Sa'dah insurgency
Encyclopedia
The Shia Insurgency in Yemen, also known as the Houthi rebellion, Sa'dah War or Sa'dah conflict is a civil war
in Northern Yemen
. It began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi
, head of the Shia Zaidiyyah
sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. Most of the fighting has taken place in Sa'dah Governorate
in northwestern Yemen although some of the fighting spread to neighbouring governorates Hajjah
, 'Amran
, al-Jawf
and the Saudi province of Jizan.
The Yemeni government alleged that the Houthis
were seeking to overthrow it and to implement Shī‘a religious law
. The rebels counter that they are "defending their community against discrimination" and government aggression.
The Yemeni government has accused Iran
of directing and financing the insurgency.
In August 2009, the Yemeni army launched a fresh offensive against Shia rebels in the northern Sa'ada province. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by the fighting. The conflict took on an international dimension on 4 November 2009 as clashes broke out between the northern rebels and Saudi security forces along the two countries' common border and Saudis launched an anti-Houthi offensive. The rebels accuse Saudi Arabia
of supporting the Yemeni government in attacks against them. The Saudi government denied this. Houthi leaders claim that U.S. involvement in war started on 14 December when the U.S. launched 28 air raids.
General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
commanded the Yemeni security forces during the conflict and led all the government offensives from 2004 until 2011, when he deserted President Saleh during the 2011 Yemeni uprising
.
in North Yemen
ended over 1,000 years of rule by Zaydi
Imams
, a branch of Shia Islam, who claimed descent from the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad
. Sa'dah
, in the north, was their main stronghold and since their fall from power the region was largely ignored economically and remains underdeveloped. The Yemeni government has little authority in Saada.
During Yemen's 1994 civil war
, the Wahhabis, an Islamic group adhering to a strict version of Sunni Islam
found in neighboring Saudi Arabia, helped the government in its fight against the secessionist south
. Zaydis complain the government has subsequently allowed the Wahabis too strong a voice in Yemen. Saudi Arabia, for its part, worries that strife instigated by the Shia sect so close to Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia could stir up groups in Saudi itself.
Although it has received little international coverage, the conflict essentially pits Yemen's Sunni-majority government against Shia fighters, a conflict that has added significance for many Arab countries worried about the rising influence of Shia-ruled Iran.
The last five years of fighting against the armed Houthi group were sparked in 2004 by the government's attempt to arrest Hussein al-Houthi, a Zaydi religious leader of Shabab Al Mu'mineen and a former parliamentarian on whose head the government had placed a $55,000 bounty.
Estimates of the dead range from 500 to 1,000. On September 10, Yemeni forces killed al-Houthi.
Since then, the rebellion has been led by one of his brothers, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
. His father, Badr Eddin al-Houthi, took over the position as the group's spiritual leader.
In May 2005, the rebels rejected an offer of a presidential pardon by President Ali Abdullah Saleh
after their conditions for surrender were refused by the government and minor clashes continued. On May 21, the government released estimates of the impact of the rebellion, announcing that it was responsible for 552 deaths, 2,708 injures, and over USD 270 million in economic damages.
On, 23 June 2005, the rebels' military commander Abdullah al-Ruzami
surrendered to Yemeni authorities. after tribal mediators worked out a deal with the government.
. The fighting was ended before the Presidential elections that year and in March 2006, the Yemeni government freed more than 600 captured Shī‘a fighters. There was no data with regards to casualties in 2006, but they were said to be significantly lower than those of the previous year.
Further attacks on January 31, left six more soldiers dead and 10 wounded.
A further ten soldiers died and 20 were wounded in an attack on an army roadblock near the Saudi Arabia
n border on February 1.
Though there was no official confirmation of militant casualties in the attacks, government sources claim three rebel fighters were killed in a security operation following the January 31 attacks.
In February, the government launched a major offensive against the rebels involving 30,000 troops.
By February 19, almost 200 members of the security forces and over 100 rebels had died in the fighting.
A further 160 rebels were killed in the subsequent two weeks. A French student was also killed.
A ceasefire agreement was reached on June 16, 2007. The rebel leaders agreed to lay down arms and go into exile in Qatar
(by whom the agreement had been mediated), while the government agreed to release rebel prisoners, help pay for reconstruction and assist with IDP
s returning home.
In total some 1,500 people were killed by the conflict in 2007, including 800 government troops, 600 rebels and 100 civilians.
On May 2, 15 worshippers were killed and 55 wounded in a bombing
at the Bin Salman Mosque in Sa'dah
as crowds of people left Friday prayers. The government blamed the rebels for the bombing, but Houthi's group denied being responsible.
Shortly after the attack, three soldiers and four rebels died in overnight skirmishes.
On May 12, clashes between Yemeni soldiers and rebels near the border with Saudi Arabia
killed 13 soldiers and 26 rebels.
During fighting in May 2008, a total of 1,000 government forces were killed and 3,000 injured. Some 70,000 people were displaced by the fighting.
President Saleh declared an end to fighting in the northern Sa’dah governorate on July 17, 2008.
.
The conflict took on an international dimension late in the month. Clashes were reported between the Houthis and Saudi security forces near the border. Also, Yemeni officials captured a boat in the Red Sea that was transporting anti-tank shells and, according to some reports, five Iranian "instructors" sent to help the Houthis. Various official Iranian sources responded, calling this claim a politically motivated fabrication, and stating that the ship was traveling for business activities carrying no consignment. In early November the rebels stated that Saudi Arabia was permitting Yemeni army units to launch attacks from across the border at a base in Jabal al-Dukhan, charges which were denied by the Yemeni government. In late October, heavy clashes in the area of Razih led to the Houthis capturing two military headquarters and killing Yemeni commander General Amr Ali Mousa Al-Uuzali In early November, General Ali Salem al-Ameri and regeonal security chief Ahmed Bawazeir were killed in a Houthi ambush as they were returning from Saudi Arabia.
The conflict spilled into neighbouring Saudi Arabia for the first time since erupting in 2009 on November 4 when rebels shot dead a Saudi security officer in a cross-border attack. The rebels took control of a mountainous section inside Saudi Arabia, in the border region of Jabal al-Dukhan
and occupied two villages inside Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia’s news agency said that rebels had entered Saudi territory and attacked patrols, and that a second soldier later died from wounds sustained in the same clash. On November 5, Saudi Arabia responded by launching heavy air strikes on rebels in northern Yemen, and moved troops nearer the border. Saudi government officials said only that the air force had bombed Yemeni rebels who had seized a border area inside the kingdom, which they said had now been recaptured. The officials said at least 40 rebels had been killed in the fighting. The Saudi government adviser said no decision had yet been taken to send troops across the border, but made clear Riyadh was no longer prepared to tolerate the Yemeni rebels. The Saudi assault continued the following day, as Saudi residents near the southern border of Jizan Province were evacuated. At the same time, a Houthi spokesman reported to the media that they had captured Saudi troops. On 16 November, Yemen killed two Houthi commanders, Abbas Aaida and Abu Haider. On 19 November, Saudi forces took control of al-Malaheez, killing the local commander Ali al-Qatwani.
Houthi leaders claim that U.S. involvement started on 14 December when the U.S. launched 28 air raids. At least 120 people were killed and 44 injured by the alleged US air raids on the regions of Amran, Hajjah and Sa'dah in North Yemen. New air raids on 18 December killed 63 civilians, including 28 children and injured at least 90 people. U.S. President Barack Obama
claimed he had authorised the strikes against al-Qaeda. On 20 December, Saudi air strike killed some civilians. According to
a spokesman for the Houthis, a Saudi attack killed 54 people in the town of Al Nadheer in the northern province of Sa'dah. The group also claimed that Saudi forces were advancing on the nearby town of Zawa, also in Sa'dah, and had fired more than 200 shells.
On December 22, the Houthis stated that they have managed to repulse Saudi Arabian forces trying to infiltrate into the province of Sa'dah, killing an unspecified number of Saudi soldiers in a battle in the border region. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia gave Yemeni infiltrators still hiding in the southern border village of Jabiriya 24 hours to vacate the area or face death.
The fighting between Yemeni and Saudi forces and Houthis killed over 8,000 Yemenis throughout 2009. This included at least 119 Yemeni government forces, 263 Houthis, 277 civilians and 7 foreign civilians. Saudi casualties were confirmed at 82 at the time. With more soldiers killed in subsequent clashes and missing soldiers being found dead, however, the casualties rose to 133 killed by January 23, 2010. The number of missing was put at six.
In early January 2010, the Houthis chose the Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to mediate in their political standoff with the Yemeni government and to find a solution to the conflict. This choice was criticized by Saudi cleric Mohammad al-Arifi, a preacher at Riyadh’s central mosque, who dismissed al-Sistani as “an infidel and debauched.” The remarks by the Saudi cleric were considered extremely insulting by Shi’as around the world, causing major outrage in some Shi'a populated countries like Iraq, Iran and Lebanon.
On January 13, 2010, Operation Blow to the Head
was launched in an attempt by the government to capture the city of Sa'adah. Security forces claimed they killed 34 and arrested at least 25 Houthis, as well as killing al-Qaeda in Yemen leader Abdullah al-Mehdar within the next two weeks of fighting.
On January 25, 2010, the Houthis offered a truce and withdrew from 46 positions which they held in Saudi territory. Houthi leader Abdul Malek al-Houthi said they would stop fighting to prevent further civilian casualties and the withdrawal was a gesture for peace, but warned that if the Saudis were to continue fighting the Houthis would go over into open warfare. A Saudi general announced that the Houthis had stopped fighting and were not on Saudi land anymore and that in response the Saudis also stopped fighting saying, "The battle has ended by God's will." But the Saudi king denied the Houthis had withdrawn saying they were forced out, and declared military victory for the end of their conflict with the Houthis. There have however been allegations that the Saudis launched new air raids on January 29, thus breaking the truce.
On January 1 the Yemeni government offered a conditional cease-fire. The cease-fire had five conditions which were the re-establishment of safe passage on roads, the surrender of mountain strongholds, a full withdrawal from all local authority property, the return of all military and public equipment seized during hostilities and the release of all the detained civilians and soldiers. On January 30, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi released a video wherein he blamed the government for the recent round of fighting but said that: "Nevertheless, and for the fourth time, I announce our acceptance of the [government's] five conditions [for an end to the conflict] after the aggression stops ... the ball is now in the other party's court." After the truce was accepted on January 30, however, there were still some clashes between the Houthis and both Saudi and Yemeni forces. Therefore, on January 31 the Yemeni government rejected the truce and launched a new round of attacks, killing 24 people.
.
On July 17, 2010, the Houthis warned on their website that the government was preparing for another offensive against the Houthis. They said the government had been digging trenches from the Sana'a to Sa'ada. They claimed the army was trying to amass servicemen in villages and that soldiers in Amshia Bsfian region were creating an army stronghold on Mount Guide. The report came as the Yemeni government blamed Houthi fighters for recent ethnic clashes which had killed 11 people, including two soldiers and for the kidnapping of two people in a market. The Houthis have denied these allegations and have claimed that it was the work of the government.
On July 20, 2010, clashes broke out between Houthis and members of an army-backed tribe, led by Sheikh Sagheer Aziz in the region of Souffian. A Houthi commander declared that the clashes had broken out because of Yemeni Army attacks on Houthis and local pro-Houthi tribes. During the clashes 49 people were killed, including 20 tribal fighters and 10 Houthi fighters. The Houthis also managed to surround the Yemeni military bases in the region. Over the following days clashes continued between the Yemeni army and pro-government Bin Aziz tribes and the Houthis. The government claimed that in the following two days 20 fighters at each side had been killed. A Houthi spokesman denied these claims, stating only 3 Houthi fighters had been killed in the clashes. Both sides have blamed each other for starting the clashes. The UN expressed great concern about the situation in North Yemen.
On July 23, Houthi spokesman Vayf-Allah al-Shami said calm had returned to the region and that a government committee was trying to mediate a cease-fire between the Houthis and the Bin Aziz tribes in the Souffian region.
On July 27, Houthis captured a military post in al-Zaala in Harf Sufyan, capturing 200 soldiers. The soldiers were from the 72nd regiment of the army's republican guard. Tribal sources claimed they had inflicted 200 fatalities on the Houthis in al-Amsheya while suffering only 30 dead themselves. Houthi spokesman Abdul Salam denied the high number of killed and said the claims were highly exaggerated. Houthis said they recovered the bodies of 17 of their fighters, including that of rebel commander Abu Haidar, near the house of Sheikh Saghir Aziz in Al-Maqam, near Al-Zaala.
On July 29, the Houthis released the 200 soldiers they had captured as a good gesture. In total some 70 people had died since the clashes started.
On November 22, one soldier was killed and two were wounded by a roadside bombing. The next day 23 Houthi fighters and supporters were killed and 30 were injured by a car bomb targeting a Shi'a, religious procession in al-Jawf province. On November 26, two Shi'a mourners were killed and eight were injured by a bomb while on their way to Sa'adah city to attend Badreddin al-Houthi's funeral.
In total, between 195 and 281 people were killed during this round violence, majority of the casualties on the Houthi side.
on 27 January. On 2 February, President Saleh announced he would not run for reelection in 2013 and that he would not pass power to his son. On 3 February, 20,000 people protested against the government in Sana'a, others protested in Aden, in a "Day of Rage" called for by Tawakel Karman
, while soldiers, armed members of the General People's Congress and many protestors held a pro-government rally in Sana'a.
On February 27, Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced that the Houthis support the pro-democracy protests and their right to regime change, as happened in Tunisia
and Egypt
. Following these statements, large crowds of Houthis joined in with the protests all over Northern Yemen.
Houthis entered the city of Sa'ada on March 19 and after fighting a drawn out battle with pro-government Sheikh Uthman Mujalli, they managed to seize control of the town on March 24, after destroying Sheikh Mujalli's house and forcing the local governor to flee the city. Houthis then installed new military checkpoints at the entrances and exits of the city, after police deserted their posts and were relocated to army camps eslewhere.
On March 26 , Houthi rebels declared the creation of their own administration in Saada Governorate, independent from Yemeni authorities. A former arms dealer was appointed governor by the Houthis as the previous Sa'dah governor was forced to flee to Sanaa.
On July 8, 23 people were killed in fighting between the Houthis and the opposition Islah party in al-Jawf governorate. The fighting erupted after the governor of al-Jawf fled and opposition tribes took control of the governorate and the Houthis refused to hand over a Yemeni military base which they had seized several months earlier. Fighting continued until July 11, during that day over 30 people were killed in the violence in al-Jawf. The Houthis say that some elements of the pro-Islah militias were linked to al-Qaeda.
On July 28, over 120 people were killed as the Houthis launched an offensive to take over government buildings in al-Jawf. The war in Jawf lasted for four months, in which Sunni tribes claimed to have killed 470 Houthis, acknowledging 85 casualties at their side, and it eventually led to the Houthis taking control of al-Jawf governorate.
In August a suspected al-Qaeda
car-bombing killed 14 Houthis in al-Jawf after al-Qaeda declared a holy war against the Houthis earlier that year. Although the Houthis initialy blamed the US and Israel for the bombing, al-Qaeda eventualy claimed responsibility for the bombing and in early November, clashes erupted between Houthis and a Salafi
group in Sa'dah, in which one Salafi was killed.
On November 9, after several days of heavy fighting the Houthis managed to break through defense lines of the pro-government Kashir and Aahm tribes in Hajjah Governorate
, seizing control of the Kuhlan Ash Sharaf District
and advancing towards the port of Midi
, which would grant them access to the sea. Through Hajjah, the Houthis would be enabled to launch an assault on Yemeni capital Sana'a. By taking Kuhlan Ash Sharaf, the Houthis managed to gain control over a highway linking San'a to the sea.
On November 15, clashes between Houthis and Islah party militia re-started in al-Jawf, after an Islah party member tried to blow himself up during the al-Ghadeer festival, in Al Maton District
but was captured and killed by the Houthis. A total of 10 people died in the ensuing fighting.
Houthi leaders however claim that US involvement started on 14 December when the US launched 28 air raids. At least 120 people were killed and 44 injured by the alleged US air raids on the regions of Amran, Hajjah and Sa'ada in North Yemen, a Houthi leader was quoted as saying: "The US air force perpetrated an appalling massacre against citizens in the north of Yemen as it launched air raids on various populated areas, markets, refugee camps and villages along with Saudi warplanes, The savage crime committed by the US air force shows the real face of the United States. It cancels out much touted American claims of human rights protection, promotion of freedoms of citizens as well as democracy." The Houthi claimed that new air raids on 18 December killed 63 civilians, including 28 children and injured at least 90 people.
On June 17, 2011, following Friday prayers, tens of thousands of protestors rallied in Sa'dah
against US interference in Yemen.
The houthis blamed US intelligence forces of carrying out a bombing in August 2011 which killed 14 Houthi fighters.
is alleged to have sent hundreds of elite fighters, mainly para-troopers to trained for counter-insurgency operations to aid the 2009-2010 Saudi offensive.: It was alleged in Pakistani newspapers that the government of Pakistan had sent 300-man Special Forces unit to join Yemeni counter insurgency operations in Sa'dah.
estimated that the conflict had created 77,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sa'dah Governorate. By order of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, the Saudis are to shelter and build 10,000 new homes for the war-displaced people.
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
in Northern Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. It began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi
Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi
Sheikh Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi was a Zaidi religious leader and former Yemeni member of parliament. He was an instrumental figure in the Sa'dah conflict against the Yemeni government, which began in 2004...
, head of the Shia Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. Most of the fighting has taken place in Sa'dah Governorate
Sa'dah Governorate
Saada is a governorate located in the north of Yemen on the border with Saudi Arabia. As of February 2004, the province had a population of 695,033 inhabitants, around 3.67% of the total population of Yemen and have an area of 11,375 square kilometers.. It is one of the most inaccessible areas of...
in northwestern Yemen although some of the fighting spread to neighbouring governorates Hajjah
Hajjah Governorate
Hajjah is a governorate of Yemen. Bordered by the Red Sea, it has its capital in Hajjah.-Overview:Claims have been made that this region along with Sa'dah and Al Hudaydah legally belong to Saudi Arabia due to irregularities in the Treaty of Taif and the fact that it was once part of Asir that was...
, 'Amran
'Amran Governorate
Amran is a governorate of Yemen.-Districts:*Al Ashah District*Al Madan District*Al Qaflah District*Amran District*As Sawd District*As Sudah District*Bani Suraim District*Dhi Bin District*Habur Zulaymah District*Harf Sufyan District...
, al-Jawf
Al Jawf Governorate
Al Jawf is a governorate of Yemen.-Districts:*Al Ghayl District*Al Hazm District*Al Humaydat District*Al Khalq District*Al Maslub District*Al Matammah District*Al Maton District*Az Zahir District*Bart Al Anan District*Khabb wa ash Sha'af District...
and the Saudi province of Jizan.
The Yemeni government alleged that the Houthis
Houthis
The Houthis Houthis) are a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as a "powerful clan," and by the title Ash-Shabab al-Muminin or Youthful Believers). The group takes its name from Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, their former commander, who was reportedly...
were seeking to overthrow it and to implement Shī‘a religious law
Religious law
In some religions, law can be thought of as the ordering principle of reality; knowledge as revealed by a God defining and governing all human affairs. Law, in the religious sense, also includes codes of ethics and morality which are upheld and required by the God...
. The rebels counter that they are "defending their community against discrimination" and government aggression.
The Yemeni government has accused Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
of directing and financing the insurgency.
In August 2009, the Yemeni army launched a fresh offensive against Shia rebels in the northern Sa'ada province. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by the fighting. The conflict took on an international dimension on 4 November 2009 as clashes broke out between the northern rebels and Saudi security forces along the two countries' common border and Saudis launched an anti-Houthi offensive. The rebels accuse Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
of supporting the Yemeni government in attacks against them. The Saudi government denied this. Houthi leaders claim that U.S. involvement in war started on 14 December when the U.S. launched 28 air raids.
General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar is the general of the Yemeni army. He is rumored to be the half brother of the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh from a different father.. He serves as President Saleh's chief military adviser...
commanded the Yemeni security forces during the conflict and led all the government offensives from 2004 until 2011, when he deserted President Saleh during the 2011 Yemeni uprising
2011 Yemeni uprising
The 2011 Yemen Uprising followed the initial stages of the Tunisian Revolution and occurred simultaneously with the Egyptian Revolution and other mass protests in the Middle East in early 2011. In its early phase, protests in Yemen were initially against unemployment, economic conditions and...
.
Background
In 1962, a revolutionYemen Arab Republic
The Yemen Arab Republic , also known as North Yemen or Yemen , was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen...
in North Yemen
Upper Yemen
Upper Yemen and Lower Yemen are traditional regions of the north western highland mountains of Yemen. Northern Highlands and Southern Highlands are terms more commonly used presently. The Sumara Mountains just south of the town of Yarim denote the boundaries of the two regions. These two...
ended over 1,000 years of rule by Zaydi
Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
Imams
Imams of Yemen
The Imams of Yemen and later the Kings of Yemen were religiously consecrated leaders belonging to the Zaidiyyah branch of Shia Islam. They established a blend of religious and secular rule in parts of Yemen from 897. Their imamate endured under varying circumstances until the republican revolution...
, a branch of Shia Islam, who claimed descent from the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
, in the north, was their main stronghold and since their fall from power the region was largely ignored economically and remains underdeveloped. The Yemeni government has little authority in Saada.
During Yemen's 1994 civil war
1994 civil war in Yemen
The May–July 1994 civil war in Yemen was waged between the armed forces of the former Northern and Southern Yemeni states and their supporters...
, the Wahhabis, an Islamic group adhering to a strict version of Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
found in neighboring Saudi Arabia, helped the government in its fight against the secessionist south
Democratic Republic of Yemen
The Democratic Republic of Yemen was declared in May 1994. The DRY, with its capital in Aden, was led by President Ali Salim al-Beidh and Prime Minister Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas and represented a response to the weakening position of the South in the Yemeni civil war of 1994...
. Zaydis complain the government has subsequently allowed the Wahabis too strong a voice in Yemen. Saudi Arabia, for its part, worries that strife instigated by the Shia sect so close to Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia could stir up groups in Saudi itself.
Although it has received little international coverage, the conflict essentially pits Yemen's Sunni-majority government against Shia fighters, a conflict that has added significance for many Arab countries worried about the rising influence of Shia-ruled Iran.
The last five years of fighting against the armed Houthi group were sparked in 2004 by the government's attempt to arrest Hussein al-Houthi, a Zaydi religious leader of Shabab Al Mu'mineen and a former parliamentarian on whose head the government had placed a $55,000 bounty.
Round 1: June 2004 - September 2004
From June to August 2004, government troops battled supporters of al-Houthi in the north.Estimates of the dead range from 500 to 1,000. On September 10, Yemeni forces killed al-Houthi.
Since then, the rebellion has been led by one of his brothers, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi is a leader of the Zaidiyyah insurgency in Sa'dah Governorate, Yemen. His brothers Yahia Badreddin al Houthi and Abdul-Karim Al-Houthi are also leaders of the insurgency, as was his late brother Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi. He was claimed to have been heavily injured during an...
. His father, Badr Eddin al-Houthi, took over the position as the group's spiritual leader.
Round 2: March 2005 - May 2005
Between March and April 2005, some 1,500 people were killed in a resurgence of fighting between government forces and supporters of the slain cleric.In May 2005, the rebels rejected an offer of a presidential pardon by President Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
after their conditions for surrender were refused by the government and minor clashes continued. On May 21, the government released estimates of the impact of the rebellion, announcing that it was responsible for 552 deaths, 2,708 injures, and over USD 270 million in economic damages.
On, 23 June 2005, the rebels' military commander Abdullah al-Ruzami
Abdullah al-Ruzami
Abdullah Eida al-Ruzami is the military leader of Zaydi rebels who are fighting against the Government of Yemen, known as the Houthis.He cosigned a letter to the Yemeni government with Yahia Badreddin al Houthi, the rebels' spiritual leader, in May 2005 offering an end to the uprising if the...
surrendered to Yemeni authorities. after tribal mediators worked out a deal with the government.
Round 3: November 2005 - Early 2006
A third round of fighting broke out from November 2005 until early 2006. During this round, the pro-government Hamdan tribe, led by Sheikh Abdullah al-Awjari battled with pro-Houthi tribes and Houthis tried to assassinate a Ministry of Justice official in DhamarDhamar, Yemen
Dhamar is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of around 2400 metres.-Overview:Dhamar is situated 100 km to the south of Sana'a, north of Ibb, and west of Al-Beidha, 2700 m above sea level. Its name “Dhamar” goes back to the king of Sheba and Dou-Reddan at 15-35 AD...
. The fighting was ended before the Presidential elections that year and in March 2006, the Yemeni government freed more than 600 captured Shī‘a fighters. There was no data with regards to casualties in 2006, but they were said to be significantly lower than those of the previous year.
Round 4: January 2007 - June 2007
A new spate of fighting broke out on January 28, 2007, when militants attacked multiple government installations, killing six soldiers and injuring 20 more.Further attacks on January 31, left six more soldiers dead and 10 wounded.
A further ten soldiers died and 20 were wounded in an attack on an army roadblock near the Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n border on February 1.
Though there was no official confirmation of militant casualties in the attacks, government sources claim three rebel fighters were killed in a security operation following the January 31 attacks.
In February, the government launched a major offensive against the rebels involving 30,000 troops.
By February 19, almost 200 members of the security forces and over 100 rebels had died in the fighting.
A further 160 rebels were killed in the subsequent two weeks. A French student was also killed.
A ceasefire agreement was reached on June 16, 2007. The rebel leaders agreed to lay down arms and go into exile in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
(by whom the agreement had been mediated), while the government agreed to release rebel prisoners, help pay for reconstruction and assist with IDP
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s returning home.
In total some 1,500 people were killed by the conflict in 2007, including 800 government troops, 600 rebels and 100 civilians.
Round 5: March 2008 - July 2008
Armed incidents resumed in April 2008, when seven Yemeni soldiers died in a rebel ambush on April 29.On May 2, 15 worshippers were killed and 55 wounded in a bombing
2008 Bin Salman Mosque bombing
The 2008 Bin Salman Mosque bombing was a bombing on May 2, 2008 at the Bin Salman Mosque in Sa'dah, Sa'dah Governorate, Yemen, which killed 15 and injured 55. Local officials believe the bomb was hidden in a car or a motorcycle....
at the Bin Salman Mosque in Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
as crowds of people left Friday prayers. The government blamed the rebels for the bombing, but Houthi's group denied being responsible.
Shortly after the attack, three soldiers and four rebels died in overnight skirmishes.
On May 12, clashes between Yemeni soldiers and rebels near the border with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
killed 13 soldiers and 26 rebels.
During fighting in May 2008, a total of 1,000 government forces were killed and 3,000 injured. Some 70,000 people were displaced by the fighting.
President Saleh declared an end to fighting in the northern Sa’dah governorate on July 17, 2008.
Round 6: August 2009 - February 2010
Yemeni troops, backed by tanks and fighter aircraft, launched a major offensive, code-named Operation Scorched Earth, against the rebel stronghold in northern Yemen on August 11, 2009, after the government promised to use an "iron fist" against the rebels. On September 17, more than 80 people were killed in an air raid on a camp for displaced people in northern YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.
The conflict took on an international dimension late in the month. Clashes were reported between the Houthis and Saudi security forces near the border. Also, Yemeni officials captured a boat in the Red Sea that was transporting anti-tank shells and, according to some reports, five Iranian "instructors" sent to help the Houthis. Various official Iranian sources responded, calling this claim a politically motivated fabrication, and stating that the ship was traveling for business activities carrying no consignment. In early November the rebels stated that Saudi Arabia was permitting Yemeni army units to launch attacks from across the border at a base in Jabal al-Dukhan, charges which were denied by the Yemeni government. In late October, heavy clashes in the area of Razih led to the Houthis capturing two military headquarters and killing Yemeni commander General Amr Ali Mousa Al-Uuzali In early November, General Ali Salem al-Ameri and regeonal security chief Ahmed Bawazeir were killed in a Houthi ambush as they were returning from Saudi Arabia.
The conflict spilled into neighbouring Saudi Arabia for the first time since erupting in 2009 on November 4 when rebels shot dead a Saudi security officer in a cross-border attack. The rebels took control of a mountainous section inside Saudi Arabia, in the border region of Jabal al-Dukhan
Jabal al-Dukhan
Jabal al-Dukhan is a mountain located in Saudi territory south-west of the town in the province of Akhawbp tillage in Jizan, which borders the Mount Smoke path of the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen from the south-east and the length of the mountain and his 7x7 kilometers and reaches an...
and occupied two villages inside Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia’s news agency said that rebels had entered Saudi territory and attacked patrols, and that a second soldier later died from wounds sustained in the same clash. On November 5, Saudi Arabia responded by launching heavy air strikes on rebels in northern Yemen, and moved troops nearer the border. Saudi government officials said only that the air force had bombed Yemeni rebels who had seized a border area inside the kingdom, which they said had now been recaptured. The officials said at least 40 rebels had been killed in the fighting. The Saudi government adviser said no decision had yet been taken to send troops across the border, but made clear Riyadh was no longer prepared to tolerate the Yemeni rebels. The Saudi assault continued the following day, as Saudi residents near the southern border of Jizan Province were evacuated. At the same time, a Houthi spokesman reported to the media that they had captured Saudi troops. On 16 November, Yemen killed two Houthi commanders, Abbas Aaida and Abu Haider. On 19 November, Saudi forces took control of al-Malaheez, killing the local commander Ali al-Qatwani.
Houthi leaders claim that U.S. involvement started on 14 December when the U.S. launched 28 air raids. At least 120 people were killed and 44 injured by the alleged US air raids on the regions of Amran, Hajjah and Sa'dah in North Yemen. New air raids on 18 December killed 63 civilians, including 28 children and injured at least 90 people. U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
claimed he had authorised the strikes against al-Qaeda. On 20 December, Saudi air strike killed some civilians. According to
a spokesman for the Houthis, a Saudi attack killed 54 people in the town of Al Nadheer in the northern province of Sa'dah. The group also claimed that Saudi forces were advancing on the nearby town of Zawa, also in Sa'dah, and had fired more than 200 shells.
On December 22, the Houthis stated that they have managed to repulse Saudi Arabian forces trying to infiltrate into the province of Sa'dah, killing an unspecified number of Saudi soldiers in a battle in the border region. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia gave Yemeni infiltrators still hiding in the southern border village of Jabiriya 24 hours to vacate the area or face death.
The fighting between Yemeni and Saudi forces and Houthis killed over 8,000 Yemenis throughout 2009. This included at least 119 Yemeni government forces, 263 Houthis, 277 civilians and 7 foreign civilians. Saudi casualties were confirmed at 82 at the time. With more soldiers killed in subsequent clashes and missing soldiers being found dead, however, the casualties rose to 133 killed by January 23, 2010. The number of missing was put at six.
In early January 2010, the Houthis chose the Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to mediate in their political standoff with the Yemeni government and to find a solution to the conflict. This choice was criticized by Saudi cleric Mohammad al-Arifi, a preacher at Riyadh’s central mosque, who dismissed al-Sistani as “an infidel and debauched.” The remarks by the Saudi cleric were considered extremely insulting by Shi’as around the world, causing major outrage in some Shi'a populated countries like Iraq, Iran and Lebanon.
On January 13, 2010, Operation Blow to the Head
Operation Blow to the Head
Operation Blow to the Head was a Yemeni military operation against the militants in the insurgent Yemeni town of Sa'dah in Sa'dah Province. The Yemeni government troops began trying to capture the town on January 13, 2010. On that day the Islamic militant Abdullah al-Mehdar was killed by Yemeni...
was launched in an attempt by the government to capture the city of Sa'adah. Security forces claimed they killed 34 and arrested at least 25 Houthis, as well as killing al-Qaeda in Yemen leader Abdullah al-Mehdar within the next two weeks of fighting.
On January 25, 2010, the Houthis offered a truce and withdrew from 46 positions which they held in Saudi territory. Houthi leader Abdul Malek al-Houthi said they would stop fighting to prevent further civilian casualties and the withdrawal was a gesture for peace, but warned that if the Saudis were to continue fighting the Houthis would go over into open warfare. A Saudi general announced that the Houthis had stopped fighting and were not on Saudi land anymore and that in response the Saudis also stopped fighting saying, "The battle has ended by God's will." But the Saudi king denied the Houthis had withdrawn saying they were forced out, and declared military victory for the end of their conflict with the Houthis. There have however been allegations that the Saudis launched new air raids on January 29, thus breaking the truce.
On January 1 the Yemeni government offered a conditional cease-fire. The cease-fire had five conditions which were the re-establishment of safe passage on roads, the surrender of mountain strongholds, a full withdrawal from all local authority property, the return of all military and public equipment seized during hostilities and the release of all the detained civilians and soldiers. On January 30, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi released a video wherein he blamed the government for the recent round of fighting but said that: "Nevertheless, and for the fourth time, I announce our acceptance of the [government's] five conditions [for an end to the conflict] after the aggression stops ... the ball is now in the other party's court." After the truce was accepted on January 30, however, there were still some clashes between the Houthis and both Saudi and Yemeni forces. Therefore, on January 31 the Yemeni government rejected the truce and launched a new round of attacks, killing 24 people.
2010 Conflict with pro-government tribes
In April, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam declared that they had captured the Manaba district in Sa'dah and that government forces did not put up much resistance. Government troops declared they had killed 30 Houthis which tried to penetrate into Harf Sufyan DistrictHarf Sufyan District
Harf Sufyan District is a district of the 'Amran Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 42,480 inhabitants....
.
On July 17, 2010, the Houthis warned on their website that the government was preparing for another offensive against the Houthis. They said the government had been digging trenches from the Sana'a to Sa'ada. They claimed the army was trying to amass servicemen in villages and that soldiers in Amshia Bsfian region were creating an army stronghold on Mount Guide. The report came as the Yemeni government blamed Houthi fighters for recent ethnic clashes which had killed 11 people, including two soldiers and for the kidnapping of two people in a market. The Houthis have denied these allegations and have claimed that it was the work of the government.
On July 20, 2010, clashes broke out between Houthis and members of an army-backed tribe, led by Sheikh Sagheer Aziz in the region of Souffian. A Houthi commander declared that the clashes had broken out because of Yemeni Army attacks on Houthis and local pro-Houthi tribes. During the clashes 49 people were killed, including 20 tribal fighters and 10 Houthi fighters. The Houthis also managed to surround the Yemeni military bases in the region. Over the following days clashes continued between the Yemeni army and pro-government Bin Aziz tribes and the Houthis. The government claimed that in the following two days 20 fighters at each side had been killed. A Houthi spokesman denied these claims, stating only 3 Houthi fighters had been killed in the clashes. Both sides have blamed each other for starting the clashes. The UN expressed great concern about the situation in North Yemen.
On July 23, Houthi spokesman Vayf-Allah al-Shami said calm had returned to the region and that a government committee was trying to mediate a cease-fire between the Houthis and the Bin Aziz tribes in the Souffian region.
On July 27, Houthis captured a military post in al-Zaala in Harf Sufyan, capturing 200 soldiers. The soldiers were from the 72nd regiment of the army's republican guard. Tribal sources claimed they had inflicted 200 fatalities on the Houthis in al-Amsheya while suffering only 30 dead themselves. Houthi spokesman Abdul Salam denied the high number of killed and said the claims were highly exaggerated. Houthis said they recovered the bodies of 17 of their fighters, including that of rebel commander Abu Haidar, near the house of Sheikh Saghir Aziz in Al-Maqam, near Al-Zaala.
On July 29, the Houthis released the 200 soldiers they had captured as a good gesture. In total some 70 people had died since the clashes started.
On November 22, one soldier was killed and two were wounded by a roadside bombing. The next day 23 Houthi fighters and supporters were killed and 30 were injured by a car bomb targeting a Shi'a, religious procession in al-Jawf province. On November 26, two Shi'a mourners were killed and eight were injured by a bomb while on their way to Sa'adah city to attend Badreddin al-Houthi's funeral.
In total, between 195 and 281 people were killed during this round violence, majority of the casualties on the Houthi side.
2011 Yemeni uprising
A major demonstration of over 16,000 protestors took place in Sana'aSana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
on 27 January. On 2 February, President Saleh announced he would not run for reelection in 2013 and that he would not pass power to his son. On 3 February, 20,000 people protested against the government in Sana'a, others protested in Aden, in a "Day of Rage" called for by Tawakel Karman
Tawakel Karman
Tawakel Karman became the international public face of the 2011 Yemeni uprising that is part of the Arab Spring uprisings...
, while soldiers, armed members of the General People's Congress and many protestors held a pro-government rally in Sana'a.
On February 27, Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced that the Houthis support the pro-democracy protests and their right to regime change, as happened in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Following these statements, large crowds of Houthis joined in with the protests all over Northern Yemen.
Houthis entered the city of Sa'ada on March 19 and after fighting a drawn out battle with pro-government Sheikh Uthman Mujalli, they managed to seize control of the town on March 24, after destroying Sheikh Mujalli's house and forcing the local governor to flee the city. Houthis then installed new military checkpoints at the entrances and exits of the city, after police deserted their posts and were relocated to army camps eslewhere.
On March 26 , Houthi rebels declared the creation of their own administration in Saada Governorate, independent from Yemeni authorities. A former arms dealer was appointed governor by the Houthis as the previous Sa'dah governor was forced to flee to Sanaa.
On July 8, 23 people were killed in fighting between the Houthis and the opposition Islah party in al-Jawf governorate. The fighting erupted after the governor of al-Jawf fled and opposition tribes took control of the governorate and the Houthis refused to hand over a Yemeni military base which they had seized several months earlier. Fighting continued until July 11, during that day over 30 people were killed in the violence in al-Jawf. The Houthis say that some elements of the pro-Islah militias were linked to al-Qaeda.
On July 28, over 120 people were killed as the Houthis launched an offensive to take over government buildings in al-Jawf. The war in Jawf lasted for four months, in which Sunni tribes claimed to have killed 470 Houthis, acknowledging 85 casualties at their side, and it eventually led to the Houthis taking control of al-Jawf governorate.
In August a suspected al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
car-bombing killed 14 Houthis in al-Jawf after al-Qaeda declared a holy war against the Houthis earlier that year. Although the Houthis initialy blamed the US and Israel for the bombing, al-Qaeda eventualy claimed responsibility for the bombing and in early November, clashes erupted between Houthis and a Salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
group in Sa'dah, in which one Salafi was killed.
On November 9, after several days of heavy fighting the Houthis managed to break through defense lines of the pro-government Kashir and Aahm tribes in Hajjah Governorate
Hajjah Governorate
Hajjah is a governorate of Yemen. Bordered by the Red Sea, it has its capital in Hajjah.-Overview:Claims have been made that this region along with Sa'dah and Al Hudaydah legally belong to Saudi Arabia due to irregularities in the Treaty of Taif and the fact that it was once part of Asir that was...
, seizing control of the Kuhlan Ash Sharaf District
Kuhlan Ash Sharaf District
Kuhlan Ash Sharaf District is a district of the Hajjah Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 44,760 people.The district is under control of the Shi'a militant group the Houthis, since November 2011...
and advancing towards the port of Midi
Midi District
Midi District is a district of the Hajjah Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 16,604 inhabitants....
, which would grant them access to the sea. Through Hajjah, the Houthis would be enabled to launch an assault on Yemeni capital Sana'a. By taking Kuhlan Ash Sharaf, the Houthis managed to gain control over a highway linking San'a to the sea.
On November 15, clashes between Houthis and Islah party militia re-started in al-Jawf, after an Islah party member tried to blow himself up during the al-Ghadeer festival, in Al Maton District
Al Maton District
Al Maton District is a district of the Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 28,411 inhabitants....
but was captured and killed by the Houthis. A total of 10 people died in the ensuing fighting.
Iran and Hezbollah
There have been a number of alleged Iranian involvements in the Sa'dah insurgency to aid the Houthis, including:- The Saudi and Yemeni governments both accuse Shia Iran of helping the Houthis. Iran, they say, has secretly landed arms on the Red Sea coast. In October, 2009, Yemen’s government said its navy intercepted an arms-carrying Iranian vessel. Yemen’s state-controlled press claims Houthi rebels have been trained in an Iranian-run camp across the Red Sea in EritreaEritreaEritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
. Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, says members of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hizbullah militia are teaching them. The Yemeni authorities also darkly note that the Houthis’ long-time leader, Hussein al-Houthi, who died in battle in 2004, used to visit QomQomQom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
, one of Shia Iran’s holiest cities. None of these accusations have yet been borne out by independent observers and the Iranians deny any involvement. - Alarabiya.netAl ArabiyaAl Arabiya is a Pan-Arabist Saudi-owned Arabic-language television news channel. Launched on March 3, 2003, the channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is majority-owned by the Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center ....
quoted well-informed sources as saying that "the president of the former South YemenDemocratic Republic of YemenThe Democratic Republic of Yemen was declared in May 1994. The DRY, with its capital in Aden, was led by President Ali Salim al-Beidh and Prime Minister Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas and represented a response to the weakening position of the South in the Yemeni civil war of 1994...
(Ali Salim al-Bidh) conducted a secret visit to the Lebanese capital BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
last October (2009), and tried to contact figures close to Hizbullah aiming to win its support for the Huthi rebels, and for South (Yemen's) secession." The sources added that those Hizbullah-allied figures "informed al-Bidh that the party's top officials do not want to meet with him and that they do not approve the attribution of Hizbullah's name with what is happening in Yemen, or to appear as supporting to any rebellion." Ibrahim al-Mussawi, Head of Hizbullah's Media Unit, told Alarabiya.net that his party denies the report about an alleged secret visit. - High-ranking officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were said to have secretly met with Huthi rebels and Hizbullah in Yemen to coordinate joint military operations against Saudi positions along the border. Pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat daily said Arab and Egyptian sources uncovered that a number of intelligence services in the region have learned of the three-way meeting which also aimed at developing a plan to escalate the military situation along the Saudi-Yemeni border. It said the high-level meeting which took place in November, 2009 was the most prominent evidence of "direct Iranian involvement" in the support of Huthi rebels financially, militarily and logistically.
- Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-KurbiAbu Bakr al-KurbiAbu Bakr al-Kurbi is the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Yemen.On 13 December 2009, al-Kurbi urged Tehran to crack down on Iranian groups he accused of aiding Huthi rebels in northern Yemen and held Iran's government partly to blame...
on 13 December 2009 urged TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
to crack down on Iranian groups he accused of aiding Huthi rebels in northern Yemen and held Iran's government partly to blame. He said: "Religious (Shiite) circles and groups in Iran are providing aid to the Huthis," However, Iran has repeatedly denied such accusations. - On 25 May Iran first deployed warships to the Gulf of AdenGulf of AdenThe Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
to combat Piracy in SomaliaPiracy in SomaliaPiracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
. On 20 January 2010 On 18 November a second group of Iranian warships came to the Gulf of Aden, at the same time as Saudi Arabia imposed a blockade on Houthi controlled coasts and launched a crackdown on Houthi ships delivering weapons to the Houthis. Iran dispatched it's 5th fleet to the Gulf of Aden. Some have alleged that the Iranian Navy is operating there to help supply the Houthis with weapons and counter the Saudi naval power in the area rather than to fight Somali pirates.
United States
On December 2009, According to The New York Times, the United States has provided weapons and logistical support to Yemeni government strikes against suspected hide-outs of so-called Al Qaeda within its borders. The officials said that the American support was approved by President Obama and came at the request of the Yemeni government. Houthis claimed in a statement that the U.S. has used modern fighter jets and bombers in its offensive against the Yemen fighters.Houthi leaders however claim that US involvement started on 14 December when the US launched 28 air raids. At least 120 people were killed and 44 injured by the alleged US air raids on the regions of Amran, Hajjah and Sa'ada in North Yemen, a Houthi leader was quoted as saying: "The US air force perpetrated an appalling massacre against citizens in the north of Yemen as it launched air raids on various populated areas, markets, refugee camps and villages along with Saudi warplanes, The savage crime committed by the US air force shows the real face of the United States. It cancels out much touted American claims of human rights protection, promotion of freedoms of citizens as well as democracy." The Houthi claimed that new air raids on 18 December killed 63 civilians, including 28 children and injured at least 90 people.
On June 17, 2011, following Friday prayers, tens of thousands of protestors rallied in Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
against US interference in Yemen.
The houthis blamed US intelligence forces of carrying out a bombing in August 2011 which killed 14 Houthi fighters.
Other
: It has been alleged that Jordan deployed commandos to fight alongside the Saudis during their offensive in Northern Mount Al-Dukhan and that Saudis sent the Jordanian commandos to fight in Northern Yemen. They also sent auxiliary units to support Saudi forces. By December 2009 it was alleged that over 2,000 Jordanian soldiers were fighting at the front.: King Mohammed VI of MoroccoMohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...
is alleged to have sent hundreds of elite fighters, mainly para-troopers to trained for counter-insurgency operations to aid the 2009-2010 Saudi offensive.: It was alleged in Pakistani newspapers that the government of Pakistan had sent 300-man Special Forces unit to join Yemeni counter insurgency operations in Sa'dah.
Humanitarian effects
In April 2008, the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
estimated that the conflict had created 77,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sa'dah Governorate. By order of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, the Saudis are to shelter and build 10,000 new homes for the war-displaced people.
Use of child soldiers
UNICEF and Islamic Relief Worldwide were reported of condemning Al-Houthi rebels for abusing children by forcing them to fight for their cause. In November 2009, over 400 children walked to the UNDP office in Sana'a, to protest against Houthi abuse of children's rights. The Yemeni military has also been accused of employing children under 18 in it's ranks.See also
- List of wars 2003–current
- List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
- Human rights in YemenHuman rights in YemenThe situation for Human Rights in Yemen is rather poor. The security forces have been responsible for torture, inhumane treatment and even extrajudicial executions. But according to the Embassy of Yemen, in recent years there has been some improvement, with the government signing several...
- Military of YemenMilitary of YemenThe armed forces of Yemen include the Yemen Army , Navy , Yemen Air Force . A major reorganization of the armed forces continues. The unified air forces and air defenses are now under one command. The navy has concentration in Aden...
- ZaidiyyahZaidiyyahZaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
- 2009 South Yemen insurgency
- 2011 Yemeni protests