2014–15 Yemen unrest

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from 2014-2015 Yemen unrest)
Yemen unrest
Part of Shia insurgency in Yemen
Date18 August 2014 – ongoing
LocationSana'a, Yemen
Belligerents
 HouthisYemen Government of Yemen
Commanders and leaders
 Abdul Malik al-Houthi
 Mohammad Abd al-Salam		Yemen Abd Rabbuh Hadi
Yemen Mohammed Basindawa
Yemen Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
The political situation in Yemen deteriorated in 2014, beginning with a series of sit-ins and demonstrations, which later escalated into armed conflict that persisted into the following year. The unrest began on 18 August 2014 as a series of Houthi demonstrations in Sana'aagainst increased fuel prices. On 21 September, the Houthis took control of Sana'a, after which Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawaresigned and the Houthis signed a deal for a new unity government with other political parties. The protests were marked by clashes between the Houthis and the government, as well as clashes between the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
The unrest took a dramatic turn on 20 January 2015, when Houthi forces captured the presidential palace and besieged and shelled the private residence of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, where the president was working. Hadi was unhurt, but the Houthis gained additional ground in the capital city and were perceived as effectively taking control of the Yemeni government.[1][2] On 22 January, Hadi and his government resigned en masse.

Background[edit]

  Controlled by Houthis
  Controlled by the Yemeni government
  Controlled by Al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia
  Deserted
The protests followed a phase of Houthi expansion culminating in the takeover of `Amran, a provincial capital, by the Houthis on 8 July 2014.[3] The Houthis defeated the 310 Armored Brigade and killed its commander, Hameed Al-Qushaibi.[4][5]
However, the immediate trigger for the protests was a fuel price increase of nearly 100% caused by the Yemeni government's 29 July decision to cut subsidies for fuel.[6] In 2013, fuel subsidies cost the Yemeni government $3 billion, almost a third of the state budget.[7] In response to the cuts, Houthis began protesting for a reinstatement of subsidies and a new government.[8]

Events[edit]

Control of Sanaa[edit]

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Sana'a (2014).
The first protests occurred on 18 August, when the Houthis set up protest camps in Sana'a.[6] Tens of thousands of people participated in the protests,[7] which soon became violent. On 10 September, seven protesters were shot by security forces, and renewed clashes on 18 September left 40 protesters and members of Sunni militias dead.[6]
On 19 September, rebels attacked Sana'a and by 21 September advanced into the city, capturing the government headquarters. This resulted in a resignation by Prime Minister of Yemen Mohammed Basindawa, who was succeeded by Ahmad Awad Bin Mubarak. The fighting left 123 fighters on both sides dead.[9] The Houthis, along with several other Yemeni political groups, signed a deal entitled the Peace and Partnership Agreement which provided for the formation of a new unity government.[10]
By 22 September, at least 340 people were killed in fighting in Sana'a.[11] Fighting continued even after the signing of the power-sharing agreement.[12]
On 9 October, a suicide bomb tore through Tahrir Square just before a major rally was scheduled to start. The attack killed 47 people and wounded 75, mostly supporters of the Houthis. Government officials believe the attack was perpetrated by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[13]
On 7 November, the United Nations Security Council placed sanctions on former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi commanders, Abdullah Yahya al Hakim and Abd al-Khaliq al-Huthi, for obstructing the Yemeni political process.[14] Saleh's political party, the General People's Congress, stripped President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi of his party positions in response, accusing him of instigating the sanctions.[15]
The new government called for by the Peace and Partnership Agreement was sworn in on 9 November. However, the Houthis and the General People's Congress refused to participate in the new government.[15]

January 2015 developments[edit]

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Sana'a (2015).
On 18 January 2015 Shia Houthi rebels abducted the president's chief of staff in a dispute over a proposed new constitution for the country.
On 19 January 2015 the rebels surrounded the prime minister's residence in Sana. Fierce clashes between the rebels and the Presidential Guard erupted earlier in the day in which at least eight people were killed before a truce was agreed. A Houthi activist, Hussain Albukhaiti, said the group had been "provoked" into Monday's fighting after two of their positions were attacked.[16]
On 20 January 2015, the rebels attacked the president's residence and swept into the presidential palace. President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was inside the residence as it came under "heavy shelling" for a half-hour, but he was unharmed and protected by guards, according to Information Minister Nadia al-Sakkaf. Presidential guards surrendered the residence after being assured that Hadi could safely evacuate. Two guards were reportedly killed in the assault. The rebels roamed the streets of Sanaa on foot and in pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns, manned checkpoints across the city and near the prime minister's residence and beefed up their presence around other key building, including intelligence headquarters. The U.N. Security Council called an emergency meeting about the unfolding events. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon expressed concern over the "deteriorating situation" in Yemen and urged all sides to cease hostilities.[1][17] Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi movement, gave a lengthy speech on Yemeni television demanding that Hadi move more quickly to implement political changes demanded by the Houthis, as well as threatening an armed attack on Ma'rib, a restive town in central Yemen.[18][19] The next day, Houthi guards took control of Hadi's residence, although a Houthi official claimed the president was free to come and go as he wished. Yemeni military sources said the Houthis also seized the military aviation college located close to Hadi's home, and the main missile base in Sana without a fight.[2]
Local officials in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden responded to the Houthi takeover of the presidential palace and residence by closing its airport, seaport, and land crossings. The city's local security committee called the Houthis' moves an "aggressive coup against the president personally and the political process as a whole".[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b "Rebels capture Yemen presidential palace, shell residence". USA today. 20 January 2015. Retrieved20 January 2015.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Yemen's President Under Guard Of Houthi Rebels". The Huffington Post. January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 21,2015.
  3. Jump up^ Ali Saeed (15 July 2014). "Military shake-up in Amran".Yemen Times. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  4. Jump up^ Ali Ibrahim Al-Moshki (22 July 2014). "Houthis hand over Al-Qushaibi's corpse to the state". Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  5. Jump up^ Maysa Shujah Al-Deen (July 2014). "Fall of Amran sends shock waves across Yemen". Al-Monitor. Retrieved29 October 2014.
  6. ^ Jump up to:a b c Frank Gardner (24 October 2014). "Frank Gardner: Yemen at risk of civil war, says ambassador". BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  7. ^ Jump up to:a b Mohammed Ghobari (22 August 2014). "Tens of thousands of Yemeni Houthis protest against govt in capital". Reuters. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  8. Jump up^ Peter Salisbury (11 September 2014). "What Do the Protesting Houthis Really Want in Yemen?". Vice. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  9. Jump up^ Al-Jazeera - Yemen's Houthi rebels advance into Sanaa
  10. Jump up^ Hamdan Al-Rahbi (26 October 2014). "Houthis secure six ministerial portfolios in new Yemeni cabinet". ASharq Al-Awsat. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  11. Jump up^ Daily Star - Yemen fighting killed at least 200 within week: govt
  12. Jump up^ Daily Star - Houthi rebels attack Yemen security chief's home
  13. Jump up^ Salisbury, Peter (9 October 2014). "Yemen suicide attack kills dozens". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  14. Jump up^ Michelle Nichols (7 November 2014). "U.N. sanctions Yemen's ex-President Saleh, two rebel leaders". Reuters. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  15. ^ Jump up to:a b "Yemen swears in new government amid boycott". Al Jazeera. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  16. Jump up^ "Yemen crisis: Houthi rebels surround PM's residence".BBC. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  17. Jump up^ "Yemen rebels overtake presidential palace". Al Jazeera. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  18. Jump up^ "Coup Fears Rise in Yemen as Rebels Storm Palace". The New York Times. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January2015.
  19. Jump up^ "Al-Huthi Lays Down the Law". The Yemen Peace Project. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.