DHAKA: Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has pledged revenge against Shia Houthi rebels in northern Yemen for their assault on a Salafi school in Dammaj.

Yemen Site Monitoring Service reported late on Tuesday, citing a statement from the group, reports The Jerusalem Post.

Fighting between Houthis and Salafis in the traditional Dammaj school, in the heart of Shia territory, caused more than 100 deaths over the past two weeks and threatens to cause more sectarian tensions in Yemen.

The impoverished Arabian Peninsula state faces a host of political troubles, including the Houthi rebellion, an al-Qaida uprising, splits in the military and a southern separatist movement.

Western countries fear further turmoil could create more space to operate for AQAP, already seen as one of the most dangerous al-Qaida branches after it plotted attacks on international airliners, in a country that sits alongside big oil shipping routes.

AQAP’s warning it would seek revenge was contained in the transcript of a video recording by Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari, a religious official in the militant group, and posted by Yemeni journalist Abdul Razza al-Jamal on his Facebook page, Site reported.
‘We declare our total solidarity with our Sunni brothers in the centre in Dammaj, and in other Sunni areas that the Houthi group had attacked,’ said Harithi’s statement.

‘Your crimes against the Sunni people will not pass without punishment or disciplinary action,’ it added.

BDST: 1816 HRS, NOV 13, 2013
RoR/BSK