YEMEN'S CRISIS: THE HOUTHIS TAKE OVER

A struggle for power By

King David

In the early 1990's the

Houthis began as a

religious peace group,

Ansar Allah (Partisans of

God)

• 2004—hundreds die as troops battle Shia insurgency

• 2005—the Houthis besieged a religious school, clashes occurred and hundreds died

• After the Salalis religious group agreed to leave the province the Houthis clashed the Islah Party and army brigades allied to it.

• 2007—scores are killed or wounded in clashes between security forces and Houthi Rebels

• 2007—Houthis accept a ceasefire

Houthis allegiance to dead rebel leader—Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi He declared war on the Yemen government in 2004

Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East

It has a population of 24 million

It's religion is mainly Islam, only 3000 Christians and 400 Jews

The capital city is Sanaa—meaning fortified place

Major competitor

s in the war

• The Yemen Government• Houthi Rebels• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)• Al-Islah—a Sunni Islamist political

movement, whose leaders are targeted by the Houthis

• Al-Hirak—(Southern Yemen) has a strong secessionist movement

• Former president Ali Abdullah al-Saleh and General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmer: these two distant cousins ran the country for decades before falling out because Saleh refused to quit in the face of an "Arab Spring"

Houthis' demands of the Yemen government

Protested, urged the government to step down

Demanded fuel subsidies be reinstated

Demanded the government reflect the seats allocated to political groups during Yemen's 10 month National Dialogue Conference

Violence is common in Yemen

• 2008—Renewed clashes between security forces and Houthi Rebels

• 2009—Tens of thousands of people are displaced as Yemeni army attacks Houthi Rebels in Saada

• 2009—Northern Rebels and Saudi security forces clash along the two countries' border

• 2010—Government signs ceasefire with northern rebels

Allies in the war Yemen government allies

• Saudi Arabia• United States and the UK• They strongly backed a political settlement

in Yemen following an uprising against the country's president

Houthis' Allies• Iran—although Iran's physically arming the

Houthis is disputed, a ship carrying weapons from Iran was seized in Yemen in 2013.

The First War • The first war with the government erupted in 2004 on grounds of self-defense.

• The then President Saleh saw the Houthis as a challenge to his rule

• The Houthi supporters protested in Mosques in the capital

AL QAEDA'S AFFILIATE IN YEMEN INCLUDES THE MOST POTENT BOMB MAKER IN THE TERRORIST WORLD

AL QAEDA STILL POSES A DIRECT THREAT TO AMERICANS

SINCE 2009 THE U.S. HAS THWARTED AT LEAST THREE PLOTS BY THE GROUP TO BRING DOWN AIRLINES

YEMEN SERVED AS A PARTNER IN AMERICAN COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATION AGAINST AL QAEDA

The United States's Main Concern

ALTHOUGH THE HOUTHIS REPRESENT JUST A QUARTER OF YEMEN'S POPULATION, THEY WILL NEVER RULE THE COUNTRY, BUT THEY SEEM STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD ABAY AL-QAEDA'S MILITANTS

Houthis' Strength and Value

Houthis and Al-Qaeda in Yemen

Houthis despises the U.S.

U.S. connection to YemenThis government is a puppet in the hands of influential forces, which is indifferent to the rightful and sincere demands of these people

Houthi are Anti-Western and Pro-Iran

Houthis carry flags saying, "Death to America, Death to Isreal"

War continues

2010—Yemen says 3,000 soldiers killed in outbreak of fighting involving Houthi Rebels

2011—President Saleh agrees to hand over power to his deputy Abdrabbu mans our Hadi

Hadi is elected President in 2012

Houthis continue their stand against Yemen

Houthis seize the capital 2014—Houthis Rebels

take control of the capital Sanaa

The Houthis rejects the draft of a new constitution proposed by the government

Houthi Rebels say they are seizing power and that a transitional five-member presidential council will replace President Hadi

Saudi to the rescue

President Hadi flees house arrest in Sanaa, escapes to Eden

A Saudi led coalition of Arab States mounts airstrikes on Houthis

The UN's warning: "Yemen is on the verge of total collapse"

NAME 3 COMPETITORS IN THE YEMEN CRISIS WITH THE HOUTHIS?

WHY IS THE U.S. INVOLVED IN THE YEMEN CRISIS?WHEN DID THE FIRST WAR BEGIN BETWEEN YEMEN AND THE HOUTHIS?

NAME TWO DEMANDS THE HOUTHIS MADE TO THE YEMEN GOVERNMENT

WHAT COUNTRY CAME TO THE YEMEN GOVERNMENT'S RESCUE WHEN THE HOUTHIS SEIZED THE CAPITAL?

Test questions