Houthis Kidnap Tribal Leader, Triggering Protests in Sanaa
Arab World
Sanaa – Asharq Al-Awsat
Houthi militias kidnapped prominent tribal leader and prominent General People's Congress (GPC) official Ali Mohammed Al Dubaiby alongside a number of his companions in a move to press tribes for more recruitment of their members. On Wednesday, hundreds of Dubaiby’s supporters demonstrated in one of the Houthi-held Sanaa’s largest squares, Al Sabeen Square. Demonstrators demanded the tribal leader’s immediate release. Tribal sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that hundreds of Raymah Governorate locals have gathered at Al Sabeen Square in protest to Dubaiby’s kidnapping. Ramyah Governorate locals also threatened Houthis to withdraw their troops from battlefronts in response to what they labeled as ‘disrespect’ towards their tribal leaders. The Houthi violations coincided with the Iran-backed group's continued campaign of raids and arrests in Sana'a. Houthis have been confiscating money and homes of civilians, and forcing residents to provide food and aid for militias on frontlines. Human rights activists in Sanaa who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat estimated that Houthis kidnapped more than 5,000 citizens in 2019. Most of those kidnapped, among which were women, were taken from areas in Sanaa, Ibb, Dhamar, Al-Hodeidah and Hajjah. The hostages were moved to secret Houthi prisons. Tribal sources in Ibb, south of Sanaa, said that Houthis had recently killed a tribal leader in the Annadira district. The slain leader had rejected to recruit more of his tribesmen to join Houthi ranks in Ad Dali' Governorate. Sources stated that Houthi gunmen shot Muhammad Abdo Al-Wail at the center of Annadira, killing him immediately. Houthi-run areas are passing through a critical period with the group cranking up its kidnapping campaign against tribal leaders who were considered allies.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2118146/houthis-kidnap-tribal-leader-triggering-protests-sanaa
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