Yemen: six killed in election differences

Some 6 persons were killed and other ten wounded, 7 are seriously wounded in a fire exchange on Wednesday evening in a Mosque in Omran province.

Eye- witnesses said that the incident took place following verbal rows on nominations to the next local elections in Zebein situated in the province of Omran to the North of the Yemeni capital.

The eye- witnesses added that the row was escalated and most of its participants went to the mosque to perform night prayers, noting that two gunmen followed them and opened fire of their machine guns on the people who were performing their prayers and as a result 5 persons were instantly killed and Some 11 were wounded and one of them died later because of his strong wound.

A medical source in Sanaa said that " seven of the wounded are seriously wounded because they were hit directly in the head," noting that the chance for their survival is so small.

One of a local tribe chieftain said that the two attackers, who are from the town had fled. This is, however, the first armed incident takes place with preparations for the local elections on February 20. It is the first elections in Yemen since its reunification in May 1990. These elections will be coupled with a referendum on amending the constitution, a process which is opposed by the main opposition parties in the country.

On the other hand, the Yemeni minister of the Interior Hussein Muhammad Arab said that the Yemeni authorities arrested 5 Islamists including 2 Egyptians to interrogate them on their possible involvement in the attack against the US warship " cool' in the southern part of the country in October. An explosion which resulted in killing 17 American mariners.