Yemen rebels say they accept truce terms

Qur'an 9:3
"Allah and His Messenger dissolve obligations."

Bukhari:V4B52N268
"Allah's Apostle said, 'War is deceit.'"

Qur'an 92:8
"We will make smooth for him the path to misery."


Just a few reminders of why to watch your Ass when it comes to dealing with Islamic Radicals




SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's Shi'ite northern rebels accept the government's terms for a ceasefire, their leader said on Saturday, but there was no immediate response from the authorities.

Yemen, facing insurgency in the north and secessionists in the south, has been under international scrutiny since the Yemeni arm of al Qaeda claimed responsibility for an abortive bid to blow up a U.S.-bound plane with 300 people on board.

"In order to avoid ... the annihilation of civilians, we reiterate our acceptance of the five points" for a ceasefire, rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in an audio recording posted on the Internet. "The ball is now in the court of the other side."

Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has been battling the intermittent revolt since 2004. The fighting intensified in August when the army launched a major offensive named Operation Scorched Earth, and the conflict drew in Saudi Arabia in November when the rebels seized some territory on its border.

Government conditions include removal of rebel checkpoints, withdrawal of forces and clarification of the fate of kidnapped foreigners. The rebels must return captured military and civilian equipment and not enter local politics.

Britain hosted talks in London this week to try to prevent Yemen becoming a failed state after the abortive December 25 attack on a plane approaching Detroit drove home how al Qaeda could threaten Western interests from Yemen.

Western powers, neighbors and financial institutions pledged to support and help finance Yemen's efforts to impose law, order and stability.