Shiite Houthi fighters tightened their grip on Yemen’s capital after seizing control of the presidential palace, threatening to plunge Saudi Arabia’s southern neighbor deeper into sectarian conflict.
The Houthis seized an army base that houses rocket systems in the mountains on the edge of Sana’a, al-Masdar independent news website reported, citing military officials it didn’t identify. The rebels manned checkpoints, blocked the road to the palace and reinforced their positions around the residence of U.S.-backed President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi, who hasn’t made a public appearance since fighting started three days ago.
Yemen’s government has struggled to exert authority over much of the country amid challenges by ethnic separatists, political protesters and Islamist militants, who Hadi battled with U.S. military support. The resulting power vacuum caused alarm in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, and enabled al-Qaeda to expand its operations. The group’s Yemen branch claimed this month’s killings at the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.
“There are two possible scenarios,” Nabil al-Sharjabi, an independent analyst, said by phone. “Either Hadi stays like a puppet in the hands of the Houthis and implements the orders of their leader, or he resigns. The situation will escalate and the country might be embroiled in a civil war.”
The cabinet canceled its meeting in Sana’a after Houthi rebels seized the presidential complex on Tuesday, Rajeh Badi, cabinet spokesman, said by telephone.
Guards Surrender
In Aden, in the south of Yemen, hundreds of gunmen from southern cities entered the city to defend it against any Houthi advance and guard government buildings, Abdulatef al-Saed, a leader of an armed popular committee, said by telephone today. Protests against the Houthis erupted in the city of Taiz, demonstrator Ahmed al-Wafi said by phone.
Palace guards surrendered on Tuesday after receiving assurances of safe conduct for Hadi. Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the rebel leader, said in a televised address that Hadi and other politicians had failed to advance a national dialogue, root out corruption or combat al-Qaeda militants.
The palace seizure followed several days of clashes as the rebels sought to extend their control over the capital, much of which has been in their hands for months.
Their leader, Al-Houthi, demanded immediate action from Hadi to implement a peace accord reached in September after the Houthi forces entered the capital. He called for the revival of talks on national reconciliation, including rewriting the constitution, and improvements in security, especially in the oil-rich Marib province.
U.S. Backing
“We are determined, and will not hesitate in taking any measures” the country needs, Al-Houthi said.
Officials loyal to Hadi in Aden said the seizure of the palace amounted to a coup, according to local state television.
Hadi took office in 2012 with backing from the Saudis, their Gulf allies and the U.S., as part of an agreement that aimed to end a year of violent protests against his predecessor, Ali Abdullah Saleh.
His precarious hold on power was demonstrated in September last year when the Houthis, a movement based in the north of the country, advanced into the capital and seized many of its key institutions. The rebels maintained Hadi in the presidency while forcing him to change his government.
The Houthis, named after the group’s founder, Hussein al-Houthi, say they face discrimination from Yemen’s central authorities. Since its fighters entered Sana’a, the group has been the target of escalating attacks by al-Qaeda and its tribal allies.
The sectarian dimension of the conflict reflects broader divisions in the region. The Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Gulf states of meddling in Yemen’s affairs, while the Saudis and their allies say Shiite-ruled Iran has stirred up unrest there.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mohammed Hatem in Dubai at mhatem1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alaa Shahine at asalha@bloomberg.net Mark Williams, Caroline Alexander
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