Yemeni president capitulates to the demands of Houthi rebels

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3. Some counter-terrorism efforts in Yemen frozen for now: US officials

WASHINGTON: The United States has halted some counter-terrorism operations against al Qaeda militants in Yemen following a takeover of the country by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, US officials said on Friday.

The collapse of the US-backed government of Yemen on Thursday has left America’s counter-terrorism campaign “paralyzed”, two US security officials said, dealing a major setback to Washington’s fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a potent wing of the militant network.

Three US officials said the halt in operations included drone strikes, at least temporarily, following the abrupt resignation of the president, prime minister and cabinet amid mounting fears the Arab world’s poorest country was veering toward civil war.

The US move underscores another setback for President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy and raises doubts about a counter-terrorism strategy that has relied on drone warfare and often shaky foreign partners to avoid sending large US ground forces to battle militant threats far from American shores.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/25-Jan-2015/some-counter-terrorism-efforts-in-yemen-frozen-for-now-us-officials