Yemen Shia fighters consolidate control over Amran
BEIRUT - The crisis in Yemen sparked by
a Shia rebel offensive has been aggravated by the fighters'
consolidation of control over the region of Amran, about 50
kilometers north of the capital Sanaa.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), dominated by Saudi
Arabia (which leads the area's Sunni bloc), has expressed deep
concern after Yemeni president Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi's visit to
Riyadh. The Saudis openly accuse Iran of supporting the Shia
rebels, which belong to the Zaidi community, a branch of the
Shia religion widespread in Yemen.
According to local sources quoted by the Arab daily
Al-Hayat, Houthi rebels (named after the founder of the armed
group, which has been battling the central government for
roughly 10 years), have taken control of the main police and
military posts left unguarded by Sanaa government forces in
Amran, the capital of the region.
Houthi rebel spokesman Muhammad Abdessalam confirmed to the
daily the killing of General Hamid Qushaybi, commander of the
310th brigade of government forces stationed in Amran. Sanaa's
response so far has been limited to carrying out air strikes on
rebel positions and using government infantry troops backed by
pro-government tribal militias.
