Tribesmen, Al Qaida shaking down oil contractors in Yemen
CAIRO — Foreign energy firms in Yemen have become vulnerable to
tribal attacks.
Industry sources said Yemeni tribes have, like Al Qaida operatives, initiated campaigns to extort money from
foreign energy contractors. The sources said oil workers' camps and residences have come under attack as part of a campaign to
obtain money and jobs.
The Yemen Army has been deployed to protect the foreign oil
installations, Middle East Newsline reported. At least 12 people were killed in clashes between tribes and
army troops in early November at the site of a Ukrainian oil company in the
Shabwa province, east of Sanaa.
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The sources said the unidentified Ukrainian contractor refused a tribal
demand for jobs and money. Soon, tribes launched strikes on company
installations, attacked Yemen Army vehicles and abducted six soldiers.
Sanaa increased security around foreign oil installations after some
contractors warned they would leave Yemen. Yemen contracted the foreign
companies to increase crude oil production, reported at 350,000 barrels per
day.
The sources said the tribes have joined Al Qaida in targeting the
foreign presence in Yemen. On Nov. 7, a Yemeni court sentenced 30 nationals
convicted of conducting Al Qaida attacks to up to 15 years.
The defendants were part of 36 Al Qaida operatives who attacked foreign
energy installations in September 2006. At the time, Al Qaida conducted
coordinated strikes on an oil refinery at Maarib and a gasoline storage
terminal. The terminal in Hadramut province was operated by Canada's Nexen.
Six of the main defendants were tried in absentia. They included Jaber
Al Banna and Mohammed Al Omdah, who had recently surrendered to authorities.
