against al-Qaida was under control, saying Yemeni forces “have imposed a security cordon around al-Qaida elements everywhere they are present and ... are observing and pursuing them around the clock.”

More broadly, the intensified partnership with the U.S. presents dilemmas for Yemen.

The government is concerned that too public an American role in the anti-terror campaign could embarrass the government, presenting it as weak before a Yemeni public where mistrust of the United States runs high. It also could bring a backlash from Islamic conservatives who are a major pillar of support for President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Moreover, Yemeni officials appear worried American aid will come with pressure on Saleh to reform his rule in this unstable, divided nation.

The government is deeply sensitive over any hint of meddling in its internal affairs. But at the same time, it is being battered by multiple crises and needs assistance.

It has little control outside the capital, and heavily armed tribes hold sway over large parts of the mountainous, impoverished nation. Many tribes are disgruntled with Saleh, and some have allowed al-Qaida fighters to take refuge. On other fronts, it is battling Shiite rebels in the north and a revived separatist campaign in the once-independent south.

The U.S. Embassy reopened its doors after a two-day closure because of what Washington called an imminent threat of al-Qaida attack. The British Embassy, which had also closed, resumed operations, though consular and visa services remained closed.

Other Western embassies maintained heightened security, including the French and Czech, which closed to the public, and the Spanish and German, which were restricting the number of visitors.