A change in tactics by Rebels?

W

Walks99

Longterm Registered User
Not a particualy nice post or event but I just wonder for those people working in the area, does this possibly show a change in tacticts for rebels and militant intent on taking western hostages?

Could this be the start of more changes in how long hostages are held before being deamed usless to their captors?

Or, is this possibly just a very badly organised group who got spooked?

Attributed to the BBC

--START--

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Hostages' bodies 'found in Yemen'


[h1]Hostages' bodies 'found in Yemen' [/h1]

_45921181_yemen_sadah_266.gif

At least three foreign women, thought to be part of a group which was kidnapped in Yemen, have been found dead, local officials have said. The group of nine foreign hostages, three of them children, was kidnapped in a mountainous northern area.
It comprised seven Germans, a male British engineer and a female South Korean teacher.
One unconfirmed report citing unnamed security officials said the bodies of more of the foreigners had been found.
Yemen's Interior Ministry earlier said the foreigners were kidnapped while on a picnic on Friday in the north-western province of Saada.
The authorities said the group included a German doctor, his wife and three children.
The kidnapped adults all worked at a hospital in Saada, the state news agency said.
The UK and German foreign ministries said they were investigating reports of the deaths.
The Yemeni government has blamed a local Shia rebel group, Huthi Zaidi, for the kidnapping. The group, which has been fighting the government for the last five years, denied any involvement, AFP reported.
More than 200 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in Yemen in the last 15 years. Most have been released unharmed.

--END--

I'm no security analyst or expert in the area, it just seems a bit odd that they get to this point so quickly.

Stay safe all....

Walks
 
Depends on who captured them. If it was indeed one of the rebel groups then it is a complete change to their MO, normally they want to hold the hostages for a time then release them for ransom or just to demonstrate they are good folks. The reported deaths so soon could mean 1 of 3 things
1) A change in the rebel MO and a move to more radical tactics- however the lack of the usual videoed confession/ execution is unusual- though it may well come.
2) Someone in the rebels ranks got a little carried away.
3) Another group- potentially Saudi extremists crossed the border, porous doesn't begin to describe it.
4) The rebels held them, but the government cocked up a rescue attempt- wouldn't be the first time.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. However 1 question I have was what in hells name where these people doing driving off somewhere for a picnic in a country with such a bad security situation as Yemen? Did any of them actually listen to the security briefings they would have received? A tragedy but one that could have been avoided by a little bit of common sense.
 
A brit on a music/cultural festival tour, got captured and beheaded in Mali about a month ago? Briton Beheaded By Al Qaeda Group In Mali: Edwin Dyer Was Kidnapped After Anderamboukane Festival | World News | Sky News Appart from the fact that he was held for 4 months, it sounds to me like a similar set of circumstances, namely, western 'soft targets' naively go out on an ill advised jolly and get themselves whacked.

The answer of course is simple - don't go unless you're dragging a team with you. But then 'they' win don't they?

Commiserations to the families affected. RIP.

Starlight Out
 
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Starlight said:
A brit on a music/cultural festival tour, got captured and beheaded in Mali about a month ago? Briton Beheaded By Al Qaeda Group In Mali: Edwin Dyer Was Kidnapped After Anderamboukane Festival | World News | Sky News Appart from the fact that he was held for 4 months, it sounds to me like a similar set of circumstances, namely, western 'soft targets' naively go out on an ill advised jolly and get themselves whacked.

The answer of course is simple - don't go unless you're dragging a team with you. But then 'they' win don't they?

Commiserations to the families affected. RIP.

Starlight Out
Click to expand...

You're right mate, the guy was taken with a number of other western people, however, some of them were released after unconfirmed reports said that a ransom (or other such like aggreement) was paid. I believe it was a Swiss national.

They were taken under the same circumstances but they were held for a number of months and demands were made before the deadline was reached and they carried out their threat.

Walks
 
When you think about it guys, this MO is no different from anyother terrorist organisation.
PIRA did it, AOKA K did it, The Isrealis did it (King David hotel) even 'ordinary' criminals do it.
In other words, why pick on a trained and tooled up blood thirsty battalion, when you can blow up the NAAFI instead.
So picking on soft targets is nothing new. Remember the RGJ band, the Household Cav, RM band at Poole? All relatively soft targets.

However, civvies still bimble around in parts of the world, on ill-conceived cultural visits, working on the principle that because they're non combatant tourists, they're above being attacked.

People need to be made aware that in the eyes of our enemies, we're all combatants.

Starlight Out
 
Starlight said:
People need to be made aware that in the eyes of our enemies, we're all combatants.
Click to expand...


That`s true...the guvernment wouldn`t like you to know the truth...otherwise nobody in his own mind working for a the guvernmental agency or anyagency at all would ever go unarmed or without a escort in a conflict zone..

And you can see there is not much fuss about it...Just a short notice on the evenning news and that`s all..In my own opining looks like the the guvernment is trying to minimalize the impact...But then ,I might be wrong!
 
Hi Starlight,

The post wasn't about the type of targets these groups are going after, it is more to do with the fact that once taken, they are only holding them for a short period of time before deaming them useless and getting rid of them.

My point is that kidnap and extortion is a big threat to a lot of the guys working all over the world in the security industry be it themselves or their principle and on this occassion, the situation went from a kidnap to a murder in a very short period of time. Normally, like the guy in Africa, he was taken and held for a number of months. The guys taken in Iraq have been gone for over a year now.

This looks like (or may not be) a change in what the captors normally do ie - Kidnap, Demand and then well......carry out the threat.

For the guys working in this environment, it might be one to watch out for as we all know time is not on your side in this situation.

Walks
 
The action in Yemen was quite unusual - and may reflect the TTPs of the body holding them rather than a change in tactics of the normal tribesmen kidnappers (who ordinarily treat their hostages relatively well before release).

Kidnap Avoidance/Hostage Survival training is an important part of preparation to deploy/operate in areas where you are at an increased risk of kidnap. We are running a further seminar in London on 08 Sept and will announce details soon. Further information is on our website at www.athenaintelligence.co.uk - click on 'view our training schedule' to see details of 'Open Courses'. Companies are welcome to contact us for bespoke and bulk training of their personnel under separate arrangement.

Best wishes
 
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