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Clashes Break Out among Coup Militias in Yemen | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Houthi militants stand at the site of a Saudi-led air strike which targeted a tunnel leading to the presidential house near the Petrol Station in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, October 1, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi


Jeddah- Fighting for a powergrab in Yemen intensified, especially between coup militias. Both partaking in a local insurgency, Iran-aligned Houthis and armed loyalists backing ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh went public with the internal conflict among coup militias.

Houthi militiamen blatantly put Sanaa-based government officials, loyal to the insurgency, at gunpoint.

Empowering rage over reason, the Houthi movement objected to measures implemented by Abdel-Aziz bin Habtoor, Sanaa’s de facto political ruler appointed by coup militias.

Even though Habtoor’s legitimacy remains unrecognized on an international and national level, it was backed by coup militants.

Inner fighting between Houthi militants and Saleh loyalists exacerbated to the extent that senior coup-government officials were unable to reach ministerial offices in Sanaa.

The rift among insurgency ranks forced the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance to relay its regret for backtracking on the activity of its programs and services. It is noteworthy that Houthis’ infringing on government officials is an extension of a series of assaults and transgressions suffered by the ministerial sector in Sanaa.

All actions staged by Houthi militiamen affect the acting legitimate government and its relations with counterparts, a source at the Aden-based Ministry of Endowments and Guidance told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The source added that all matters related to Hajj and Umrah are being managed by the internationally-recognized government, stressing that “legitimate institutions will not be affected by the tiffs and spats of coup militias.”