Apr 14, 2015, SPA -- Brig. Gen. Ahmed bin Hasan Asiri, Consultant at the Minister of Defense's Office and Spokesman of the Coalition Forces, lauded the steps taken by a number of brigade commanders of the Yemeni army to re-join the army ranks, citing the armored brigade 315, brigade 111, brigade border guard 11 who, finally, perceived responsibility towards Yemen and its people, reiterating his call for the rest of the brigades and units to follow suit and come back the way they have come from.
In his daily press briefing held today at Riyadh Airbase, Asiri said that the relief works continue to proceed at a good rate, noting that the coming 24 hours would witness tangible relief measures on the ground to benefit Yemeni citizens.
Asiri said the coalition forces operation is going on as scheduled, focusing on preventing the Houthi militias from regrouping and reorganizing themselves or taking advantage of the military capabilities available at the military camps.
He pointed out that the coalition forces today, several times, targeted Al-Majd brigade, Al-Mass camp in Maareb, and the vocational institute in Al-Baidha.
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22:17 LOCAL TIME 19:17 GMT
Brig. Asiri said that the coalition forces targeted Al-Sawdawia camp in Al-baidha'a, and Al-fardha camp in Sanaa, referring to the continued bombardment by the coalition forces of the areas of Matarah, Kattaf and Saada last night, because the Houthis militias are trying to regroup there.
He reported that the situation in Aden has not changed as the Houthi militias are still tampering within the neighborhoods of Aden and in Kaiter, Mualla and on the coastal road. He expected the decline of these operations when the militias become isolated from supply, especially with the slow movements of the militias between cities, indicating that these militias are now taking defensive positions in a desire to survive and escape with what equipment they have for fear of their destruction by the coalition forces.
With respect to land operations, Asiri pointed out that there is constant pressure around the clock in Saada and northern Yemeni border, indicating that the surveillance devices of the border guards spotted movements and gatherings of the militias near the Saudi border in an attempt to re-organize there, and the artillery of the border guards targeted yesterday more than one site in the sector of Jizan and Najran and destroyed them and work continues to prevent these militias from achieving any kind of media victory that they seek.
At the level of naval operations, Brig Asiri said that the naval assets of the coalition forces are still imposing a naval ban on the Yemeni ports and are carrying out their role in inspection of ships heading to and leaving Yemeni port to ensure that they are free of weapons and supplies smuggling operations.
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23:05 LOCAL TIME 20:05 GMT
Then, Brigadier Ahmed Asiri answered reporters' questions, noting that the command of the coalition believes that the Security Council's decision to approve the Gulf draft resolution is a victory for the Yemeni people and in their interests. He stated that diplomatic and military actions are the ones that make security and peace. He added that therefore, this decision reflects the international community's realization of the seriousness of the situation in Yemen, pointing out that the international community believes that it is its responsibilities to protect Yemeni citizens in parallel with what the coalition operations are doing, and stressing that the air strikes by the coalition forces have achieved most of their objectives which were designed in the beginning.
Brigadier Asiri said that Determination Storm has specific targets dealing with a military position and not with individuals as individuals are part of the whole, and noting that the Security Council added the son of the deposed president to the individuals who will be subject to penalties in addition to his father and that there is a Security Council previous decision about him. He added that therefore, the international community is aware of the seriousness of these people to the Yemeni society, stressing that whoever hurts the Yemeni citizens and security and stability in Yemen and prevents the government from exercising its legitimate right to run the country is considered among the enemies of society and the Yemeni people and Determination Storm will get them.
The Coalition spokesman reported that the Yemeni government had officially asked a few days ago from the international community and from the countries participating in 'Determination Storm' to enforce a sea embargo on all territorial waters and ports of Yemen, so that the coalition forces have the right to visit and search at any time hoping that everyone will comply with this procedure to help the Yemeni government to enforce law and order over its territorial waters and ports to protect the Yemeni people.
Brigadier Asiri confirmed the participation of Malaysia in the Operation Determination Storm from the beginning because it is a state supportive of the security and stability of Yemen and realizes its responsibility towards the Yemeni citizens and it is in direct coordination with the coalition countries so that Yemen can go back to its previous status of stability and security.
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23:06 LOCAL TIME 20:06 GMT
