This Thursday as Houthis supporters (a former Zaidi rebel group now organized under the political den0mination Ansar Allah) came to attend the funeral of several of their comrades following an violent altercation with the government forces, resentment was palpable.
Last Sunday (June 9th, 2013) Houthis demonstrators assaulted Yemen Intelligence Agency headquarters in Sana'a, forcing armed guards to intervene.
Armed and intent on using their fire arms the protesters advanced against the state building, prompting officers to order their men to retaliate with full force.
Gun shots were fired and men started to fall.
By the end of the day, the authorities reported 13 dead on the side of the Houthis and over a 100 injured.
Human Rights Watch called on the government to open an inquiry in the matter. "The government should ensure that its promised investigation into the incident is carried out promptly, impartially, and thoroughly, and results in appropriate prosecutions of those responsible for serious abuses," wrote HRW in a report published Thursday.
Defiant, several Houthis supporters said this Thursday they would continue to call on the state to make good on its promises to reform the state security apparatus, starting with its Intelligence Agency.
"The people want to dismantle the national security services," chanted thousands while following the funeral procession.
Well organized under the leadership of Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, Ansar Allah is believed to entertain strong ties with Iran. Several politicians have actually compared the group to the Hezbollah, a Shiite militia group based in Lebanon, warning that just as Iran used Hassan Nasrallah (leader of the Hezbollah) to influence Lebanon's political life, Iran would use Abdel-Malek al-Houthi as its pawn in Yemen.