Houthis arrive in Yemen’s Ibb

Hundreds of Houthi fighters in Yemen have arrived in the southwestern city of Ibb, which borders al-Bayda Province — a stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked militants in the region.

Reports say on Wednesday that the fighters entered the city while riding dozens of armored vehicles and set up security checkpoints.

“The governor and his aides received the armed men outside the city and entered with them,” an unnamed provincial official said.

Witnesses say another convoy of cars carrying Shia Houthi fighters was seen near the city of Taiz, located some 50 kilometers south of Ibb. The fighters are reportedly heading towards Ma’rib.

This comes shortly after the Houthi Ansarullah fighters took over Dhamar and the major port city of Hudayda.

In September, the fighters also gained control over the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, following a four-day battle with army forces loyal to General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, the half-brother of former dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The Houthi movement played a major role in the popular uprising that forced Saleh to step down after more than 33 years in power.

Yemen has been facing threats from al-Qaeda-linked militants, as well as a separatist movement in the country’s southern region.

Meanwhile, residents of southern Yemen, who say they have been economically and politically marginalized by the central government in Sana’a, have been holding pro-independence demonstrations.

North and South Yemen unified in 1990 after the southern government collapsed. However, four years later, the south tried to break away and this led to a civil war. The conflict ended with northern troops taking control of the south after winning the war.

SZH/AB/SS