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Shiite rebels seize new Yemen territory after a call to arms Shiite rebels seize new Yemen territory after a call to arms
(about 4 hours later)
BEIRUT — Shiite rebels captured new territory in Yemen on Sunday in response to a call to arms from their leaders, pressing south toward the headquarters of the country’s embattled president and seizing parts of the central town of Taiz.BEIRUT — Shiite rebels captured new territory in Yemen on Sunday in response to a call to arms from their leaders, pressing south toward the headquarters of the country’s embattled president and seizing parts of the central town of Taiz.
The push came a day after the Houthi rebel movement called for “a general mobilization” against forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who has established a rival governing authority in the southern city of Aden.The push came a day after the Houthi rebel movement called for “a general mobilization” against forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who has established a rival governing authority in the southern city of Aden.
Amid fears that the impoverished country is sliding into a state of all-out war, the U.N. Security Council is due to hold an emergency session Sunday to address the spiraling crisis.Amid fears that the impoverished country is sliding into a state of all-out war, the U.N. Security Council is due to hold an emergency session Sunday to address the spiraling crisis.
The United States pulled out the remaining 100 of its military personnel in Yemen on Friday after al-Qaeda briefly captured a town close to their base. The U.S. Embassy was evacuated in February, and the move will further undermine counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which uses Yemen as a staging ground for attacks against the West. The United States pulled out its remaining 100 military personnel in Yemen on Friday after al-Qaeda briefly captured a town close to their base. The U.S. Embassy was evacuated in February, and the troop move will further undermine counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the local affiliate of the terror group, which uses Yemen as a staging ground for attacks against the West.
The Houthi mobilization appeared to have been spurred by suicide attacks Friday against Shiite mosques in the capital, Sanaa, that killed scores, and coincides with widening chaos across the country. Houthi fighters took over the military airport in Taiz without a struggle, Reuters news agency reported. The gain came despite high anti-Houthi sentiment in the city, the country’s third largest, which lies on the road between Sanaa and Yemen’s port city of Aden. The advancing fighters shot in the air to disperse protesters as they progressed, Reuters added
The Houthi declaration was issued shortly after Hadi gave a televised address, his first since fleeing the capital, Sanaa, which is now under Houthi control. He stated that he is the legitimate leader of Yemen and called the Houthi actions a coup. [Read: Who are the Houthis?]
The Houthi declaration was issued shortly after Hadi gave a televised address, his first since fleeing the capital, Sanaa, which is now under Houthi control. He stated that he is the legitimate leader of Yemen and called the actions of the Houthis a coup.
In the speech, he demanded that the militants withdraw from government buildings, return looted weapons and participate in proposed peace talks in Saudi Arabia.In the speech, he demanded that the militants withdraw from government buildings, return looted weapons and participate in proposed peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
In a sign that Yemen’s violence is taking on a sectarian dimension, Hadi also referred to the Houthis as proxies of Iran. “We shall deliver the country to safety and raise Yemen’s flag on Mount Maran in Saada, instead of the Iranian flag,” he said, referring to the northern province that is the Houthi stronghold.In a sign that Yemen’s violence is taking on a sectarian dimension, Hadi also referred to the Houthis as proxies of Iran. “We shall deliver the country to safety and raise Yemen’s flag on Mount Maran in Saada, instead of the Iranian flag,” he said, referring to the northern province that is the Houthi stronghold.
Shiite Iran has boosted support for the Houthis, who follow an offshoot of Shiite Islam known as Zaydism. Hadi’s authority, meanwhile, has received increasing support from Iran’s primary nemesis, Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, raising concern among Yemenis that their country is becoming a proxy battleground between the regional powers.Shiite Iran has boosted support for the Houthis, who follow an offshoot of Shiite Islam known as Zaydism. Hadi’s authority, meanwhile, has received increasing support from Iran’s primary nemesis, Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, raising concern among Yemenis that their country is becoming a proxy battleground between the regional powers.
On Thursday, Hadi’s allies blamed the Houthis for an airstrike that attempted to hit, but missed, the president’s palace in Aden. That alleged attack followed hours of intense clashes in the city between Hadi’s forces and military units loyal to Saleh, who was ousted by nationwide protests in 2011. Many Yemenis accuse Saleh of conspiring with the Houthis against Hadi. Iran weighed in on Sunday, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian declaring that the “expectation” is that Hadi should resign “to play a constructive role in preventing the break-up of Yemen and the transformation of Aden into a terrorist haven,” the official Islamic Republica News Agency reported.
“It is difficult to imagine a more dangerous downward spiral than we have seen in Yemen in the last six months,” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said in a statement. “The sectarian divide is widening; a geographic chasm has opened between North and South; the proxy battleground there between Iran and Saudi Arabia has intensified; and al-Qaeda and [the Islamic State] have a new opportunity to grow in this vast ungovernable space.”
On Thursday, Hadi’s allies blamed the Houthis for an airstrike that attempted to hit, but missed, the president’s palace in Aden. That alleged attack followed hours of intense clashes in the city between Hadi’s forces and military units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted as president by an uprising that began in 2011. Many Yemenis accuse Saleh of conspiring with the Houthis against Hadi.
Hadi’s address came a day after suicide bombers targeted two Houthi-linked mosques in Sanaa, killing as many as 137 people in one of the deadliest attacks in the country since the civil war of 1994.Hadi’s address came a day after suicide bombers targeted two Houthi-linked mosques in Sanaa, killing as many as 137 people in one of the deadliest attacks in the country since the civil war of 1994.
A group claiming to be a wing of the Islamic State took responsibility for Friday’s bombings. The Sunni militant group that has sowed chaos in Iraq and Syria is not known to operate in Yemen, but the incident highlights how extremists are exploiting the unrest, which began when Houthi insurgents captured Sanaa in September and toppled Hadi’s government in January.A group claiming to be a wing of the Islamic State took responsibility for Friday’s bombings. The Sunni militant group that has sowed chaos in Iraq and Syria is not known to operate in Yemen, but the incident highlights how extremists are exploiting the unrest, which began when Houthi insurgents captured Sanaa in September and toppled Hadi’s government in January.
The escalating violence prompted the United States on Saturday to announce the withdrawal of its remaining security presence in Yemen. “We urge the immediate cessation of all unilateral and offensive military actions,” the State Department said in a statement. “We join all of the other members of the Security Council in underscoring that President Hadi is the legitimate authority in Yemen and reemphasize our support for his efforts to lead Yemen through crisis. We call upon the Houthis, former President Ali Abdallah ­Salih, and their allies to stop their violent incitement that threatens President Hadi, Yemeni government officials, and innocent civilians.” The escalating violence prompted the United States on Saturday to announce the withdrawal of its remaining security presence in Yemen. “We urge the immediate cessation of all unilateral and offensive military actions,” the State Department said in a statement. “We join all of the other members of the Security Council in underscoring that President Hadi is the legitimate authority in Yemen and reemphasize our support for his efforts to lead Yemen through crisis. We call upon the Houthis, former President [Saleh], and their allies to stop their violent incitement that threatens President Hadi, Yemeni government officials, and innocent civilians.”
About 100 Special Operations troops, who specialized in assisting Yemeni forces in the fight against AQAP, were leaving the al-Annad air base, CNN reported. It was unclear whether the troops had departed the facility, which is in southern Yemen.About 100 Special Operations troops, who specialized in assisting Yemeni forces in the fight against AQAP, were leaving the al-Annad air base, CNN reported. It was unclear whether the troops had departed the facility, which is in southern Yemen.
Friday, militants from AQAP captured a city close to the base before being repelled by local military units. The city, al-Houta, in Lahj province, was briefly taken by the Sunni militants in fierce clashes that killed as many as two dozen Yemeni soldiers. On Friday, militants from AQAP captured a city close to the base before being repelled by local military units. The city, al-Houta, in Lahj province, was briefly taken by the Sunni militants in fierce clashes that killed as many as two dozen Yemeni soldiers.
AQAP has been targeted by U.S. drone strikes for years in coordination with Yemeni forces, but the recent unrest has jeopardized that counterterrorism effort. The United States withdrew its embassy personnel from Sanaa in February, and much of the Yemeni intelligence and security apparatus that participated in coordinating the drone strikes has fallen under the control of the Houthis.AQAP has been targeted by U.S. drone strikes for years in coordination with Yemeni forces, but the recent unrest has jeopardized that counterterrorism effort. The United States withdrew its embassy personnel from Sanaa in February, and much of the Yemeni intelligence and security apparatus that participated in coordinating the drone strikes has fallen under the control of the Houthis.
In February, AQAP militants stormed a military base in the southern Shabwa province, using sophisticated attacks involving car bombs. They were forced to leave by local tribesmen. AQAP also said it ordered the attack in Paris in January against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The group denied involvement in Friday’s suicide bombings in Sanaa.In February, AQAP militants stormed a military base in the southern Shabwa province, using sophisticated attacks involving car bombs. They were forced to leave by local tribesmen. AQAP also said it ordered the attack in Paris in January against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The group denied involvement in Friday’s suicide bombings in Sanaa.
Meanwhile, concern was rising that Houthi fighters were preparing assaults in other areas of the country. There were unconfirmed reports on Twitter of another Houthi attack Saturday in the oil-rich province of Marib. The group mounted an assault on the province last week. Capturing Marib, about 75 miles east of the capital, would give the insurgents access to oil and gas facilities as well as power plants that supply the capital and other areas of the country with electricity. Loveday Morris in Baghdad contributed to this report.
There were also unconfirmed reports of an attempted assault by the Shiite rebels on the city of Taiz, in central Yemen, where anti-Houthi sentiment runs high. Pictures posted on Twitter showed residents of the city setting tires on fire to protest Houthi advances.
Read more:Read more:
Suicide attacks on two Yemen mosquesSuicide attacks on two Yemen mosques
Fighting escalates in Yemen as Houthis launch airstrikesFighting escalates in Yemen as Houthis launch airstrikes
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