Anger boils against attacks on Houthi fighters in Yemen

Anger is boiling in Yemen against the army’s deadly attacks on Houthi fighters in the north of the country as military vows to continue its assaults.

On Friday, Yemeni Army spokesman, Saeed al-Faqih, vowed during a press conference that Army assaults will continue against what he called armed groups.

The remarks come as thousands of Yemeni people have staged a protest on the streets of the capital, Sana’a, to condemn the army for attacking and killing Shia Houthi fighters.

Yemeni warplanes have carried out airstrikes against Shia Houthi fighters in the northern city of Amran over the past few days

Clashes erupted on Monday after Yemeni army soldiers, backed by warplanes, attempted to remove Houthis from a strategic position controlling the road to the capital, Sana’a.

Takfiri elements from Islah (reform) party have been backing the army in its fight against Houthis.

Following the conflict, Yemeni armed forces and Houthi fighters reached a ceasefire deal backed by the United Nations last Wednesday.

The deal was made to end violence in Amran, including an end to military reinforcements, deployment of military monitors, and opening of the main road to Sana’a.

Yemen’s Houthi movement, which draws its name from the tribe of its founding leader, Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, has been fighting against the central government for years.

In February, the Yemeni government agreed to transform the impoverished Arab state into a federation as part of a political transition. This would create four regions in the north and two in the south.

But the government’s plan was flatly rejected by both the separatists in the south and the Houthi fighters, who argue that the initiative would divide Yemen into rich and poor regions.

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