Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar | |
---|---|
علي محسن صالح الأحمر | |
3rd Vice President of Yemen | |
In office 4 April 2016 – 7 April 2022[1] | |
President | Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi |
Preceded by | Khaled Bahah |
Succeeded by | Seven deputy chairmen of the Presidential Leadership Council, including Aidarus al-Zoubaidi and Tareq Saleh |
Personal details | |
Born | Ali Mohsen Saleh al-Ahmar June 20, 1945 Yemen Army |
Years of service | 1961–Present |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
Commands | North-Western Military District 2011–2012 1st Armoured Division 1987–2011[3] |
Battles/wars |
|
Ali Mohsen Saleh al-Ahmar (
He was appointed as a Deputy Supreme Commander of Yemeni Armed Forces on February 22, 2016. After that President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi appointed him Vice President of Yemen on April 3, 2016.[7] This assignment created a large controversy between objectors and supporters, but most of them considered it a strong message from President Hadi and the Saudi-led Coalition for the intention of using the military to regain control of the Capital. This was possible because of the flexible and strong relationship Mohsen had with figures from the tribes surrounding the Capital, Sana'a, and some military commanders who will be loyal to the government because of this assignment.[4]
Early life and education
Born in
Military training
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar joined the 4th Military brigade of the Army of the
Career
Political and military career
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar started his military career in Al-Maghawir Brigade, as a leader of an infantry company in 1970, then he joined the 1st Armored Brigade and became a commander of a tank company in 1975, he became a commander of the independent 4th Tank battalion in 1977.
He was close to Ali Abdullah Saleh since 1973, and when Saleh seized power in 1978, Mohsen was promoted to full colonel in 1979 and given command of one of the Armoured Brigade. In 1983 he became Chief of Staff of the 1st Armoured Division, as well as the command of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division. He became a commander of North-Western Military District on 8 January 1995. On 22 January 2001, he was appointed as a commander of 1st Armoured Division and North-Western Military District. He became a President's Advisor for Defence and Security Affairs on 10 April 2013.
In 2004 President Ali Abdullah Saleh assigned him to lead the military operations against the Houthi militia.[12] He served as a chief of the Local Council for Cooperative Development of Sanhan District – Sana'a Governorate in 1975, for three sessions—each one for a period of three years. In 1980 he was a member of the committee of National Dialogue that drafted the National Covenant which was considered the universal document for all political components that were subject to General People's Congress party.[4]
In 1980 Mohsen participated in establishing the General People's Congress party, chaired by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and he was a member of the Standing Committee of GPC for three consecutive sessions from 1980 to 1989. Afterwards he became a member of the Defense Committee of GPC party.
Mohsen was a primary and effective member of the preparing committee for the Yemeni unification during the negotiation process, and he participated in the integration and restructuring of the Armed Forces of Yemen after unification. He was assigned as a Deputy Chief of joint Yemeni-Saudi Military Committee for addressing the security and military balance between the two countries, and resolving the border issues.
Mohsen is known to have
Vice presidency
On April 3, 2016, President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi appointed Mohsen to the position of Vice President of Yemen. Mohsen has been serving the nation of Yemen in that capacity ever since.[15] After he was appointed Vice President, he played an important role in activating the fighting fronts against the Houthis and Saleh, as well as supervising many battles including Marib, Midi, Taiz and Shabwah.[16]
In October 2017, Mohsen as Vice President of Yemen headed a meeting for the Security Taskforce, an offshoot of the Friends of Yemen Group that formed to lead the fight against terrorism in Yemen. The agenda of the meeting focused on the latest developments in the country and the progress of the task force's work.[17] Since then, Ali Mohsen become the head of counter-terrorism group in Yemen that include the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Mohsen shared with the group efforts in transferring expertise in security, military and intelligence fields to the ground and coordination for building military units to fight terrorism and clamp down on smugglers.[17]
Business ventures
According to ambassador
2011 Revolution
The massacre of (Friday of Dignity) occurred in the Square of Change in Sana'a which was the Square for protests against President
Relations between Saleh and Mohsen had reportedly soured years before the uprising due to his rivalries with two of the president's sons. This souring of relations led to an apparent attempt by President Saleh to kill Mohsen by asking Saudi Arabian military commanders to bomb an alleged rebel base which was in fact Mohsen's headquarters.
2014 Houthi takeover of Sana'a
On September 16, armed clashes broke out in northwest Sana'a between the Houthi militia and some army units led by Moshen. After four days of fighting, al-Ahmar moved toward the headquarters of Military Region VI (the previous First Armored Division, which Ahmar used to lead before he was dismissed and appointed to be an adviser to the president for defense and security affairs in 2012). He did not comply with the president's and defense minister's directives and he led the battles against the Houthis himself, in what was seen as a possible coup attempt. Mohsen did not achieve any victories, and in two days the Houthis were in control of most major government buildings in Sana'a, including the buildings of state television, state radio, the prime minister's office, the armed forces general command, the Ministry of Defense, the Central Bank of Yemen and Military Region VI.[25]
Rumored exile
Following the Houthi takeover of the Yemeni capital Sana'a, it was rumored that Sadiq al-Ahmar, members of the al-Ahmar family and Hashid tribal elders fled Yemen to Saudi Arabia or Qatar. But Sadiq appeared in a videotape later in Sana'a and was still there.[26] Mohsen was also believed to have sought refuge in either Saudi Arabia or Qatar. However, he noticed that the Saudi Embassy in Sana'a prepared a helicopter and coordinated his departure to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the Houthi ascension to power.[27][28] His absence has seen his homes in the Hadda neighborhood of Sana'a seized by Houthi fighters.
2015 Yemeni Civil War
After he left Yemen as a result of the Houthi takeover, Mohsen returned to Yemen to lead the military operation in Yemen's northern
Mohsen is in regular meetings and talks with the ambassadors of the USA, UK and the ten sponsor countries of the Gulf Initiative, followed by his successive statements supporting the peace talks held in Kuwait in April 2016.[30]
See also
- 1994 Yemeni Civil War
- 2011 Yemeni Revolution
References
- ^ a b Ghobari, Mohamed (7 April 2022). "Yemen president sacks deputy, delegates presidential powers to council". Reuters. Aden. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
With this declaration a Presidential Leadership Council shall be established to complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period. I irreversibly delegate to the Presidential Leadership Council my full powers in accordance with the constitution and the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism.
- ISBN 9780230616486.
- ^ Yemen Order of Battle | American Enterprise Institute Critical Threats Project
- ^ a b c "Who is Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, and why he was appointed Deputy Yemeni President". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ISBN 9780230616486.
- ^ a b "قرار جمهوري بإعفاء نائب رئيس الجمهورية علي محسن الأحمر من منصبه" [Republican decision to relieve Vice President Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar of his post]. SABA news. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "Yemeni president sacks prime minister, appoints new senior team: State Media". Reuters. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ISBN 978-1107470576.
- ^ "Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar". Aljazeera. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ "Yemeni president sacks prime minister, appoints new senior team: state media", reuters.com,.
- ^ "إعفاء علي محسن الأحمر من منصبه" [Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar dismissed from his post]. Almowaten. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "The armed forces and security for Atstahedv only rebel". 26sep. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ISBN 9780833049339.
- ISBN 9781107470576.
- ^ "Yemeni president sacks prime minister, appoints new senior team: state media". todayonline.com. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ Ali, Ali al-Dhahab (30 June 2016). "Yemen's Warring Parties: Formations and Dynamics". aljazeera.net. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ a b "VPmeets Security Taskforce discuss work progress". sabanew.net. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ Mark Rice-Oxley (21 March 2011). "WikiLeaks cable links defecting Yemeni general to smuggling rackets". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ^ "Jish and Alhyzh Alhabt in pain" (PDF). Doha Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- ^ Tayler, Letta (12 February 2013). "Yemen's Failed Response to the "Friday of Dignity" Killings". Human Rights Watch. Hrw. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ Tayler, Letta (12 February 2013). "Acknowledgments of Yemens". Human Rights Watch. Hrw. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "WikiLeaks: Yemen tricked Saudis into nearly bombing president's rival". The Guardian. 8 April 2011.
- ^ "Top Yemeni general, Ali Mohsen, backs opposition". BBC News. 21 March 2011.
- ^ Jamjoom, Mohammed; Almasmari, Hakim. "Yemen's president restructures armed forces". CNN. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
- ^ "Houthi victory is defeat for Yemen's Islah". 5 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-02-09. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ al Shrhabi, Adel Moujahed (24 September 2014). "Houthi victory is defeat for Yemen's Islah". Archived from the original on 2015-02-09. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ^ "Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsen leave Yemen and information talks about his arrival in Saudi Arabia on board a helicopter Killings". Almasdar Online. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Houthis take Sanaa but refrain from coup". 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-09-12. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ "Former Saleh ally leading operations against him". Gulf New. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ^ "Yemeni government agrees to return to participate in the consultations Kuwait". Alaraby. Retrieved 16 July 2016.