12 killed in clashes between Houthis, tribesmen

At least 12 people have reportedly been killed in the latest clashes that erupted between Yemen’s Houthi fighters and armed tribesmen supporting Salafist militant groups.

The violence broke out on Tuesday in the northern province of Amran.

Local reports said at least one Houthi fighter was also killed in separate clashes between the Shia fighters and Salafist militants in the Arhab district, north of the capital, Sana’a.

On Monday, 21 people were killed and a dozen others injured in similar clashes in Arhab Mountains.

The clashes come almost two weeks after a Yemeni government committee mediated a ceasefire to end weeks of bloody battles between the Houthis and the Hashid tribe. The ceasefire was however violated soon afterwards.

The Houthis say Hashid tribesmen are helping Salafist groups fighting against them in the city of Dammaj, the Sa’ada Province, and have turned the city into a safe haven for thousands of foreign militants.

Led by Sheikh Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, they control parts of northern Yemen.

The Houthis blame the government of political, economic, and religious marginalization of the country’s Shia community and violating their civil rights.

On January 21, Yemen’s Houthi movement withdrew from the national reconciliation talks following the assassination of the group’s envoy to the negotiations.

Ahmad Sharafeddin was gunned down by unknown gunmen in Sana’a. He was the second representative of the Houthi movement to the negotiations to be assassinated.

Lawmaker Abdulkarim Jadban was killed in a similar attack in November 2013.