Yemeni Civil War (2015)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Civil war in Yemen" redirects here. For other civil wars in Yemen, see Yemeni Civil War (disambiguation).
Yemeni Civil War (2015)
Part of the Arab Spring and the Yemeni Crisis
Yemen war detailed map.png
The military situation in Yemen, as of 11 November 2015:
  Controlled by the Revolutionary Committee
  Controlled by the Hadi-led government and the Southern Movement
  Controlled by Ansar al-Sharia/AQAP forces
(For a more detailed map, see Map of the Yemeni Civil War)
Date 21 March 2015 – present
(8 months and 2 days)
Location Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia (spillovers)
Status

Ongoing

Belligerents

Yemen Yemen
(Revolutionary Committee)

Supported by:

Yemen Yemen
(Hadi government)

People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Southern Movement
 United States[2][3] (Airstrikes on Al-Qaeda only)


Coalition:

Ansar al-Sharia


 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[11][12][13]

Commanders and leaders
Yemen Mohammed Ali al-Houthi
Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh
Yemen Hussein Khairan
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Ali al-Shami

Yemen Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi
Yemen Mahmoud al-Subaihi (POW)
United States Barrack Obama


Saudi Arabia Salman
Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud
Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al Asiri
United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Sudan Omar al-Bashir
Jordan Abdullah II
Morocco Mohamed VI
Senegal Macky Sall

Nasir al-Wuhayshi 
Qasim al-Raymi
Nasser al-Ansi 
Ibrahim al-Rubaish 
Khalid Batarfi
Abdel-Wahid Al-Bukkari 


Abu Bilal al-Harbi[17]
Strength

Yemen Yemen (Revolutionary Committee)

Yemen Yemen (Hadi government)


Saudi Arabia 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers (claim)[23]
United Arab Emirates 30 warplanes[24]
Bahrain 15 warplanes[24]
Kuwait 15 warplanes[24]
Qatar 10 warplanes and 1,000 soldiers[24][25]
Jordan 6 warplanes[24]
Morocco 6 warplanes[24]
Sudan 4 warplanes and 6,000 troops [26][27]
Egypt 4 warships,[28] 16 F-16 warplanes[29]

Senegal 2,100 troops[24]

Ansar al-Sharia


300[32]
Casualties and losses
5,723 killed overall in Yemen (2,615 civilians; UN)[33][34]
70 killed overall in Saudi Arabia[35]

The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions claiming to constitute the Yemeni government, along with their supporters and allies.[36] Southern separatists (by far the largest force) and forces loyal to the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, based in Aden, have clashed with Houthi forces and forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.[37][38] There are claims that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have also carried out attacks, with AQAP controlling swaths of territory in the hinterlands, and along stretches of the coast.

On 19 March, the Houthi-led Supreme Revolutionary Committee government declared a general mobilization to overthrow Hadi and further their control by driving into southern provinces.[39] The Houthi offensive, allied with military forces loyal to Saleh, began on the next day with fighting in Taiz Governorate. By 25 March, Lahij fell to the Houthis and they reached the outskirts of Aden, the seat of power for Hadi's government.[40] On 25 March, Hadi fled the country.[41][42] On the same day, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia[6] launched military operations by using airstrikes to restore the former Yemeni government and the United States provided intelligence and logistical support for the campaign.[4] As of 2 May, at least 400 civilians have died in Aden.[43]

Background[edit]

Ansar Allah (sometimes Anglicanized as Ansarullah), known popularly as the Houthis, a Zaidi group with its origins in the mountainous Sa'dah Governorate on Yemen's northern border with Saudi Arabia, began waging a low-level insurgency against the Yemeni government in 2004.[44] The intensity of the conflict waxed and waned over the course of the 2000s, with multiple peace agreements being negotiated and later disregarded.

On a separate front in 2007 southerners started calling for secession of the South through peaceful protest, which was met with brutal force by government forces.

[45][46] The Houthi insurgency heated up in 2009, briefly drawing in neighbouring Saudi Arabia on the side of the Yemeni government, but quieted the following year after a ceasefire was signed.[47][48] During the early stages of the Yemeni Revolution in 2011, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared the group's support for demonstrations calling for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.[49] Later in the year, as Saleh prepared to leave office, the Houthis laid siege to the Sunni-majority village of Dammaj in northern Yemen, a step toward attaining virtual autonomy for Sa'dah.[50]

The Houthis boycotted a single-candidate election in early 2012 meant to give Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi a two-year term of office.[51] They participated in a National Dialogue Conference, but withheld support from a final accord in early 2014 that extended Hadi's mandate in office for another year.[52][53] Meanwhile, the conflict between the Houthis and Sunni tribes in northern Yemen spread to other governorates, including the Sana'a Governorate by mid-2014.[54] After several weeks of street protests against the Hadi administration, which made cuts to fuel subsidies that were unpopular with the group, the Houthis came to blows with Yemen Army forces under the command of General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar. In a battle that lasted only a few days, Houthi fighters seized control of Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, in September 2014.[55] The Houthis forced Hadi to negotiate an agreement to end the violence, in which the government resigned and the Houthis gained an unprecedented level of influence over state institutions and politics.[56][57]

In January 2015, unhappy with a proposal to split the country into six federal regions,[58] Houthi fighters seized the presidential compound in Sana'a. The power play prompted the resignation of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and his ministers.[53][59] The Houthi political leadership then announced the dissolution of parliament and the formation of a Revolutionary Committee to govern the country on 6 February 2015.[60]

On 21 February, one month after Houthi militants confined Hadi to his residence in Sana'a, he slipped out of the capital and traveled to Aden, the old capital of South Yemen. In a televised address from his hometown, he declared that the Houthi takeover was illegitimate and indicated he remained the constitutional president of Yemen.[61][62][63] His predecessor as president, Ali Abdullah Saleh—who had been widely suspected of aiding the Houthis during their takeover of Sana'a the previous year—publicly denounced Hadi and called on him to go into exile.[64]

Allegations of outside support[edit]

The Houthis have long been accused of being proxies for Iran, since they both follow Shia Islam. (Although the Iranians are Twelve-Imam Shias and the Houthis are Five-Imam Shias.) The United States and Saudi Arabia have alleged that the Houthis receive weapons and training from Iran.[65] The Houthis and Iranian government have denied any affiliation.[1] The African nation of Eritrea has also been accused of funneling Iranian material to the Houthis,[66] as well as offering medical care for injured Houthi fighters.[67] The Eritrean government has called the allegations "groundless" and said after the outbreak of open hostilities that it views the Yemeni crisis "as an internal matter".[66] Documents from wikileaks suggest that privately US officials believe that allegations of Iranian support for the Houthis have been overstated by the Yemeni Government for political reasons.[68]

The Yemeni government, meanwhile, has enjoyed significant international backing from the United States and Persian Gulf monarchies. U.S. drone strikes were conducted regularly in Yemen during Hadi's presidency in Sana'a, usually targeting Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[69] The United States was also a major supplier of weapons to the Yemeni government, although according to the Pentagon, hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of that material has gone missing since it was delivered.[3] Saudi Arabia provided financial aid to Yemen until late 2014, when it suspended it amid the Houthis' takeover of Sana'a and increasing influence over the Yemeni government.[70]

Timeline[edit]

Conflict begins[edit]

Troops loyal to Hadi clashed with those who refused to recognise his authority in a battle for Aden International Airport on 19 March. The forces under General Abdul-Hafez al-Saqqaf were defeated, and al-Saqqaf himself reportedly fled toward Sana'a.[71] In apparent retaliation for the routing of al-Saqqaf, warplanes reportedly flown by Houthi pilots bombed Hadi's compound in Aden.[72]

Aden

After the 2015 Sana'a mosque bombings on 20 March 2015, in a televised speech, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis, said his group's decision to mobilize for war was "imperative" under current circumstances and that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and its affiliates—among whom he counts Hadi—would be targeted, as opposed to southern Yemen and its citizens.[73] President Hadi declared Aden to be Yemen's temporary capital while Sana'a remained under Houthi control.[74][75]

Also, the same day as the mosque bombings, al-Qaeda militants captured the provincial capital of Lahij, Al-Houta, after killing about 20 soldiers, before being driven out several hours later.[76]

Political developments[edit]

Hadi reiterated in a speech on 21 March that he was the legitimate president of Yemen and declared, "We will restore security to the country and hoist the flag of Yemen in Sana'a, instead of the Iranian flag."[77] He also officially declared Aden to be Yemen's "economic and temporary capital" due to the Houthi occupation of Sana'a, which he pledged would be retaken.[78]

In Sana'a, the Houthi Revolutionary Committee appointed Major General Hussein Khairan as Yemen's new defence minister and placed him in overall command of the military offensive.[79][80]

Control of Taiz[edit]

Main article: Battle of Taiz (2015)

Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Saleh entered Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, on 22 March and quickly took over key points in the city. They encountered little resistance, although one protester was shot dead and five more were injured.[81][82][83] Western media outlets began to suggest Yemen was sliding into civil war as the Houthis from the north confronted holdouts in the south.[84][85][86]

Western Yemen advance[edit]

On 23 March 2015, Houthi forces advanced towards the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb strait, a vital corridor through which much of the world’s maritime trade passes.[87] The next day, fighters from the group reportedly entered the port of Mocha.[88][89] On 31 March, Houthi fighters entered a coastal military base on the strait after the 17th Armoured Division of the Yemen Army opened the gates and turned over weapons to them.[90]

On 2 April, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the foreign minister of Djibouti, said the Houthis placed heavy weapons and fast attack boats on Perim and a smaller island in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. He warned that the weapons posed "a big danger" to his country, commercial shipping traffic, and military vessels.[91]

Southern offensive[edit]

Battle of Dhale[edit]

Main article: Battle of Dhale

Houthi forces seized administrative buildings in Dhale (or Dali) amid heavy fighting on 24 March, bringing them closer to Aden.[92] However, Houthi fighters were swiftly dislodged from Ad Dali' and Kirsh by Hadi-loyal forces.[93]

Fighting over Dhale continued even as the Houthis advanced further south and east. On 31 March, secessionist fighters clashed with the Houthis and army units loyal to Saleh.[94] The next day, a pro-Houthi army brigade was said to have "disintegrated" after being pummeled by coalition warplanes in Ad Dali. The commander of the 33rd Brigade reportedly fled, and groups of pro-Houthi troops withdrew to the north.[95]

The city reportedly fell into pro-government and -secessionist hands by the end of May.[96]

Fighting in Lahij[edit]

In the Lahij Governorate, heavy fighting erupted between Houthis and pro-Hadi fighters on 24 March.[92] The next day, Al Anad Air Base, 60 kilometers from Aden, was captured by the Houthis and their allies. The base had recently been abandoned by United States of America US SOCOM troops.[97][98] Defence Minister Mahmoud al-Subaihi, one of Hadi's top lieutenants, was captured by the Houthis in Al Houta and transferred to Sana'a.[99][100] Houthi fighters also advanced to Dar Saad, a small town, 20 km north of Aden.[101]

On 26 March, after clashes erupted in Aden, Hadi loyalists counterattacked as a Saudi-led military intervention got underway. Artillery shelled Al Anad Air Base, forcing some of its Houthi occupants to flee the area.[102] Saudi airstrikes also hit Al Anad.[103] Despite the airstrikes, however, the southern offensive continued.[104][105]

Fighting reaches Aden[edit]

Main article: Battle of Aden

In Aden, military officials said militias and military units loyal to Hadi had "fragmented" by 25 March, speeding the rebel advance. They said the rebels were fighting Hadi's troops on five different fronts.[106] Aden International Airport suspended all flights.[107]

Fighting reached Aden's outskirts on 25 March, with pro-Saleh soldiers taking over Aden International Airport and clashes erupting at an army base.[108][109] Hadi reportedly fled his "temporary capital" by boat as the unrest worsened.[100] The next day, he resurfaced in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where he arrived by plane and was met by Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud.[41]

Over the following days, Houthi and allied army forces encircled Aden[110][111] and hemmed in Hadi's holdouts, although they encountered fierce resistance from the embattled president's loyalists and armed city residents. They began pressing into the city center on 29 March despite coalition airstrikes and shelling from Egyptian Navy warships offshore.[112] On 2 April, the compound that has been used as a temporary presidential palace was taken by the Houthis,[113] and fighting moved into the central Crater and Al Mualla districts.[114]

A small contingent of foreign troops were reportedly deployed in Aden by early May, fighting alongside anti-Houthi militiamen in the city. Saudi Arabia denied the presence of ground troops,[115] while Hadi's government claimed the troops were Yemeni special forces who had received training in the Persian Gulf and were redeployed to fight in Aden.[116]

It is reported that forces loyal to Hadi have recaptured Aden with support from the Saudi Arabian government, this has allowed supplies to finally reach the port city giving civilians well needed aid.

Pro-government fighters have fully recaptured Aden in 21 July from the rebel Houthi fighters in Operation Golden Arrow after months of fighting, now the pro-government fighters have recaptured more than 90% of the Provence of Aden .

On 22 July a Saudi military plane landed in Aden international airport filled with relief aid. On 21 July, a U.N. ship docked in Aden carrying much-needed relief supplies, the first U.N. vessel to reach the city in four months. Another ship sent by the UAE also delivered medical aid.

On 21 July a UAE technical team had arrived to repair the tower and passenger terminal at Aden international airport, heavily damaged in clashes. On 24 July a military plane from the UAE arrived filled with relief aid.[117]

On 4 August, Houthi rebels were pushed back from the Al-Anad airbase, by Pro-Hadi forces.[118]

On 17 October, Saudi Arabia confirmed the arrival of Sudanese troops into Aden for the purpose of bolstering the Saudi-led coalition.[119][120]

Other campaigns[edit]

Abyan Governorate[edit]

The Houthis racked up a series of victories in the Abyan Governorate east of Aden in the days following their entrance into Hadi's provisional capital, taking control of Shuqrah and Zinjibar on the coast and winning the allegiance of a local army brigade, but they also encountered resistance from both pro-Hadi army brigadiers and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants.[121]

Hadhramaut Governorate[edit]

Main article: Battle of Al Mukalla

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula took control of Al Mukalla in the eastern Hadhramaut Governorate on 2 April, driving out soldiers defending the city with mortar fire and springing some 300 inmates from prison, including a local al Qaeda leader.[122][123] Local tribal fighters aligned with Hadi surrounded and entered Al Mukalla two days later, retaking parts of the city and clashing with both al-Qaeda militants and army troops.[124] Still, the militants remained in control of about half of the town. In addition, al-Qaeda fighters captured a border post with Saudi Arabia in an attack that killed two soldiers.[125]

On 9 April, al-Qaeda captured the town of al-Siddah, which had been held by the Houthis for the previous two months.[126]

On 13 April, Southern militia said they took control of the army base loyal to the Houthis near Balhaf.[127]

Lahij Governorate[edit]

Main article: Lahij insurgency

Although the Houthis took control of Lahij on the road to Aden, resistance continued in the Lahij Governorate. Ambushes and bombings struck Houthi supply lines to the Aden front, with a landmine killing a reported 25 Houthi fighters on their way to Aden on 28 March.[128]

Shabwah Governorate[edit]

Fighting also centered on the Shabwa Province, in the oil-rich Usaylan region, where Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Ansar al-Sharia hold sway. On 29 March, 38 were killed in fighting between the Houthis and Sunni tribesmen. Tribal sources confirmed the death toll, and claimed only eight of them were from their side, with the other 30 either Houthis or their allies from the Yemeni military.[129]

On 9 April, the Houthis and their allies seized the provincial capital of Ataq. The takeover was facilitated by local tribal chiefs and security officials.[126]

Elsewhere[edit]

In the province of Ma'rib, six members of Sunni tribes were killed during fighting against Houthis on 22 March.[82] The next day, 15 Houthis and 5 tribesmen were killed in clashes in the Al Bayda Governorate.[130]

During fighting between Hadi loyalists and Houthi militiamen in Sana'a, the Ethiopian embassy was reportedly struck by shelling on 3 April. The Ethiopian government said the attack appeared to be unintentional. No injuries at the embassy were reported.[131]

Armed tribesmen drove off Houthis who had set up a makeshift camp in southern Ibb Governorate and seized their weapons on 7 April.[132]

Between 17 and 18 April, at least 30 people were killed when the Houthis and allied army units attacked a pro-Hadi military base in Taiz. The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters,[133][134] as well as three civilians.[135] Another report put the number of dead at 85.[136] On the morning of 19 April, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed.[137]

A pro-Hadi official claimed 150 pro-Houthi and 27 tribal fighters had been killed in fighting in Ma'rib province between 2 and 21 April.[138]

On 4 September a Houthi missile hit an ammunition dump at a military base in Ma'rib killing 45 UAE, 10 Saudi and 5 Bahraini soldiers.[139]

On 16 October, Houthis and allied forces reportedly seized control of a military base in the town of Mukayris, pushing opponents out of southern Bayda.[140]

Military intervention[edit]

Saudi-led intervention in Yemen[edit]

In response to rumours that Saudi Arabia could intervene in Yemen, Houthi commander Ali al-Shami boasted on 24 March that his forces would invade the larger kingdom and not stop at Mecca, but rather Riyadh.[141]

The following evening, Saudi Arabia began a military intervention alongside eight other Arab states and with the logistical support of the United States against the Houthis, bombing positions throughout Sana'a. In a joint statement, the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (with the exception of Oman) said they decided to intervene against the Houthis in Yemen at the request of Hadi's government.[142][143][144] King Salman of Saudi Arabia declared the Royal Saudi Air Force to be in full control of Yemeni airspace within hours of the operation beginning.[145] The airstrikes were aimed at hindering the Houthis' advance toward Hadi's stronghold in southern Yemen.[146]

Al Jazeera reported that Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi commander appointed in February as President of the Revolutionary Committee, was injured by an airstrike in Sana'a on the first night of the campaign.[147]

According to Reuters, planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation.[6] Iran condemned the Saudi-led airstrikes and urged an immediate end to attacks on Yemen.[148] Saudi Arabia requested that Pakistan commit forces as well, but Pakistan's parliament officially voted to remain neutral.[149] However, Pakistan agreed to provide support in line with a United Nations Security Council resolution, dispatching warships to enforce an arms embargo against the Houthis.[24][150]

The bombing campaign was officially declared over on 21 April, with Saudi officials saying they would begin Operation Restoring Hope as a combination of political, diplomatic, and military efforts to end the war.[151] Even still, airstrikes continued against Houthi targets, and fighting in Aden and Ad Dali' went on.[152]

Arab League[edit]

In Egypt, the Yemeni foreign minister called for an Arab League military intervention against the Houthis.[142] Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi floated the idea of a unified military force.[citation needed]

The Arab League announced the formation of a unified military force to respond to conflict in Yemen and Libya.[153]

Drone strikes[edit]

Since the mid-2000s, the United States has been carrying out targeted killings of jihadist militants and ideologues in Yemen, although the U.S. government generally does not confirm involvement in specific attacks conducted by unmanned aerial vehicles as a matter of policy.[154]

During the civil war in Yemen, drone strikes have continued, targeting wanted leaders of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Ibrahim al-Rubeish and Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi, two leading AQAP figures, were killed by U.S. drone strikes in the vicinity of Al Mukalla in May.[2][155][156]

Islamic State presence and operations[edit]

The Islamic State has proclaimed several provinces in Yemen and has urged its adherents to wage war against the Houthi movement, as well as against Zaydis in general.[157] IS militants have conducted bombing attacks in various parts of the country, particularly against mosques in Sana'a.[158][159]

On 6 October 2015, IS militants conducted a series of suicide bombings in Aden that killed 15 soldiers affiliated with the Hadi government and the Saudi-led coalition.[160] The attacks were directed against the al-Qasr hotel, which had been a headquarters for pro-Hadi officials, and also military facilities.[160] Prior to the claim of responsibility by the Islamic State, officials from the UAE attributed the damage to rockets fired by forces loyal to the Houthis and Ali Abdullah Saleh.[160]

May 2015 truce[edit]

A five-day ceasefire proposed by Saudi Arabia was accepted by the Houthis and their allies in the military on 10 May 2015. The ceasefire was intended to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country.[161] The temporary truce began on the night of 12 May to allow the delivery of food, water, medical, and fuel aid throughout the country.[162]

On the fourth day of the truce, the fragile peace unraveled as fighting broke out in multiple southern governorates. At least three civilians in Aden and 12 in Taiz were killed on 16 May, despite the ceasefire.[163] Agence France-Presse reported that "dozens" were killed in southern Yemen by the clashes, including 26 Houthi and 12 pro-Hadi fighters.[164]

Omani Initiative[edit]

Around this same time reports surfaced in the media suggesting that Oman, which is the only Middle Eastern Monarchy not taking part in the coalition and has a border with Yemen, has presented a 7-point plan to both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Oman has played a vital role as a bridge between Tehran and the West in the past to help in the nuclear negotiations and thus enjoys good relations with Iran as well as its GCC neighbors. It has also been suggested that Oman was responsible to mediate a 24-hour ceasefire although analaysts doubt if Oman can help bring about more rigid negotiations.[165][166]

The following parts constituted the planned initiative:

  • The withdrawal of the Houthis and forces loyal to deposed president Ali Abdullah Saleh from all Yemeni cities and the return of military hardware and munitions seized from the Yemeni Army.
  • The restoration of the president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the government of Khalid Bahah.
  • Early parliamentary and presidential elections.
  • An agreement signed by all Yemeni parties.
  • The conversion of Ansarullah into a political party.
  • An international aid conference attended by donor states.
  • Yemen entering the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Humanitarian situation[edit]

CNN reported on 8 April that almost 10,160,000 Yemenis were deprived of water, food, and electricity as a result of the conflict. The report also added per sources from UNICEF officials in Yemen that within 15 days, some 100,000 people across the country were dislocated, while Oxfam said that more than 10 million Yemenis did not have enough food to eat, in addition to 850,000 half-starved children. Over 13 million civilians were without access to clean water.[167][168]

A medical aid boat brought 2.5 tonnes of medicine to Aden on 8 April.[169] A UNICEF plane loaded with 16 tonnes of supplies landed in Sana'a on 10 April.[170]

The United Nations announced on 19 April that Saudi Arabia promised to provide $273.7 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Yemen. The UN appealed for the aid, saying 7.5 million people had been affected by the conflict and many were in need of medical supplies, potable water, food, shelter, and other forms of support.[171]

On 12 May, Oxfam warned that the five days a humanitarian ceasefire was scheduled to last would not be sufficient to fully address Yemen's humanitarian crisis.[162]

It has also been said that the Houthis are collecting a war tax on goods. The political analyst Abdulghani al-Iryani affirmed that this tax is:"an illegal levy, mostly extortion that is not determined by law and the amount is at the discretion of the field commanders".[172]

As the war dragged on through the summer and into the fall, things were made far worse when Cyclone Chapala, the equivalent of a category 2 Hurricane,[173] made landfall on 3 November.

War crime accusations[edit]

According to Farea Al-Muslim, direct war crimes have been committed during the conflict; for example, an IDP camp was hit by a Saudi airstrike, while Houthis have sometimes prevented aid workers from giving aid.[174] The UN and several major human rights groups discussed the possibility that war crimes may have been committed by Saudi Arabia during the air campaign.[175]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote that the Saudi-led air campaign that began on 26 March 2015, had "conducted airstrikes in apparent violation of the laws of war, such as the March 30 attack on a displaced persons camp in Mazraq, northern Yemen, that struck a medical facility and a market". HRW also said that the Houthis had "unlawfully deployed forces in densely populated areas and used excessive force against peaceful protesters and journalists". In addition, HRW said that by providing logistical and intelligence assistance to coalition forces, "the United States may have become a party to the conflict, creating obligations under the laws of war".[176] Other incidents noted by HRW that had been deemed as "indiscriminate or disproportionate" or "in violation of the laws of war" were: a strike on a dairy factory outside the Red Sea port of Hodaida (31 civilian deaths);[177] a strike that destroyed a humanitarian aid warehouse of the international aid organization Oxfam in Saada;[178] the Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s blockade of Yemen which kept out fuel desperately needed for the Yemeni population’s survival.[179]

Amnesty International said that several Saudi Arabian–led airstrikes, documented by it, hit five densely populated areas (Sa'dah, Sana'a, Hodeidah, Hajjah and Ibb), and "raise concerns about compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law".[180][181] Amnesty International added, that according to its research, at least 139 people, including at least 97 civilians (33 of whom were children) were killed during these strikes, and 460 individuals were injured (at least 157 whom are civilians).[180] HRW also said that pro-Houthi fighters may have committed war crimes when two women were killed in Yemen and aid workers were arrested for two weeks.[182]

U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Johannes van der Klaauw, said that air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Sa’ada city in Yemen, where many civilians were trapped, were in breach of international humanitarian law, despite calls for civilians to leave the area. Scores of civilians were reportedly killed and thousands forced to flee their homes after the Saudi-led coalition declared the entire governorate a military target, he said.[183][184] Van der Klaauw also said that coalition strikes had targeted schools and hospitals, in breach of international law,[185]

A group of 17 aid agencies working in Yemen condemned the growing intensity of airstrikes in the north of Yemen on 8 and 9 May 2015. Save the Children’s Country Director in Yemen, Edward Santiago, said that the "indiscriminate attacks after the dropping of leaflets urging civilians to leave Sa'ada raises concerns about the possible pattern being established in breach of International Humanitarian Law".[186]

Refugees[edit]

Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa across the Bab-el-Mandeb strait from Yemen, has received an influx of refugees since the start of the campaign.[91][187][188] Refugees also fled from Yemen to Somalia, arriving by sea in Somaliland and Puntland starting 28 March.[189][190] On 16 April 2015, 2,695 refugees of 48 nationalities were reported to have fled to Oman in the past two weeks.[191]

Evacuation of foreign nationals from Yemen[edit]

Registration of Indian citizens evacuating from Yemen in March.

The Royal Saudi Navy evacuated diplomats and United Nations staff from Aden to Jeddah on 28 March.[192]

Pakistan dispatched two special PIA flights to evacuate some 500 stranded Pakistanis on 29 March 2015.[193] Several UN staff members and Arab diplomats were also evacuated following the airstrikes.[194]

The Indian government responded by deploying ships and planes to Yemen to evacuate stranded Indians. India began evacuating its citizens on 2 April by sea.[195] An air evacuation of Indian nationals from Sana'a to Djibouti was started on 3 April, after the Indian government obtained permission to land two Airbus A320s at the airport.[196] The Indian Armed Forces carried out rescue operation codenamed Operation Raahat and evacuated more than 4640 overseas Indians in Yemen along with 960 foreign nationals of 41 countries.[197] The air evacuation ended on 9 April 2015 while the evacuation by sea ended on 11 April 2015.[198] The United States has assets in the region, but through its Yemen diplomatic mission website, instructed its citizens to evacuate using Indian assistance.[199]

A Chinese missile frigate docked in Aden on 29 March to evacuate Chinese nationals from Yemen.[200] The ship reportedly deployed soldiers ashore on 2 April to guard the evacuation of civilians from the city.[201] Hundreds of Chinese and other foreign nationals were safely evacuated aboard the frigate in the first operation of its kind carried out by the Chinese military.[202] The Philippines have announced that 240 Filipinos were evacuated across the Saudi border to Jizan, before boarding flights to Riyadh and then to Manila.[203]

The Malaysian government have deployed two Royal Malaysian Air Force C-130 aircraft to evacuate their citizens.[204] On 15 April, around 600 people have been evacuated by Malaysia which also comprising other Southeast Asian countries citizens such as 85 Indonesians, 9 Cambodians, 3 Thais and 2 Vietnamese.[205]

The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said it would airlift its citizens out of Yemen if they requested to be evacuated.[206] There were reportedly more than 50,000 Ethiopian nationals living and working in Yemen at the outbreak of hostilities.[207] More than 3,000 Ethiopians registered to evacuate from Yemen, and as of 17 April, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry had confirmed 200 evacuees to date.[208]

Throughout April, Russian military forces evacuated more than 1,000 people of various nationalities, including Russian citizens, to the Chkalovsky Airport, a military air base.[209]

United Nations response[edit]

The United Nations representative Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said on 2 April that she was "extremely concerned" about the fate of civilians trapped in fierce fighting, after aid agencies reported 519 people killed and 1,700 injured in two weeks. The UN children's agency reported 62 children killed and 30 injured and also children being recruited as soldiers.[210]

Russia called for "humanitarian pauses" in the coalition bombing campaign, bringing the idea before the United Nations Security Council in a 4 April emergency meeting.[211] However, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United Nations questioned whether humanitarian pauses would be the best way of delivering humanitarian assistance.[212]

On 14 April, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution placing sanctions on Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and Ahmed Ali Saleh, establishing an arms embargo on the Houthis, and calling on the Houthis to quit Sana'a and other areas they seized.[213] The Houthis condemned the UN resolution and called for mass protests.[214]

Jamal Benomar, the UN envoy to Yemen who brokered the deal that ended Ali Abdullah Saleh's presidency during the 2011–12 revolution, resigned on 15 April.[215] Mauritanian diplomat Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, formerly the head of the UN's Ebola response mission, was confirmed as the new UN Envoy to Yemen on 25 April.[216]

Other calls for ceasefire[edit]

On 4 April, the International Committee of the Red Cross called for a 24-hour ceasefire to deliver aid and supplies after the Saudi-led coalition blocked three aid shipments to Yemen.[142][217]

On 5 April, Reuters quoted a Houthi leader as saying the group would be willing to sit down for peace talks if the airstrikes stopped and a neutral party acted as mediator.[218]

On 7 April, China added its support of a ceasefire in Yemen, following an appeal by the ICRC and Russia for a humanitarian pause.[219]

Despite Saudi Arabia asking for Pakistan's support to join the coalition,[220] the Pakistan government has also called for a ceasefire in order to help negotiate a diplomatic solution.[221] Alongside with Turkey, Pakistan has taken initiatives to arrange a ceasefire in Yemen.[222] Analysis written in U.S. News, Pakistan's strategic calculations firmly believes that if the Saudis enter into a ground war in Yemen– with or without Pakistani military– it will become a stalemate; therefore, Pakistan is increasing its efforts to potentially help engineer a face-saving solution to achieve a ceasefire and end the war.[220]

On 12 April, Saudi Arabia rejected Iran's request about a ceasefire in Yemen. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, at a news conference with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius, that "Saudi Arabia is a responsible for establishing legitimate government in Yemen and Iran should not interfere."[223]

Australia called for the ceasefire in Yemen, because of the civilian casualties numbers.[224]

On 16 April, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested an immediate ceasefire in Yemen. Also he said all parties must stop war as soon as possible.[225]

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif submitted four-point Yemen peace plan to United Nations. In this letter he pointed to enormous civilian casualties and destroying civilian infrastructure. He said the only way for stopping the war is making condition that allows to Yemeni parties to form a national unity government without any foreign military intervention.[226]

In June 2015, a solution to ending the Saudi intervention in Yemen sought the participation of a Yemeni delegation to the Geneva peace talks; the delegation cam under attack in the Geneva peace talks.[227]

Other developments[edit]

Armed Houthis ransacked Al Jazeera's news bureau in Sana'a on 27 March, amid Qatar's participation in the military intervention against the group. The Qatari news channel condemned the attack on its bureau.[228]

On 28 March, Ali Abdullah Saleh stated neither he nor anyone in his family would run for president, despite recent campaigning by his supporters for his son Ahmed to seek the presidency. He also called on Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to step down as president and said new elections should be held.[229]

Rumours about Saleh's whereabouts have swirled during the conflict. Foreign Minister Riyad Yassin, a Hadi loyalist, claimed on 4 April that Saleh left Yemen aboard a Russian aircraft evacuating foreign nationals from Sana'a International Airport.[230] Later in the month, Saleh reportedly asked the Saudi-led coalition for a "safe exit" for himself and his family, but the request was turned down.[231]

King Salman reshuffled the Saudi cabinet on 28 April, removing Prince Muqrin as his designated successor. The Saudi royal palace said Muqrin had asked to step down, without giving a reason, but media speculation was that Muqrin did not demonstrate sufficient support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.[232]

A spokesman for Yemen's exiled government told Reuters on 29 April that the country would officially seek membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council.[233]

Media reports have noted that the civil war has reached nearly all of Yemen, with one notable exception being the remote Indian Ocean archipelago of Socotra.[234][235]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Iranian support seen crucial for Yemen's Houthis". Reuters. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2015. 
  2. ^ a b Millis, Joe (7 May 2015). "US drone strike in Yemen 'kills al Qaeda man behind Paris Charlie Hebdo and Jewish shop attacks'". International Business Times. Retrieved 7 May 2015. 
  3. ^ a b Whitlock, Craig (17 March 2015). "Pentagon loses track of $500 million in weapons, equipment given to Yemen". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  4. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia Begins Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  5. ^ Felicia Schwartz, Hakim Almasmari and Asa Fitch (26 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations in Yemen". WSJ. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Pakistan ready for ground offensive in Yemen: report". the globe and mail. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. [dead link]
  7. ^ "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  8. ^ "Senegal to send 2,100 troops to join Saudi-led alliance". Reuters. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015. 
  9. ^ "Yemen conflict: Saudi-led strike 'hits wrong troops'". Retrieved 18 October 2015. Hundreds of Sudanese troops reportedly arrived in the southern port city of Aden on Saturday, the first batch of an expected 10,000 reinforcements for the Saudi-led coalition. 
  10. ^ "Arab News:Malaysian troops join Arab coalition". 
  11. ^ "ISIS gaining ground in Yemen, competing with al Qaeda". CNN. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015. 
  12. ^ "Yemeni implosion pushes southern Sunnis into arms of al-Qaida and Isis". The Guardian. 22 March 2015. 
  13. ^ "ISIS claim responsibility for devastating suicide bomb attack in Yemen". Daily Mail. 20 March 2015. 
  14. ^ "Desknote: The Growing Threat of ISIS in Yemen". American Enterprise Institute. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015. 
  15. ^ "جيش اليمن بمساندة اللجان الثورية يتقدم في مأرب". alalam.ir. 
  16. ^ "Yemen crisis: Al-Qaeda seizes southern airport". BBC News. 
  17. ^ "This Man Is The Leader In ISIS’s Recruiting War Against Al-Qaeda In Yemen". Buzzfeed. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015. 
  18. ^ "Country profile: Yemen" (PDF). The Library of Congress – Federal Research Division. August 2008. p. 24. Retrieved 25 September 2015. 
  19. ^ "Yemen’s Hadi tries to get back into the game – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 
  20. ^ "Yemen Military Strength". globalfirepower.com. 
  21. ^ "Yemen in Crisis". Council on Foreign Relations. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015. 
  22. ^ Regime and Periphery in Northern Yemen: The Huthi Phenomenon – Barak A. Salmoni, Bryce Loidolt, Madeleine Wells – Google Boeken. Books.google.nl. Retrieved 17 October 2014. 
  23. ^ "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h "Saudi warplanes bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". Al Arabiya. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  25. ^ "Qatar sends 1,000 ground troops to Yemen conflict: al Jazeera". Reuters. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015. 
  26. ^ "Yemen Sunni grand alliance: Sudan commits troops as Saudi jets pound Sana'a". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  27. ^ "Sudan denies plane shot down by Yemen's Houthis". World Bulletin. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. 
  28. ^ "Four Egyptian warships en route to Gulf of Aden". Ahram Online. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  29. ^ "Egypt navy and air force taking part in military intervention in Yemen: Presidency". Ahram Online. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  30. ^ "The Failure of Counterinsurgency: Why Hearts and Minds Are Seldom Won". 2013. Retrieved 2015. 
  31. ^ "Al-Qaeda map: Isis, Boko Haram and other affiliates' strongholds across Africa and Asia". 12 June 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014. 
  32. ^ "In Yemen chaos, Islamic State grows to rival al Qaeda". Reuters. Retrieved 18 November 2015. 
  33. ^ Humanitarian Bulletin Yemen Issue 5 | Issued on 13 November
  34. ^ "UN: Near 2,700 killed in Saudi aggression against Yemen in 7 months". 29 October 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015. 
  35. ^ "Saudi general killed near Yemen border". AFP. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 
  36. ^ Orkaby, Asher (25 March 2015). "Houthi Who?". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  37. ^ "Rebels Seize Key Parts of Yemen’s Third-Largest City, Taiz". The New York Times. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  38. ^ Salisbury, Peter (7 April 2015). "Yemen anger grows as absent president cheers attack". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 April 2015. 
  39. ^ Abdul-Aziz Oudah. "Yemen observer". Retrieved 18 November 2015. 
  40. ^ "Yemen’s president flees Aden as rebels close in". The Toronto Star. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  41. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia: Yemen's President Hadi Arrives In Saudi Capital Riyadh". The Huffington Post. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  42. ^ "Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, Yemen leader, flees country". CBS.CA. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  43. ^ "Spokesman for the People’s Relief Union in Aden: "400 Martyrs and 4000 wounded"". Yemen Times. 
  44. ^ "Yemeni forces kill rebel cleric". BBC News. 10 September 2004. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  45. ^ "Yemen tells Shi'ite rebels to disband or face war". San Diego Union-Tribune. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  46. ^ "Yemen’s government, Shiite rebels negotiate end to 3-year conflict". The Seattle Times. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  47. ^ "Saudi-Houthi border fighting ends". Al Jazeera. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  48. ^ Taylor, Adam (22 January 2015). "Who are the Houthis, the group that just toppled Yemen’s government?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  49. ^ "Yemen's president compares protests to 'influenza'". CNN. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  50. ^ Jubran, Jamal (5 December 2011). "Post-Saleh Yemen: A Brewing Battle Between Houthis and Salafis". Al-Akhbar. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  51. ^ Hatem, Mohammed (14 February 2012). "Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Vow to Boycott Presidential Elections". Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  52. ^ Al-Hassani, Mohammed (23 January 2014). "HOUTHIS THROW A WRENCH IN NDC FINAL DOCUMENT". Yemen Times. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  53. ^ a b "CABINET AND HADI RESIGN". Yemen Times. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  54. ^ Al-Moshki, Ali Ibrahim (4 September 2014). "THE HOUTHIS: FROM A LOCAL GROUP TO A NATIONAL POWER". Yemen Times. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  55. ^ Al-Batati, Saeed (September 2014). "Yemenis are shocked by Houthis' quick capture of Sana'a". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  56. ^ "Houthis sign deal with Sanaa to end Yemen crisis". Al Arabiya. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  57. ^ Ghobari, Mohammed (21 September 2014). "Houthi rebels sign deal with Yemen parties to form new government". Reuters. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  58. ^ "Held hostage". The Economist. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  59. ^ Mona El-naggar (25 January 2015). "Shifting Alliances Play Out Behind Closed Doors in Yemen". New York Times. Retrieved 15 February 2015. 
  60. ^ "Yemen's Houthis dissolve parliament, assume power: televised statement". Reuters. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015. 
  61. ^ "Yemen's Hadi flees house arrest, plans to withdraw resignation". CNN. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015. 
  62. ^ "Yemen's Hadi says Houthis decisions unconstitutional". Al Jazeera. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015. 
  63. ^ "Yemen's ousted president Hadi calls for Houthis to quit capital". The Star. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015. 
  64. ^ "Ex-Yemen leader asks President Hadi to go into exile". Al Jazeera. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  65. ^ "Yemen crisis: Kerry warns Iran over Houthi rebel 'support'". BBC News. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  66. ^ a b "Eritrea denies channeling Iranian support to Houthis". The Journal of Turkish Weekly. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  67. ^ "Houthi rise in Yemen raises alarm in Horn of Africa". World Bulletin. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  68. ^ "Cable: 09SANAA1662_a". wikileaks.org. 
  69. ^ Wong, Kristina (6 August 2013). "Al Qaeda on rise despite U.S. support to Yemen". The Washington Times. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  70. ^ "Exclusive: Saudi suspends aid to Yemen after Houthi takeover – sources". Reuters. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  71. ^ "Yemen anti-Hadi officer 'escapes assassination'". Arab Today. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015. 
  72. ^ Hendawi, Hamza (19 March 2015). "Warplanes Bomb Presidential Palace In Yemen's Aden". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 31 March 2015. 
  73. ^ Al-Karimi, Khalid (23 March 2015). "SOUTHERNERS PREPARE FOR HOUTHI INVASION". Yemen Times. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  74. ^ "Beleaguered Hadi says Aden Yemen 'capital'". Business Insider. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  75. ^ Tejas, Aditya (25 March 2015). "Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi Flees Aden As Houthis Advance". 
  76. ^ "Yemen mosque bombings 'could only be done by the enemies of life' – president". the Guardian. 
  77. ^ "Yemeni president demands Houthis quit Sanaa; U.S. evacuates remaining forces". Reuters. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  78. ^ "Yemen's President Hadi declares new 'temporary capital'". Deutsche Welle. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015. 
  79. ^ Al-Homaid, Fareed (23 March 2015). "HOUTHIS APPOINT NEW DEFENSE MINISTER". The Yemen Times. Retrieved 31 March 2015. 
  80. ^ "Rebel Fighters Advance Into Yemen’s Third-Largest City". Bloomberg. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015. 
  81. ^ "Yémen: les milices houthis prennent le contrôle de l’aéroport de Taëz" (in French). RFI. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  82. ^ a b "Yémen : les rebelles chiites prennent Taëz" (in French). RTL. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  83. ^ "Houthis Seize Strategic City In Yemen, Escalating Power Struggle". The Huffington Post. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  84. ^ "Q&A: Yemen’s slide into civil war". Financial Times. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015. 
  85. ^ "UN envoy: Yemen on brink of civil war". Al Jazeera. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015. 
  86. ^ Shaheen, Kareem (25 March 2015). "Yemen edges towards all-out civil war as rebels advance on city of Aden". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2015. 
  87. ^ "Yemen’s Houthi rebels move on strategic Gulf waterway". The National. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  88. ^ "Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters enter port of Mocha, two towns in south". Iran Daily. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  89. ^ "Key waterway under threat as Houthi militiamen advance". Saudi Gazette. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. [dead link]
  90. ^ "Saudi Coalition Hits Houthi Stronghold as Aden Battle Rages". Bloomberg. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
  91. ^ a b Richardson, Paul (2 April 2015). "Yemeni Rebels Strengthen Positions at Entrance to Red Sea". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2 April 2015. 
  92. ^ a b "Les forces hostiles au président resserrent l'étau sur Aden" (in French). Romandie. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015. 
  93. ^ "Hadi forces check Houthi push towards Yemen's Aden". Reuters. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  94. ^ "Heavy clashes on Saudi-Yemeni border; Hadi government pleads for troops". Reuters. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015. 
  95. ^ "Pro-Houthi brigade disintegrates in Yemen's Ad Dali". World Bulletin. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
  96. ^ "Yemen's pro-government forces retake city from Shite rebels". The Record. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015. 
  97. ^ "Yémen : les forces hostiles au président s'emparent d'une base proche d'Aden (militaire)" (in French). L'Orient Le Jour. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  98. ^ "Yemen Air Base Formerly Used by U.S. Forces Is Seized by Houthi Rebels". NYtimes. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  99. ^ "AL-SUBAIHI CAPTURED AND LAHJ FALLS AS HOUTHIS MOVE ON ADEN". Yemen Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  100. ^ a b "Yemen's President Hadi Flees Houthi Rebel Advance on Aden: AP". nbcnews. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  101. ^ "Des tirs signalés à Aden, les Houthis à 20 km" (in French). L'Orient Le Jour. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  102. ^ "Yemen president's forces shell Houthi-held al-Anad base near Aden, some Houthis flee". The Jerusalem Post. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. 
  103. ^ Al-Haj, Ahmed (26 March 2015). "Saudi airstrikes target rebel bases in Yemen". Miami Herald. Retrieved 26 March 2015. [dead link]
  104. ^ Mukhashaf, Mohammed (27 March 2015). "Saudi-led campaign strikes Yemen's Sanaa, Morocco joins alliance". Reuters. Retrieved 27 March 2015. 
  105. ^ "WRAPUP 6-Yemen Houthi rebels advance despite Saudi-led air strikes". Reuters UK. 
  106. ^ "Yemen's Houthis close in on Aden". The Daily Star. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  107. ^ "Yémen : fermeture de l'aéroport d'Aden pour des raisons de sécurité (source aéropotuaire)" (in French). L'Orient Le Jour. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  108. ^ "L'aéroport d'Aden aux mains des milices chiites" (in French). Le Figaro. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  109. ^ Aboudi, Sami (25 March 2015). "Allies of Yemen Houthis seize Aden airport, close in on president". Reuters. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  110. ^ Browning, Noah (27 March 2015). "Yemen Houthi forces gain first foothold on Arabian Sea – residents". Reuters. Retrieved 27 March 2015. 
  111. ^ "Saudi Arabia evacuates diplomats as attacks intensify in Yemen". The Washington Post. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. 
  112. ^ "Clashes continue in Yemen's Aden as Saudis vow to push on with airstrikes". middleeasteye. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015. 
  113. ^ "Yemen crisis: Rebels storm presidential palace in Aden". 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015. 
  114. ^ "Fierce fighting as rebels move on holdouts in Yemen's Aden". Houston Chronicle. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015. [dead link]
  115. ^ "Saudi Arabia-led troops in 'limited' first Yemen deployment". Hindustan Times. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015. 
  116. ^ McDowall, Angus (4 May 2015). "Yemen's foreign minister: Aden troops were Gulf-trained locals". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2015. 
  117. ^ "Saudi-backed Yemeni troops and fighters control Aden". Rudaw. Retrieved 25 September 2015. 
  118. ^ "Yemen war: Does capture of air base mark a turning point?". BBC. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015. 
  119. ^ "Saudi Arabia confirms arrival of Sudanese troops to Yemen". Sudan Tribune. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015. 
  120. ^ "Sudan to send 10,000 troops to join Arab forces in Yemen: report". Sudan Tribune. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015. 
  121. ^ Al-Moshki, Ali Ibrahim (8 April 2015). "FIGHTING IN ABYAN GOVERNORATE CONTINUES AS ANTI-HOUTHI FORCES ADVANCE". Yemen Times. Retrieved 8 April 2015. 
  122. ^ "Affiliate of Al Qaeda Seizes Major Yemeni City, Driving Out the Military". The New York Times. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015. 
  123. ^ Bacchi, Umberto (2 April 2015). "Yemen: Al-Qaeda frees 300 in al-Mukalla prison attack". International Business Times. Retrieved 4 April 2015. 
  124. ^ "Warplanes hit Yemen's Sanaa overnight, clashes in Mukalla: residents". Reuters. 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015. 
  125. ^ "Suspected al Qaeda militants take Yemen border post with Saudi". Reuters. 
  126. ^ a b "Yemen's Houthis Seize Provincial Capital Despite Saudi-Led Airstrikes". The Huffington Post. 
  127. ^ MOHAMED MUKASHAF. "Egypt and Saudi Arabia discuss manoeuvres as Yemen battles rage". Star Publications. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  128. ^ "Houthi Offensive Continues in Yemen". Durdurnews. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015. [dead link]
  129. ^ "38 Killed as Yemen’s Houthis Clash with Tribesmen in Oil Rich South". anti war. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015. 
  130. ^ "15 Houthis, 5 tribesmen killed in clashes in Yemen – Middle East – Worldbulletin News". World Bulletin. 
  131. ^ "Attack on Ethiopian embassy in Yemen not deliberate". Sudan Tribune. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015. 
  132. ^ "Saudi-led airstrikes hit Yemen's south amid ground fighting". Boston Herald. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015. 
  133. ^ "Flash – At least 27 dead in fighting in Yemen's Taez – France 24". France 24. [dead link]
  134. ^ "30 killed in fighting between Hadi's forces, Houthis in Yemen's Taiz". chinagate.cn. 
  135. ^ "At least 76 dead in Yemen air raids, fighting". The Express Tribune. 
  136. ^ "Yemen militia says it is besieging rebels at strategic base". miningjournal.net. [dead link]
  137. ^ "Yemen rebel leader vows resistance against Saudi-led air war". Mail Online. 
  138. ^ "170 reported dead in two weeks of fighting in Marib". Yemen Times. 
  139. ^ "Yemen crisis: UAE launches fresh Yemen attacks". BBC.com. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015. 
  140. ^ "Yemen officials say rebels have pushed pro-government troops out of southern Bayda province". U.S. News & World Report. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2015. 
  141. ^ Almasmari, Hakim (24 March 2015). "Yemen’s Houthi Militants Extend Push Southward". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  142. ^ a b c "Arab League to discuss Yemen intervention plea on Thursday". Reuters. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  143. ^ "Saudi and Arab allies bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". Al Jazeera. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  144. ^ (Vietnamese) Phiến quân Shiite tấn công, tổng thống Yemen bỏ chạy. 2015-03-25. Retrieved 26 Mar 2015
  145. ^ "Saudi warplanes bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". Al Arabiya. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  146. ^ Shaheen, Kareem; Kamali Dehghan, Saeed (26 March 2015). "Gulf states consider Yemen ground offensive to halt Houthi rebel advance". The Guardian. 
  147. ^ "Saudis launch air campaign to defend Yemen government". Al Jazeera. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
  148. ^ "Iran's Zarif urges immediate end to Saudi attacks on Yemen". 16 March 2015. 
  149. ^ Mukhashaf, Mohammed (10 April 2015). "Pakistan declines Saudi call for armed support in Yemen fight". Reuters. Retrieved 10 April 2015. 
  150. ^ "Crisis in Arabian Peninsula: Pakistan unlikely to budge on Yemen". 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015. 
  151. ^ Browning, Noah (22 April 2015). "Saudis end air campaign in Yemen, seek political solution". Reuters. Retrieved 21 April 2015. 
  152. ^ "Saudi-led coalition launches air strikes throughout Yemen: residents". Reuters. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015. 
  153. ^ "Arab summit agrees on unified military force for crises". Reuters. 29 March 2015. 
  154. ^ "U.S. government’s refusal to discuss drone attacks comes under fire". The Washington Post. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015. 
  155. ^ Shane, Scott (14 April 2015). "U.S. Drone Kills a Top Figure in Al Qaeda's Yemen Branch". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 May 2015. 
  156. ^ "Al-Qaida in Yemen says US drone killed man who claimed Charlie Hebdo attack". The Guardian. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015. 
  157. ^ "ISIS Global Intelligence Summary March 1 - May 7" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015. 
  158. ^ "Yemen crisis: Islamic State claims Sanaa mosque attacks". BBC. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015. 
  159. ^ "Seven killed in Islamic State suicide bombing in Yemeni capital". Reuters. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015. 
  160. ^ a b c "Islamic State claims suicide attacks on Yemeni government, Gulf troops". Reuters. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015. 
  161. ^ "Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Accept Five-Day Truce Proposal". The Wall Street Journal. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015. 
  162. ^ a b "Yemen conflict: Aid effort begins as truce takes hold". BBC News. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015. 
  163. ^ Al-Haj, Ahmed (16 May 2015). "Fighting Rages in Yemen on 4th Day of Humanitarian Truce". ABC News. Retrieved 16 May 2015. 
  164. ^ "South Yemen clashes kill dozens as ceasefire nears end". France 24. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015. [dead link]
  165. ^ "Oman breaks from GCC on Yemen conflict". Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East. Retrieved 25 September 2015. 
  166. ^ Al-Araal-Jadeed staff. "Oman offers seven-point peace plan for Yemen". alaraby. Retrieved 25 September 2015. 
  167. ^ Tim Lister (8 April 2015). "The war in Yemen is getting worse – and a civilian catastrophe is looming". CNN.Com. Retrieved 8 April 2015. 
  168. ^ Maria abi-habib (6 April 2015). "Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Embattled Yemen City". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 8 April 2015. 
  169. ^ "Medical aid boat docks in Yemen's Aden". Business Insider. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015. 
  170. ^ Melvin, Don. "UNICEF: Shipment of medical supplies, other aid reaches Yemen's capital". CNN. 
  171. ^ "Fighting, airstrikes hit across Yemen as Saudi Arabia pledges aid". Fox News. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015. 
  172. ^ chronicle.fanack.com. "Yemeni People Suffer as the World Turns its Back". fanack.com. Retrieved 27 July 2015. 
  173. ^ "Cyclone Chapala a Rare, Destructive Landfall in Yemen". The Weather Channel. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015. 
  174. ^ Kasinof, Laura. "How Yemen’s Civil Conflict Turned Into a Regional Proxy War". The Nation. 
  175. ^ "Human Rights Watch: Saudi-Led Coalition Bombing Yemen with Banned U.S.-Made Cluster Munitions". 
  176. ^ "Saudi Coalition/US: Curb Civilian Harm in Yemen". Human Rights Watch. 2015-04-13. Archived from the original on 2015-05-07. Retrieved 2015-05-07. 
  177. ^ "Yemen: Factory Airstrike Killed 31 Civilians – Saudi-Led, US-Backed Attack Raises Laws-of-War Concerns". Human Rights Watch. 2015-04-16. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-05-11. 
  178. ^ "Yemen: Warehouse Strike Threatens Aid Delivery – Inquiry Still Needed If Saudi-Led Bombing Campaign Ends". Human Rights Watch. 2015-04-23. Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2015-05-09. 
  179. ^ "Yemen: Coalition Blocking Desperately Needed Fuel – Tankers Wait Offshore as Civilians Go Without Water, Electricity". Human Rights Watch. 2015-05-11. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-05-11. 
  180. ^ a b "Yemen: Relentless airstrikes that have left hundreds of civilians dead must be investigated". Amnesty International. 2015-04-24. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-05-12. 
  181. ^ "Yemen: Mounting evidence of high civilian toll of Saudi-led airstrikes". Amnesty International. 2015-05-08. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-05-12. 
  182. ^ "Yemen: Pro-Houthi Forces Attack, Detain Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 2015-05-07. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-05-11. 
  183. ^ Miles, Tom (2015-05-09). "Saudi-led strikes in Yemen break international law: U.N. coordinator". Reuters U.S. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2015-05-10. 
  184. ^ "Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Johannes Van Der Klaauw (9 May 2015) [EN/AR]" (PDF). reliefweb.int (original: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen). 2015-05-09. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2015-05-10. 
  185. ^ Erin Cunningham (11 May 2015). "Intense clashes in Yemen endanger prospects of humanitarian cease-fire". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 June 2015. 
  186. ^ "Aid Agencies Call For an Immediate and Permanent Cease Fire as an Additional 70,000 People Flee Coalition Airstrikes in Northern Yemen". Save the Children. 2015-05-10. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-05-12. 
  187. ^ Richardson, Paul (30 March 2015). "Djibouti Backs Military Intervention in Yemen, La Nation Reports". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  188. ^ Elbagir, Nima (9 April 2015). "'A window into hell:' Desperate Yemenis flee Saudi airstrikes by boat". CNN. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  189. ^ Guled, Abdi (31 March 2015). "Fleeing violence at home, dozens of Yemeni refugees arrive in Somalia". U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  190. ^ Speri, Alice (2 April 2015). "Yemen’s Conflict is Getting So Bad that Some Yemenis Are Fleeing to Somalia". VICE News. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  191. ^ "Oman receives 2,695 Yemen refugees in two weeks". Zawya. Reuters. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015. 
  192. ^ "Diplomats and U.N. staff flee Yemen as Houthis target Aden". Reuters. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. 
  193. ^ "Pakistan evacuates hundreds during pause in Yemen strikes – Saudi official". Reuters. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  194. ^ "Saudi Diplomats, U.N. Officials Evacuate Yemen". Newsweek. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  195. ^ "India begins evacuating citizens". The Hindu. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  196. ^ "Air evacuation from Yemen begins". 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  197. ^ Kumar, Hari (2015-04-10). "India Concludes Evacuation of Its Citizens From Yemen". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2015-04-11. 
  198. ^ "India evacuates 4,640 nationals, 960 others from Yemen". www.oneindia.com. 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2015-04-11. 
    "1000 nationals from 41 countries: India's Yemen evacuation finally ends and the world is floored". Firstpost. 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2015-04-11. 
    "India appreciates Pakistan’s gesture of evacuating its nationals from Yemen". The Times of India. 2015-04-08. Retrieved 2015-04-08. 
    "Yemen crisis: Number of Indian evacuees reach 4000 mark". Zee News. 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2015-04-07. 
    "4,000 Indians rescued so far, Yemen air evacuation op to end on Wed". http://www.hindustantimes.com/. 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2015-04-07. 
    "India evacuates 232 foreigners including Americans, Europeans from Yemen". The Times of India. 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2015-04-07. 
  199. ^ MacLaen, Aaron (7 April 2015). "U.S. Gov’t to Americans Trapped in Yemen: Call India". Washington Free Beacon. Retrieved 10 April 2015. 
  200. ^ Browning, Noah (29 March 2015). "Chinese warship docks in Aden to evacuate nationals – port official". Reuters. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  201. ^ Mukhashaf, Mohammed (2 April 2015). "'Armed guards who had disembarked from a Chinese ship' land in Yemen". Business Insider. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  202. ^ "China-led evacuation from war-torn Yemen said to include Canadians". CBC News. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
    Rosen, James (6 April 2015). "U.S. agrees to refuel Saudi planes, but isn't evacuating Americans from Yemen". McClathyDC. Retrieved 10 April 2015. Beijing said Thursday that a Chinese naval frigate had evacuated 225 people from 10 countries from Aden. 
  203. ^ "More Filipinos evacuated from Yemen". Arab News. 12 Apr 2015. 
  204. ^ Jastin Ahmad Tarmizi (13 April 2015). "Malaysians from strife-torn Yemen". The Star. Retrieved 14 April 2015. 
  205. ^ Melissa Goh (15 April 2015). "Government working to evacuate Malaysians still in Yemen". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  206. ^ "Ethiopia to evacuate citizens from Yemen". World Bulletin. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  207. ^ "Ethiopia mulls withdrawing citizens from Yemen". StarAfrica. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015. 
  208. ^ "Ethiopia pulling citizens out of Yemen". Ethiopian News Agency. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015. 
  209. ^ "Russia Evacuates 160 People from Yemen". MENAFN. 
  210. ^ AFP. "UN to consider pause in Yemen bombing as death toll rises". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 April 2015. 
  211. ^ Lederer, Edith (4 April 2015). "Russia Urges UN to Call for 'Humanitarian Pause' in Yemen". ABC News. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  212. ^ "Russia calls for pause in Yemen air strikes to evacuate foreigners". Reuters UK. 
  213. ^ Melvin, Don (15 April 2015). "Three weeks of Saudi strikes in Yemen, no peace in sight". CNN. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  214. ^ "Houthis condemn UN resolution on Yemen". Al Jazeera. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  215. ^ "U.N. envoy to Yemen resigns". Reuters. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015. 
  216. ^ "U.N. chief appoints Mauritanian diplomat as new Yemen envoy". Reuters. 25 April 2015. 
  217. ^ "Yemen: Immediate 24-hour humanitarian pause needed to bring in medical help". International Committee of the Red Cross. 
  218. ^ Bayoumy, Yara (5 April 2015). "Yemen's Houthis ready for talks if air strikes stop: senior member". Reuters. Retrieved 9 April 2015. 
  219. ^ "China adds voice to call for Yemen ceasefire". Reuters India. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015. 
  220. ^ a b Riedel, Bruce (15 April 2015). "Why Pakistan Said No to King Salman". USA News. USA News. Retrieved 15 April 2015. 
  221. ^ Shahzad, Asif (13 April 2015). "Pakistani premier urges Iran to help bring Yemen's Shiite rebels to negotiations". USA Today, Asif. USA Today. Retrieved 14 April 2015. 
  222. ^ Hussain, Tom (13 April 2015). "How long can Pakistan stay out of Yemen fight in face of Saudi pressure?". McClatchy Foreign Staff. McClatchy. Retrieved 14 April 2015. 
  223. ^ Mukhashaf and McDowall, Mohammed and Angus (12 April 2015). "Saudi Arabia Dismisses Iran Calls For Yemen Ceasefire". huffingtonpost. Retrieved 13 April 2015. 
  224. ^ Hurst Daniel (12 April 2015). "Australia calls for Yemen ceasefire on eve of Julie Bishop's visit to Iran". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 April 2015. 
  225. ^ "In Washington, UN chief calls for immediate ceasefire by all parties in Yemen". Un News Center. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015. 
  226. ^ Charbonneau Louis (17 April 2015). "Iran submits four-point Yemen peace plan to United Nations". reuters. Retrieved 20 April 2015. 
  227. ^ "Houthi Delegation Came under Attack in Geneva Peace Talks + Pics". ABNA. 19 June 2015. 
  228. ^ Yeranian, Edward (27 March 2015). "Egyptian, Saudi Vessels Approach Yemen Coast". Voice of America. Retrieved 27 March 2015. 
  229. ^ "Ex-Yemeni Leader Urges Truce and Successor’s Ouster". The New York Times. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. 
  230. ^ "Yemeni troops retake provinces as al-Qaeda captures port city of Mukalla". Middle East Eye. 4 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015. 
  231. ^ "Former Yemeni leader asks Gulf states for safe exit". Al Jazeera. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015. 
  232. ^ Hussain, Tom (28 April 2015). "Saudi king, facing challenges in Yemen, fires his heir, foreign minister". The News Tribune. Retrieved 30 April 2015. [dead link]
  233. ^ "Yemen government to request membership in GCC: official Yemeni spokesman". Reuters. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015. 
  234. ^ Hiel, Betsy (11 April 2015). "Socotra islanders prize peace in sea away from Yemen's civil war". TribLive. Retrieved 11 April 2015. 
  235. ^ Al Batati, Saeed (10 April 2015). "When Al Qaeda Stormed My City: Reporter’s Notebook". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 April 2015. 

External links[edit]