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Houthi Fighters in Yemen Attack Air Base Used by U.S. Forces Yemen Air Base Formerly Used by U.S. Forces Is Seized by Houthi Rebels
(about 4 hours later)
CAIRO — A Yemeni air base used by American forces for counterterrorism operations came under attack by army units and fighters allied with the Houthi movement on Wednesday as they clashed with forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi near his current refuge in the southern city of Aden. CAIRO — A Yemeni air base used by American forces for counterterrorism operations fell under the control of army units and fighters allied with the Houthi movement on Wednesday as they closed in on President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi in his refuge in the southern city of Aden.
A satellite television network linked to the Houthi movement announced in the morning that its fighters had seized the base, Al Anad, north of Aden, and found it empty and looted. The Houthis said they had also captured two senior officials loyal to Mr. Hadi, including the defense minister. But those reports could not be confirmed. A television network under Houthi control said they had found the base, Al Anad, empty and looted, and had captured two senior officers loyal to Mr. Hadi, including his defense minister. Yemeni Air Force planes under Houthi control struck targets near the president’s Aden home and his supporters returned fire with antiaircraft guns.
Warplanes struck a location in Aden near Mr. Hadi’s compound around midday, and antiaircraft guns returned fire. Several news reports said that Mr. Hadi had left his home in Aden, possibly for fear of such an attack. There were conflicting reports early Wednesday about whether he had left the country as well, although few believe his departure would end the factional fighting. The state television network, also controlled by Houthis, announced a $100,000 bounty for Mr. Hadi’s arrest as rumors about his whereabouts swirled.
The antiaircraft fire from the ground indicated that Mr. Hadi’s forces had not abandoned Aden. A television network controlled by the Houthis announced a $100,000 bounty for Mr. Hadi’s capture. A security official of Mr. Hadi’s government confirmed the loss of the Al Anad base, about 35 miles north of Aden. Mr. Hadi’s foreign minister, meanwhile, reiterated his calls for intervention by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab states to stop the Houthis, stoking fears that their advance could trigger a widening regional conflict.
The United States evacuated its military personnel from Al Anad several days ago, with fighters from Al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate moving closer from one side and Houthi fighters pushing closer from the other. With Syria, Iraq and Libya, Yemen is at least the fourth Arab state to veer toward collapse in the aftermath of the Arab Spring revolts. The country is now sliding toward a civil war as dangerous as any in the region, with elements of a sectarian feud, a regional proxy conflict, the attempted return of an ousted authoritarian and the expansion of anti-Western extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State eager to capitalize on the chaos.
Yemen is sliding toward a civil war with ominous elements of a sectarian feud, a regional proxy conflict, the attempted return of an ousted authoritarian, and the expansion of anti-Western extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State eager to capitalize on the chaos. The Houthis, a minority religious group from northern Yemen, practice a variant of Shiite Islam and receive support from Iran.
The Houthis, a religious group from northern Yemen, practice a variant of Shiite Islam and receive support from Iran. But they are also collaborating with Yemeni security forces still loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime strongman who was pushed from power amid the Arab Spring uprising but now appears to be staging a comeback in alliance with the Houthis.
But they are also collaborating with Yemeni security forces still loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime strongman who was pushed from power amid the Arab Spring uprising but now appears to be staging a comeback in alliance with the Houthis. With Mr. Saleh’s help, the Houthis now control most of the Yemeni military, including its air force. With Mr. Saleh’s help, the Houthis now control most of the Yemeni military, including its air force. That has given them a decisive advantage over Mr. Hadi’s forces, as their seizure of the Al Anad base on Wednesday made clear. But their ability to control and govern their expanding territory was from clear, analysts said. Also unclear was the potential pushback from Saudi Arabia and other regional powers.
Mr. Hadi was installed as a replacement for Mr. Saleh in a transition brokered by Persian Gulf monarchies, and he has the backing of both Saudi Arabia and Washington. But he fled to Aden from the capital, Sana, after the Houthis captured it months ago, and the Houthis appear to be advancing toward a battle for Aden as well. He retains the support and protection of a small number of military units based in the predominantly Sunni Muslim south. “I would not be surprised if we see Aden falling to the Houthis tomorrow,” said Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center. “But that will just set the stage for a prolonged conflict or civil war, because the Houthis have not been able to maintain order even in the areas they have controlled since last year.”
As Mr. Hadi’s opponents close in, his supporters have escalated calls for intervention by Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf states to hold back the Houthis. Saudi Arabia, for its part, has recently begun mobilizing its military forces near the Yemeni border, although possibly for purely defensive reasons, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing American officials. Mr. Hadi, the president, was installed as a replacement for Mr. Saleh in a transition brokered by Persian Gulf monarchies, and he has the backing of both Saudi Arabia and Washington. But he fled to Aden from the capital, Sana, after the Houthis captured it months ago. He now appears to have retained the support and protection of only a small number of military units and some tribal groups based in the predominantly Sunni Muslim south.
As Mr. Hadi’s opponents close in, his supporters have escalated calls for Saudi Arabia, the other Persian Gulf states and Egypt to intervene to hold back the Houthis, portraying them as an arm of Iran.
At a news conference this week, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, hinted at a possible intervention, saying Saudi Arabia “will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region.”At a news conference this week, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, hinted at a possible intervention, saying Saudi Arabia “will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region.”
Against that backdrop, Sunni Muslim extremists pledging allegiance to both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been escalating their attacks, including sectarian assaults on the Houthis. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has claimed responsibility for two bombings of Shiite mosques in Sana on Friday that killed more than 135 people. Saudi Arabia has recently begun mobilizing its military forces near the Yemeni border, although possibly for purely defensive reasons, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing American officials.
Houthi leaders have said their drive to the south is a battle to root out the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, portraying both groups as instruments of a broad international conspiracy including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States. At the Arab League, officials said Wednesday that Yemen would top the agenda at a meeting this week of the Arab foreign ministers in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
But a spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry quickly dispelled rumors that Cairo had already agreed to intervention. “We have no idea at all about that,” said the spokesman, Ambassador Badr Abdellatty.
Against the backdrop of the escalating conflict, Sunni Muslim extremists pledging allegiance to both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been escalating their attacks, including sectarian assaults on the Houthis. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, claimed responsibility for two bombings of Shiite mosques in Sana on Friday that killed more than 135 people. Al Qaeda’s affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, already effectively controls pockets of southern Yemen beyond the reach of either Mr. Hadi or the Houthis.
The United States evacuated its military personnel from Al Anad several days ago, as fighters from Al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate moved closer from one side and Houthi fighters pushed closer from the other. About 100 American personnel, including Special Forces commandos, were reportedly stationed there before the evacuation.
Houthi leaders have said their drive to the south is a battle to root out the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, portraying both groups as instruments of a broad international conspiracy including Israel, Saudi Arabia as well as Washington.