By Ozgur Altinbas
Yemeni Ansarallah’s Political Bureau Member Ali al-Gahum spoke to the Turkish daily newspaper Aydınlık. Stating that the occupation forces committed massacres against the civilian population, al-Gahum said that Turkey can play a “pivotal role” in solving the conflict in Yemen.
Speaking about the current situation in Yemen, Al-Gahum said that Yemeni people are in the midst of a major struggle against imperialism and “Zionism”. Stressing that the Yemeni people are largely supportive of both the Yemeni army and the armed resistance, Al-Gahum said that Yemen has triumphed despite the enemy’s advanced military technologies. However, the country must also benefit from fruitful international relationships, including with Turkey.
‘There is serious dismay within the enemy ranks’
What is the state of the current conflict in Yemen?
The people of Yemen have achieved great victories against the invasion of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States (USA). Despite their large-scale air strikes and heavy bombardments, a great resistance has emerged in Yemen. Plans for the occupation and partition of Yemen were shattered and the invaders suffered heavy losses. There is serious dismay within the enemy ranks, so much so, that the resistance forces can now even target Emirati and Saudi cities. They have fallen into a rivalry among themselves over the Yemeni lands, and this led them to take more aggressive and hostile actions in Yemen. They show no mercy on children, the elderly and women.
There is enormous public support for the resistance forces. Our nation is in a state of solidarity. The Yemeni people have fully grasped the importance of this struggle. They are aware of the plans to partition and colonize Yemen via smaller tribal states. If we ever lacked this popular support and sympathy for the resistance, we would not have been able to achieve any victories in Yemen. The Yemeni people will not allow any means of American or Zionist hegemonies.
‘We will liberate every inch of our lands’
What are the priorities of the resistance forces in Yemen?
Our priority is to protect the richness, the dignity and the independence of our country, and to do so by fighting together against the forces that besiege us. Our struggle will continue until every inch of the country is liberated from the enemy occupation. Victory will surely be achieved, thanks to the strong bonds between the Yemeni people and its army and the resistance forces.
‘Daesh is in Yemen in great numbers, and it is supported by the USA and the Saudis’
Is Daesh (ISIS) present in Yemen?
Yes, Daesh has a very large foothold in Yemen. There are also some dugouts of al-Qaeda and other such organizations. These groups are acting together with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The United States and Saudi Arabia provide continuous logistical, arms and munitions support as well as air support.
The purpose of these murderous hordes is to continue the murdering, massacering, plundering, looting, and occupation for some time longer. They are planning to change the demographics by forcing people away from their homelands and to replace them with extremist and fundamentalist forces. If the invasion plans of the US, the Zionists and the British ever take place, they will surely hand over to groups such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda, and will proclaim autonomous provinces governed by them. We can never let that happen.
‘The UN is siding with the butchers against the victims’
How do you assess the role of the UN?
Unfortunately, the UN is siding with the butchers against the victims. They are representing the visions and programs of the invading enemy forces. The UN has lost its compass of humanity, especially in Yemen. In the face of the truth that everyone sees, in which the Yemeni people are being massacred by the invaders, the UN is looking the other way and are busy covering up the ugly side of the United States.
The principles of the UN are being torn apart by bribes from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This cycle causes us not to trust these kinds of international organizations and not to expect any useful actions from them. That is why we must invest all our efforts into our brave heroes on the ground and the soldiers of this resistance.
‘Their arrogance has collapsed against our resistance’
How did the diplomacy between Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia affect Yemen?
The enemy forces were feeling certain of a victory when the invasion of Yemen began. They all agreed that a swift victory would be achieved, and that Yemen would surrender at once. These fools did not know about past and present-day Yemen, and actually thought that their dreams would come true very soon. But they were bewildered in the face of the glorious struggle of the Yemeni people. They witnessed first-hand how tenacious and mighty a nation Yemen is, and how much it desired its own independence. Realizing that they had lost the war, these invaders engaged in rivalry among themselves.
‘They have cut out Qatar, which actually wanted peace’
Their failures in Yemen have led to some internal changes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. There had been strong reactions within, and many started to oppose the war in Yemen and started protesting the massacres. The fact that we have shown our capabilities of organizing strikes in the hearts of these countries has led them to seek for some other ways. In response to Qatar’s desire to resolve the issue diplomatically and peacefully, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have stood against Qatar and imposed an international embargo on Qatar, together with the other Gulf countries.
The United States, the Zionists and the British are putting up all of their efforts to end this rivalry between the Gulf countries and to gather them all to stand together against Yemen. In fact, the rivalries between these countries is only a conflict of interest. But what they all have in common is their common hostile attitude towards Yemen. And In this case, our most important diplomatic weapon will be the fear that will be in the enemy ranks after our military successes on the ground.
‘Turkey must stand together with Yemen’
What do you think about Turkey’s relationship to Yemen?
Unfortunately, Turkey is currently hoping to reestablish its relations with the Zionist power as we see it. Turkey needs to stand together with us and with the righteous cause of the Arab and Islamic world, and with the righteous cause of Palestine and Yemen, as a Muslim nation. We would expect Turkey to at least take a stance against this brutality of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen.
Turkey is a pivotal country. It has a pioneering and a heavy role in our region. It must act accordingly and show its adequacy. It must act in accordance with the interests of the Arab and the Islamic world. Turkey can play a very important role in resolving the Palestinian crisis, and many other issues in the Arab and the Islamic world. Turkey should state its stance clearly. It must stand together with the massacred Yemeni people. It must side with these people who are subjected to economic embargoes and blockades from the sea, the air and on land; who are exposed to famine, misery and poverty. It must stand with these people who have been subjected to many invasions and attacks by the richest countries in the world for many years. It should stand with the oppressed nations against these colonization plans.