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Protests occurred in Yemen’s major cities, including Sana’a, Taiz, Ibb, Hudaydah, and Aden. Yemeni security forces broke up Aden funeral, killing one person. Security forces fired machine guns at thousands of people attending the funeral, which was for an al Qaeda suspect believed to have been involved in a June 2010 attack on intelligence headquarters in Aden. The mourners displayed the flag of former south Yemen.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said Yemeni government officials and oppositions figures both voiced concerns about al Qaeda. Feltman said, "Any government is going to be a strong partner. They are committed to work with us in fighting terrorism."
The UN is sending a mission to Yemen to assess the human rights situation. The UN team is scheduled to arrive in Yemen on June 27 for the 10-day mission. The price of bread in Yemen has doubled and there are severe fuel shortages.
The Yemeni state is undergoing fragmentation and a resolution to the political crisis in the capital will not result in a unified state. The country also remains at risk of armed conflict. The current situation has increased al Qaeda’s operating space in Yemen.
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