Several local media have claimed over the past few days that the Houthis (a Shiite group organized under the leadership of Abdel-Malek al-Houthi) plan to further challenge the government authority, only this time further south, in Aden, the former capital of South Yemen.
Formerly labelled as a dissident Shiite group, nothing more than disgruntled local tribesmen with very limited pull and military firepower, the Houthis have managed since 2011 uprising to reinvent themselves as a powerful political faction with far- political tentacles. No longer just an armed group with limited territorial ambitions, the Houthis have established themselves as a potent political power, so much so that they have begun to outshine Yemen’s political giants: al-Islah and the General People’s Congress.
Yemen’s new political kingmaker, Ansar Allah, the Houthis’ political arm, has successfully rallied to its cause thousands upon thousands of supporters, well beyond the group’s original tribal borders, as its message has found a deep echo among disenchanted Yemenis. Disillusioned with Yemen’s old political guard, the Houthis have somewhat struck a chord with Yemenis throughout, attracting forever new recruits to its cause.
With armed militants based only a few kilometres north of the capital, Sana’a, the Houthis have proved beyond any doubt that they can now weight heavy on government decisions.
With Yemen northern provinces under their control, local media claim the Shiite group will focus on establishing strongholds in the south, namely Aden as to act a counter-power to Sana’a central government.
Sources in Aden have alleged Houthi militants have become increasingly visible in Aden, having already rallied southerners to their cause. It is important to note that the Houthis and al-Harak (Southern Secessionist Movement) have often backed each other against other factions, opportune strategic political allies. The idea that an alliance could be struck in between the two against Sana’a central government has often been flaunted by political analysts.
Kamal Mohammed, a political analyst based in Yemen warned that should the Houthis managed to gain control over Aden politically, Iran would have direct access to the world oil route and thus control not only the Persian Gulf but Bab al Mandeb and beyond the Horn of Africa.
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