The aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen refers to developments following the
Houthis
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
' takeover of the Yemeni capital of
Sana'a
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
and dissolution of the
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
, which eventually led to a
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
and the
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.
After seizing the capital in September 2014, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) obtained the resignations of President
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi ( ar, عبدربه منصور هادي, translit=ʿAbd Rabbih Manṣūr Hādī Yemeni pronunciation: ; born 1 September 1945) is a Yemeni politician and former field marshal of the Yemeni Armed Forces who served as the pres ...
, Prime Minister
Khaled Bahah, and the cabinet in January 2015 and then moved to dissolve
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
and instate a
Revolutionary Committee to govern Yemen on 6 February 2015.
However, despite their military successes and an alleged alliance with the former ruling
General People's Congress,
the Houthis faced widespread domestic and international opposition to the coup and they assented to United Nations–led talks on a power-sharing deal.
At least one analyst went so far as to suggest the Houthis' declaration "fizzled" in the days after it was announced, although they have
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh al-Ahmar (, ''ʿAlī ʿAbdullāh Ṣāliḥ al-Aḥmar;'' 21 March 1947There is a dispute as to Saleh's date of birth, some saying that it was on 21 March 1942. See: However, by Saleh's own confession, he was born in 1947 al ...
's political support.
On 21 February 2015, one month after Houthi militants confined him to his residence in Sana'a, Hadi slipped out of the capital and traveled to
Aden, the old capital of
South Yemen. In a televised address from his hometown, he declared that the Houthi takeover was illegitimate and indicated he remained the constitutional president of Yemen.
Hadi's ex-ministers were released by the Houthis on 16 March as a "goodwill gesture".
On 21 March, Hadi officially proclaimed Aden to be the temporary capital of Yemen, until his pledged recapture of Sana'a.
Within days, however, a
Houthi-led military campaign wrested much of southern Yemen from Hadi's loyalists, prompting Hadi to flee his presidential palace in Aden and
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
to
launch airstrikes against Houthi positions throughout the country.
Background
The Houthis took control of much of northern Yemen by mid-2014. After President Hadi announced an unpopular cut to fuel subsidies,
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi ( ar, عبد الملك بدر الدين الحوثي) is a Yemeni politician and religious leader who serves as the leader of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), a revolutionary movement principally made up of ...
called for demonstrations. In September 2014, the protests gave way to
full-blown fighting between Houthi militants and army forces loyal to General
Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar in the capital city of
Sana'a
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
. The Houthis achieved a swift victory, forcing the government to the bargaining table.
In addition to rolling back the fuel subsidy cuts, they also obtained the resignation of Prime Minister
Mohammed Basindawa and significant control over the formation of a new "unity government" and constitution-drafting process.
In January 2015, Houthi forces assaulted the presidential palace and private residence of Hadi, placing the president and his ministers under virtual house arrest while demanding further concessions. Hadi and his cabinet resigned on 22 January. Three weeks later, on 6 February, the Houthis declared the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
defunct and named a Revolutionary Committee led by
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi as the acting authority in Yemen.
Political developments
In Sana'a
Cross-factional talks
UN envoy
Jamal Benomar mediated talks between the Houthis and other major factions in Yemen after the "constitutional declaration". However, the talks were hampered after delegates from the
Nasserist Unionist People's Organisation
The Nasserist Unionist People's Organisation ( ar, التظيم الوحدوي الشعبي الناصري, ''Al-Tantheem Al-Wahdawi Al-Sha'abi Al-Nasseri'') is a Nasserist political party in Yemen.
The party was founded in Taiz on December 25, ...
and
Al-Islah Islah or Al-Islah is an Arabic word usually translated as "reform", in the sense of "to improve, to better, to correct something and removing vice or to put something into a better position."
Islah may also refer to:
People
*Islah Jad (born 1951), ...
reportedly walked out, claiming they were threatened by a Houthi representative.
Benomar announced a tentative agreement on 20 February that included the continuation of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
and the formation of a "people's transitional council" that would represent southerners, women, youth, and other minority groups.
On 28 February, the
Southern Movement
The Southern Movement ( ''al-Ḥirāk al-Janūbiyy''), sometimes known as the Southern Separatist Movement, or South Yemen Movement, or Aden Movement, and colloquially known as al-Hirak, is a political movement and paramilitary organization act ...
pulled out of negotiations on a political solution to the crisis. Hadi suggested moving the talks to
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
, the Saudi Arabian capital, instead of continuing to hold them in Houthi-controlled Sana'a. However, the Houthis and GPC rejected the idea. After Hadi refused to participate in the UN talks while the Houthis held Sana'a on 4 March, Houthi fighters seized the headquarters of the
National Dialogue Conference
The National Dialogue Conference (NDC) was a transitional dialogue process held at the Movenpick Hotel in Sanaa, Yemen from March 18, 2013 to January 24, 2014, as part of the Yemeni crisis reconciliation efforts.
National Dialogue is a key part o ...
, which Hadi had ordered to relocate to Aden.
Captive government officials
On 16 February, former Yemeni President
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh al-Ahmar (, ''ʿAlī ʿAbdullāh Ṣāliḥ al-Aḥmar;'' 21 March 1947There is a dispute as to Saleh's date of birth, some saying that it was on 21 March 1942. See: However, by Saleh's own confession, he was born in 1947 al ...
's
General People's Congress (GPC) said it would accept the Houthi decree dissolving parliament. The same day, Benomar and
Nadia Al-Sakkaf reportedly visited Hadi, still under house arrest in Sana'a.
Hadi escaped Sana'a and fled to Aden five days later.
On 22 February, the Houthis ordered ex-Prime Minister
Khaled Bahah and the cabinet to return to work, but they refused. The group threatened to place them under arrest and criminally charge them if they did not change their minds.
The Houthis also reportedly tried without success to get the House of Representatives to meet and formally approve Hadi's resignation. The GPC said it would not call for a vote on the resignation, while some smaller parties asserted that without parliamentary action, Hadi remained the "constitutional elected president".
The Houthis called Hadi a "fugitive from justice" and said he had "lost his legitimacy to act as president". Both the Houthis and the GPC said they rejected Hadi's claim to be the legitimate president, despite a letter he sent to parliament formally rescinding his resignation. On 10 March, Ali Abdullah Saleh, the chairman of the General People's Congress, harshly criticised Hadi at a news conference in Sana'a. Saleh accused Hadi, his former vice president, of destroying the country and urged him to go into exile.
Mahmoud al-Subaihi, Yemen's defence minister, escaped from house arrest in Sana'a and traveled to Aden in early March.
Bahah and his ministers were eventually released in a "goodwill gesture" on 16 March, although Bahah said he would not resume his post as prime minister.
In Aden
A number of members of the dissolved parliament met in
Aden on 15 February and declared it to be Yemen's new capital due to the "occupation" of Sana'a. They also called on the
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, interg ...
to intervene with force against the Houthis. The leaders of the
Aden,
Lahij
Lahij or Lahej ( ar, لحج, Laḥj, links=no), also called al-Hawtah, is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Abdali branch of the Al-Sallami tribe who trace th ...
, and
Mahrah governorates declared a joint "administrative, security, and political leadership" opposing the Houthi takeover.
Fighters under the command of Hadi's brother Nasser claimed to have seized Aden's TV station and several government buildings in the port city by 16 February, although Governor
Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour denied the station had been taken over.
Hadi, the former president, reportedly traveled to Aden on 21 February.
It was not immediately clear whether he evaded house arrest or was allowed to leave for the first time in a month,
with some reports indicating that he escaped—in one telling, he disguised himself as a woman and stowed away on a food truck,
while in another, he was freed by special forces—and others suggesting he was released as part of an agreement between the Houthis and other factions.
Upon arriving in Aden, Hadi gave a televised address condemning the coup and saying all Houthi actions since 21 September 2014 were invalid and unconstitutional.
He delivered the address under the title of
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
.
In his speech, Hadi called for a resumption of the
National Dialogue Conference
The National Dialogue Conference (NDC) was a transitional dialogue process held at the Movenpick Hotel in Sanaa, Yemen from March 18, 2013 to January 24, 2014, as part of the Yemeni crisis reconciliation efforts.
National Dialogue is a key part o ...
in either Aden or
Taiz
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni Highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. With a popula ...
, cities outside the Houthis'
zone of control.
The following day, he met with several southern governors. Bin Habtour said after the meeting that Hadi's intention was to "lead from Aden" and receive foreign delegations. An aide to Hadi said in early March that Hadi considered Aden to have become the country's capital after the Houthis occupied Sana'a.
Hadi was soon joined by Defence Minister
Mahmoud al-Subaihi, who abandoned his position as chairman of the Houthi-imposed Supreme Security Committee and decamped from Sana'a.
Although he established himself in Aden, Hadi was suspicious of
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh al-Ahmar (, ''ʿAlī ʿAbdullāh Ṣāliḥ al-Aḥmar;'' 21 March 1947There is a dispute as to Saleh's date of birth, some saying that it was on 21 March 1942. See: However, by Saleh's own confession, he was born in 1947 al ...
loyalists and Houthi sympathisers even within his hometown. He issued a decree on 2 March reassigning General
Abdul-Hafez al-Saqqaf from the Special Security Forces in Aden to a bureaucratic position. However, al-Saqqaf refused to comply with the decree, amid reports that he did not view Hadi as Yemen's legitimate president.
After an
attack on
Aden International Airport by al-Saqqaf's commandos, as well as a missile strike by a Houthi jet on his presidential palace, on 19 March, Hadi gave a televised address urging all factions to participate in mediated talks on the country's future in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
and predicting that the Houthis' "Iranian agenda" would fail.
On 21 March, he also officially declared Aden to be Yemen's "economic and temporary capital" due to the Houthi occupation of Sana'a, which he pledged would be retaken.
Just days later, however, Hadi fled Aden as Houthi forces
advanced on the city on 25 March. He arrived in
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
the next day.
Related unrest
Clashes
There were clashes in
Rada'a leaving nine dead on 10 February after Houthi fighters attempted to take control of the city and encountered local resistance.
Twenty-six were killed in clashes between Houthis and
al Qaeda-aligned Sunni tribesmen in the southern
Al Bayda' Governorate on 14 February.
The
jihadist group
Ansar al-Sharia Ansar al-Sharia or Ansar al-Shariah is a name used by a collection of radical or militant Islamist groups or militias, in at least eight countries. While they share names and ideology, they lack a unified command structure.
*Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen ...
also took advantage of the power vacuum, capturing a military base in the
Shabwah Governorate of southern Yemen.
The Houthis clashed again with tribesmen in
Al Bayda' after demonstrations in support of Hadi in several cities on 27 February. Three separate al-Qaeda attacks in Al Bayda' Governorate left at least 27 Houthis dead and more injured on 3 March.
On 9 March,
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( ar-at, تنظيم القاعدة في جزيرة العرب, Tanẓīm al-Qā‘idah fī Jazīrat al-‘Arab, lit=Organization of the Base in the Arabian Peninsula or , ''Tanẓīm Qā‘idat al-Jihād fī Jaz� ...
(AQAP) seized control of
Al Mahfad in southern Yemen's
Abyan Governorate
Abyan ( ar, أَبْيَن ) is a governorate of Yemen. The Abyan region was historically part of the Fadhli Sultanate. It was a base to the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army militant group. Its capital is the city of Zinjibar. This governorate is no ...
for several hours. A counterattack by the army later that day forced them out of the town. Four soldiers and seven al Qaeda militants were reportedly killed in the fighting. AQAP seized the
Al Hawtah District on 20 March, again just for a single day, but 29 soldiers were left dead in a mass killing while the city was under jihadist control. A branch of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
later claimed responsibility for the massacre.
Amid tension between the Houthis and several military commanders, Houthi fighters attacked the residence of General Mohammed Rajah Laboudha in Sana'a on 17 March, reportedly killing one guard and detaining two others.
Major fighting in Aden broke out on 19 March, leaving more than a dozen dead, after pro-Saleh troops stormed
Aden International Airport. Hadi loyalists counterattacked, retaking the airport and capturing the base of a rebel general in the city.
Terrorism
Abdel-Karim al-Kheiwan, a Houthi leader, was shot dead in Sana'a on 18 March 2015.
Al Qaeda said it carried out the assassination. Two days later, the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
claimed responsibility for four
suicide attacks against
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
mosques with primarily
Houthi
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
congregations in Sana'a. At least 142 people were killed.
Protests
After the Rada'a clashes on 10 February, the following day, anti-Houthi activists held major protests in
Ta'izz
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni Highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. With a populat ...
and other cities.
Houthi fighters fired on protesters in Ibb on 14 February, leaving four injured,
and again on 21 February, killing an activist.
After Hadi's flight from Sana'a to
Aden, thousands protested in support of the deposed president in the capital city on 22 February.
A similar demonstration occurred in
Ta'izz
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni Highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. With a populat ...
.
Secessionists also rallied in Aden to oppose Hadi's call for unity and national dialogue, chanting that Hadi was "contemptible" for not backing southern independence.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi ( ar, عبد الملك بدر الدين الحوثي) is a Yemeni politician and religious leader who serves as the leader of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), a revolutionary movement principally made up of ...
called for "protests and demonstrations" against what he alleged was foreign interference on the part of
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
and the United States on 26 February. On 10 March, thousands reportedly protested in
Sana'a
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
calling for
Ahmed Saleh, son of former president
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh al-Ahmar (, ''ʿAlī ʿAbdullāh Ṣāliḥ al-Aḥmar;'' 21 March 1947There is a dispute as to Saleh's date of birth, some saying that it was on 21 March 1942. See: However, by Saleh's own confession, he was born in 1947 al ...
, to be nominated to the presidency.
A similar demonstration was held on 13 March, after pro-Saleh vehicles with loudspeakers reportedly broadcast messages throughout Sana'a urging residents to come out in support of Ahmed Saleh for the preceding two days.
International response
Opposition
International reactions to the Houthi takeover were generally negative, with the
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, interg ...
,
Arab League,
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
, United States, and United Nations all criticising the coup. The United States and United Kingdom moved swiftly to close their embassies and evacuate their ambassadors. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates followed suit.
The
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
unanimously adopted a resolution deploring the Houthi takeover and demanding that the group relinquish control of the government on 15 February 2015, although it stopped short of authorising military force.
The GCC warned that if the UN did not act forcefully, its members would "take measures which enable them to maintain their vital interests in the security and stability of Yemen".
A Saudi delegation met with Hadi on 23 February, days after his escape to
Aden. Aides to Hadi said the delegation informed him that
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
continued to recognise him as president. The GCC also called on the Yemeni people to support Hadi against the Houthis.
Hadi also met with a GCC delegation, including Secretary-General
Abdulatif al-Zayani. On 26 February, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen relocated his mission from
Sana'a
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
to Aden.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi ( ar, عبد الملك بدر الدين الحوثي) is a Yemeni politician and religious leader who serves as the leader of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), a revolutionary movement principally made up of ...
responded by accusing Saudi Arabia of destabilising the country and financing those who "aim to hurt the people of Yemen".
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
, the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
, and
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
also announced they would relocate their embassies to Aden.
On 10 March, al-Houthi claimed the Gulf states were working "to facilitate the atmosphere for al Qaeda in the southern provinces".
The United States reportedly withdrew the last of its special forces from Yemen in March 2015.
The United Kingdom followed suit, with its remaining troops being airlifted out of Sana'a.
Support
The
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
praised the Houthi uprising as an extension of the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dyna ...
, with President
Hassan Rouhani stating that the Islamic Republic was supporting "peace and stability" in Yemen. On 28 February, Houthi-controlled state media announced that Iran and Yemen signed an agreement to open direct flight routes between the two countries.
The following month, a Houthi spokesperson said the group had secured pledges from Iran to provide oil to Yemen, expand its ports, and construct power plants in the country.
Foreign involvement
Saudi Arabia
After
Riad Yassin, Hadi's foreign minister, called on the
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, interg ...
to assist the beleaguered government in
Aden,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
began a
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
buildup on its border with Yemen in late March 2015, according to US intelligence. On 25 March, Saudi Arabia began launching airstrikes in Yemen.
Yemeni Houthi rebels asks UN to stop Saudi Arabian strikes against them follow continued blatant aggression on Yemen by Saudi.
United States
According to
Michael G. Vickers, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, the United States established an intelligence relationship with the Houthis to counter
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( ar-at, تنظيم القاعدة في جزيرة العرب, Tanẓīm al-Qā‘idah fī Jazīrat al-‘Arab, lit=Organization of the Base in the Arabian Peninsula or , ''Tanẓīm Qā‘idat al-Jihād fī Jaz� ...
. The U.S. ambassador to Yemen,
Matthew H. Tueller, met with Hadi after his escape to Aden and said the U.S. still viewed him as the "legitimate" president despite the Houthi takeover. However, the U.S. said it had no plans to relocate its shuttered embassy from Sana'a.
Saudi intervention
After the
Battle of Aden Airport
The Battle of Aden International Airport broke out in the early morning hours of 19 March 2015, when Yemen Army units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh attacked the airport in Aden, Yemen. The airport was defended by soldiers and guar ...
and
Sana'a mosque bombings, the Houthi
Revolutionary Committee declared on 21 March a "state of general mobilisation", in light of the actions of the pro-Hadi Popular Committees and "terrorist elements".
On 22 March, the Houthis seized
Taiz
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni Highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. With a popula ...
without resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into the air to disperse protests against their takeover. The group took control of the military airbase in the city and reportedly flew troops and materiel into the airfield. The Houthi advance was assisted by forces loyal to Saleh. The next day, Houthi forces were dispatched to
Mocha, a major port on the
Bab-el-Mandeb
The Bab-el-Mandeb ( Arabic: , , ) is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Name
The strait derives its name from the dangers a ...
strait.
The Houthi offensive advanced dramatically on 25 March, with the systematic falls of
Al Anad Air Base
Al Anad Air Base is a military airbase
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military ...
,
Lahij
Lahij or Lahej ( ar, لحج, Laḥj, links=no), also called al-Hawtah, is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Abdali branch of the Al-Sallami tribe who trace th ...
, and
Aden International Airport and the reported capture of Defence Minister
Mahmoud al-Subaihi by Houthi fighters. Amid disputed reports that Hadi fled the country,
Yemeni Foreign Minister
Riad Yassin called on
Arab states
The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western As ...
to intervene in the country's crisis.
Shuqrah on the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
, east of Aden, fell to the Houthis on 27 March, giving the militants control of all land entrances to Aden.
Fighting was reported on the outskirts of the provisional capital itself. By the start of April, Houthi and allied military forces had pressed into central Aden, taking control of the presidential palace on 2 April.
Saudi-led air campaign
Later that day, the Gulf states made a joint announcement that they would mount a military intervention against the Houthis,
al Qaeda, and
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
's ambassador to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
announced the kingdom launched airstrikes against Houthi targets overnight.
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
,
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
, and
Sudan also joined the campaign, with Egyptian naval ships moving to block the
Bab-el-Mandeb
The Bab-el-Mandeb ( Arabic: , , ) is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Name
The strait derives its name from the dangers a ...
strait,
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
declared it would provide intelligence and logistical support.
Hadi arrived in Riyadh on 26 March, reportedly by way of
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
. He was greeted by the Saudi defence minister,
Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud.
References
External links
Demystifying Yemen's Conflict (Midwest Diplomacy)Timeline: Yemen (BBC)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aftermath of the 2014-15 Yemen unrest
2015 in Yemen
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
Conflicts in 2015
Sanaa
Shia–Sunni sectarian violence
Wars involving Yemen
Houthi insurgency in Yemen
Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
Aftermath of wars