Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Coup Row Exasperates in Sana’a as Houthis Target Pro-Saleh Politicians, Media Outlets | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Media ID: 55374613
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A Houthi militiaman boarding a machine gun equipped convoy, AP


Aden- Amid worsening humanitarian conditions and Houthi politicians egging followers against insurgency ally, the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the coup’s internal tiffs have been short to escalating in Sana’a.

Local sources said that the situation in insurgency-run capital Sana’a has been spiraling out of control with Iran-backed Houthi militias looting and vandalizing public property, leaving civilians to a destitute economy and infrastructure.

Increasingly, the spat rising between the Houthis and Saleh loyalists threatens to further seclude the ousted president as Houthi political leadership continue to drain their swamp from pro-Saleh affiliates.

On the other hand, fighting capacities for coup militias degraded, with a steep decline being registered particularly in overall rocket power.

The fall of missile capacities in Sana’a is driven by the tremendous pumping of arms and man power to Saada, the primary stronghold and hometown of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi, Sana’a-based sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Complicating furthering coup hierarchy, sources said that pro-Saleh fighters have lost access to all missiles and a great deal of arms power. Insurgency projectiles were handed over to Iranian advisors.

Sources said that serious brawls erupted within Houthis, after accusations were exchanged on some leaders conspiring and over-backing Saleh.

Information points toward the wing affiliated with Abdul-Malik al-Houthi overthrowing a key Houthi political leader, Yusuf al-Fishi, and withdrawing his membership from the Houthi-run “Supreme Political Council.”

The differences between the parties to the coup recently reached a climax with reports on officials from both sides exchanging face slaps in Houthi-managed ministerial buildings.

A report came in a few days ago saying that Houthis barred publication of the pro-Saleh Congress Party mouthpiece causing media friction between the two parties.

Observers and political analysts said such developments and events will further complicate the current situation, especially in areas under the coup control.

In 2014, Iran-aligned Houthi militias and armed loyalists backing Saleh staged a full-on coup, wreaking havoc nationwide.

Since then, the internationally recognized government led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi had joined forces with Arab and international parties in hopes of restoring peace and stability to Yemen. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to help the government retake the capital Sana’a.

Asharq Al-Awsat had cited Yemeni local media sources saying that both the General People’s Congress and Saleh have prepared a plan to confront Houthis.

Their action plan kickstarts with local media demonizing Houthi militiamen and holding the group accountable for all the country’s strife, and that it sold out Yemen to Tehran expansionist ambitions.