Houthi militants in Sanaa

Jeddah- Disputes have aggravated among leaderships in the Republic Guard, which is affiliated with the ousted Ali Saleh and Houthi Militia. The militia refused to pay salaries for a great number of Saleh’s militants, claiming lack of financial resources, thus resorting to using arms between the two parties.

Houthi militia requested its leadership to stop paying wages in order to provide financial sources in the coming period; this includes affiliates to the Republican Guard in some districts who are not engaged in military confrontations with the national army.

This news caused those loyal to Saleh to fidget even more and according to a Yemeni source close to the matter, the news might cause the defection of three fully equipped battalions to join the legitimate army.

Brigadier Abdullah Subaihi, commander of the north-eastern sector in Aden and commander of “Brigade 15-Mika”, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the information collected from Sanaa, Saada, and Dhamar confirmed the disputes between Saleh and Houthis in implementing military orders and using arms by one party against the other, thus creating a state of mistrust between the two parties.

On the other hand, Subaihi affirmed that the national army is dealing carefully with these disputes to make the most benefit from them. He also added that the disputes are growing with the national army winning over the militias on the battlefronts.

“Seven thousand militants and officers affiliated to the Republican Guard have been handed to the Yemeni national army,” Subaihi told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Brigadier Subaihi pointed out that Houthi militia lost the money its militants stole from the country’s treasuries, its citizens and their own properties. He added that the militia is also stealing from the employees and the Republican Guard’s affiliates, who have left the military service in great numbers.