As more reports of violence have come through from Hamdan and the Qaratel Mountain opposing the Houthis and tribesmen loyal to al-Ahmar (one of Yemen’s most prominent tribal family and powerful faction within al-Islah) the Shiite group staged a demonstration in the provincial capital of Amaran, keen to voice its opposition of President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
The protesters chanted anti-government slogans in scene reminiscent of the Heydays of Yemen 2011 uprising when hundreds of thousands descended upon the streets of Yemen to denounce former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
While the Houthis have failed of course to replicate 2011 revolutionary momentum, one cannot escape but notice that the once remote rebel Shiite group has managed to assert itself into both a powerful political and tribal force at the heart of Yemen highlands, to such an extent that the government has so far shun away from a direct confrontation. Despite warnings and threats of military reprisals, should Houthi fighters continue to challenge the state authority in Amran, President Hadi yet to launch a true military campaign against the Shiite militants, only too aware of the dangers such a move would carry for Yemen transition of power.
It is important to note that the Houthis purposely staged their anti-government rally at the heart of al-Ahmar’s tribal fief, a move which will surely be understood as utmost defiance by the tribe.
Under the watchful eye of the military, the Houthis paraded in Amran in fully armed this Friday, a reminder of Yemen’s ongoing power shift.
Military sources have often warned that the Houthis would look to Sana’a now that their hold over Amran has been asserted.