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Yemen: Houthis declare state of emergency in Sana’a as government loyalists close in on capital | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Southern Popular Resistance fighters gather on a road leading to Yemen’s southern province of Abyan, on August 8, 2015. (Reuters/Stringer)


Southern Popular Resistance fighters loyal to Yemen's President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi gather on a road leading to Yemen's southern province of Abyan, on August 8, 2015. (Reuters/Stringer)

Southern Popular Resistance fighters loyal to Yemen’s President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi gather on a road leading to Yemen's southern province of Abyan, on August 8, 2015. (Reuters/Stringer)

Al-Hudaydah, Aden and Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Houthi leadership in Sana’a on Sunday declared a state of emergency in the capital, as forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi closed in to around 80 miles (125 kilometers) of the capital.

The Houthis’ Revolutionary Council, set up by the Iran-backed group following its coup in February, announced a state of emergency in Sana’a starting from 10 pm on Sunday.

A Yemeni political source told Asharq Al-Awsat the decision showed the Houthis “fear the [Pro-Hadi] Popular Resistance, backed by Saudi-led airstrikes, will soon reach Sana’a.”

The source, who requested anonymity, added that stop-and-search units have now been set up by Houthi militias throughout the capital, which they have controlled since September 2014.

Yemeni military sources say they expect a “coup” in Sana’a by forces loyal to ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in particular those from Yemen’s Revolutionary Guard formerly commanded by Saleh’s son Ahmed.

Rifts have opened up between Saleh and the Houthis over who has control of certain parts of the country as well as the recent losses the Houthis have sustained, sources say.

In addition to Iran, the Houthis have received support from Pro-Saleh forces, who aided the Houthi takeover of Sana’a and other parts of the country since September 2014.

The state of emergency in Sana’a comes as the Popular Resistance, backed by Saudi-led airstrikes targeting the Houthis, recaptured the central Ibb province on Sunday. The northernmost district of the province lies around 80 miles south of Sana’a.

Brig. Gen. Abdullah Al-Subaihi, a senior Popular Resistance commander, told Asharq Al-Awsat recently that a plan to liberate Sana’a was already in place and expected to begin in the coming days.

Meanwhile, pro-Hadi forces are now beginning to consolidate their grip on the south of the country. The Popular Resistance recaptured the city of Zinjibar, capital of the southern Abyan province, from Houthi control on Sunday, a source from the Popular Resistance told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Pro-Hadi forces now control most of the province in addition to recently securing the southern Lahj, Aden, and Al-Dalea provinces.

Wael Hazam contributed additional reporting from Al-Hudaydah.