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Yemen crisis: Houthi rebels tighten grip on Sanaa Yemen crisis: President 'reaches deal' with rebels
(about 5 hours later)
Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen have tightened their grip on the capital, Sanaa, stationing fighters outside the private home of the president. Yemen's embattled president has reached a peace deal with Shia Houthi rebels occupying key points in the capital Sanaa, reports say.
Some officials said Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi was being held under house arrest, while others said he was free to leave. President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi's office said major concessions had been offered to the rebels, who took over his palace and surrounded his home.
There has been no public comment from Mr Hadi since his home was shelled by the rebels during clashes on Tuesday. They will play a bigger political role while a new constitution they opposed may be amended, the office said.
They also took over the presidential palace and are said to have seized the main ballistic missile base in Sanaa. The rebels are expected to release Mr Hadi's chief of staff in return.
In a televised address the Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, accused the president and other leaders of ignoring the people's interests. There was no immediate confirmation of the deal from the rebels.
He said the country had reached a critical and defining moment. According to some accounts, the president has been a captive in his own home, BBC Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher says.
The UN Security Council meanwhile stressed in a statement agreed by all 15 members that President Hadi was "the legitimate authority" in Yemen. He remains nominally in charge but the Houthis are in control, our analyst adds.
'Point of no return' The rebels have denied trying to carry out a coup against him but their leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, went on TV on Tuesday to accuse him and other Yemeni leaders of ignoring the people's interests.
Land, sea and air crossings to the country were closed until further notice on Wednesday, local media reported. The UN Security Council has backed Mr Hadi's authority as the legitimate president in a statement agreed by all 15 members.
The main security body in the southern port city of Aden said the measure was necessary because of "dangerous developments in the capital", and because of the threat to the president, whom it described as "the symbol of national sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy". The US stressed on Wednesday that he remained president and said a joint counter-terrorism operation against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants (AQAP) was continuing.
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), are believed to taken control of most media outlets. They are also thought to have besieged the residence of Prime Minister Khalid Bahah. Point of no return'
Analaysis: Abdullah Ghorab, BBC Arabic, Sanaa Ahead of the announcement of the deal, land, sea and air crossings to the country were closed, local media reported.
The main security body in the southern port city of Aden said the measure was necessary because of the "dangerous developments in the capital".
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), are believed to have taken control of most media outlets. They are also thought to have besieged the residence of Prime Minister Khalid Bahah.
Analysis: Abdullah Ghorab, BBC Arabic, Sanaa
The current situation in Yemen has had a grave impact on people's lives, especially for residents of the capital. Hundreds of families have fled the capital to safer provinces.The current situation in Yemen has had a grave impact on people's lives, especially for residents of the capital. Hundreds of families have fled the capital to safer provinces.
There are also long queues at petrol stations, as a result of a nationwide fuel crisis that stems from security problems in the province of Maarib, east of Sanaa. It is the location of many oil and gas fields, as well as a major refinery and power plant. The instability there has led to the price of a cylinder of domestic gas rising from $6 to $24 in some rural areas.There are also long queues at petrol stations, as a result of a nationwide fuel crisis that stems from security problems in the province of Maarib, east of Sanaa. It is the location of many oil and gas fields, as well as a major refinery and power plant. The instability there has led to the price of a cylinder of domestic gas rising from $6 to $24 in some rural areas.
Sanaa residents are also complaining about food price hikes, which have seen the cost of basic supplies increase by more than 30%.Sanaa residents are also complaining about food price hikes, which have seen the cost of basic supplies increase by more than 30%.
The European Union's foreign policy chief warned on Tuesday that the situation was making Yemen's poorest people suffer the most.The European Union's foreign policy chief warned on Tuesday that the situation was making Yemen's poorest people suffer the most.
Press warn of failed state in YemenPress warn of failed state in Yemen
The rebels say the president remains in his home and is free to leave. The rebels said earlier that the president remained in his home and was free to leave but an aide told AP news agency Hadi could "not leave his house" because the Houthis had removed his guards and deployed their own fighters.
However, one aide told the AP news agency that Mr Hadi "cannot leave his house" because the Houthis had removed members of the presidential guard stationed outside and deployed their own fighters In his televised address on Tuesday, Mr Houthi repeated his demand for Mr Hadi to implement a peace deal signed when his men overran the capital in September.
Another aide said Yemen was at the "point of no return", adding that the president could not resign because the Houthis might prosecute him.
The Reuters news agency quoted a source close to Mr Hadi as saying: "Within hours, decisions will be made heeding the Houthi demands."
'Corruption and tyranny'
In his televised address on Tuesday, Abdul Malik al-Houthi repeated his demand for Mr Hadi to implement a peace deal signed when his men overran the capital in September.
Yemen had "sunk deep into corruption and tyranny" and was moving towards a "complete collapse", he warned.Yemen had "sunk deep into corruption and tyranny" and was moving towards a "complete collapse", he warned.
Mr Houthi accused the government of encouraging the spread of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has vowed to defend Yemen's Sunni community against the Houthis. Mr Houthi accused the government of encouraging the spread of AQAP, which has vowed to defend Yemen's Sunni community against the Houthis.
The president - a key US ally - has increasingly been at loggerheads with Mr Houthi over a draft constitution which it is hoped will bring an end to years of instability and under-development. Mr Hadi's chief of staff, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, was abducted on Saturday.
The General People's Congress party of the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh has endorsed the rebels' demands. Mr Saleh has long been suspected of backing the Houthis, even though he fought against them before being forced to step down after a popular uprising in 2011. The draft constitution is hoped to bring an end to years of instability and under-development.
The rebels attacked Mr Hadi's home on Tuesday despite having agreed a ceasefire with the government the previous day to end clashes with members of the presidential guard. The General People's Congress party of the former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, has endorsed the rebels' demands.
Mr Saleh has long been suspected of backing the Houthis, even though he fought against them before being forced to step down after a popular uprising in 2011.
On Wednesday, the Qatari-based TV channel al-Jazeera broadcast what it said was a leaked conversation showing collusion between Mr Saleh and the Houthis.
The Houthis, who adhere to a branch of Shia Islam known as Zaidism, have staged periodic uprisings since 2004 in an effort to win greater autonomy for their northern heartland of Saada province.The Houthis, who adhere to a branch of Shia Islam known as Zaidism, have staged periodic uprisings since 2004 in an effort to win greater autonomy for their northern heartland of Saada province.
Since July the rebels have inflicted defeats on tribal and militia groups backed by the leading Sunni Islamist party, Islah, and battled AQAP militants as they have pushed into central and western provinces. Since July the rebels have inflicted defeats on tribal and militia groups backed by the leading Sunni Islamist party, Islah, and battled AQAP as they have pushed into central and western provinces.
Have you been affected by the situation in Yemen? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number.Have you been affected by the situation in Yemen? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number.
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