Page 197 - What Kind of Yemen ?

Adnan Oktar
(Harun Yahya)

The appearance and development of the Houthi movement in
Yemen

Yemen, with a very strong and influential tribal system, is one of
those Arabic societies in which tribal tides are strongest. Because of the
weakness of the central government, tribes are in the driver seat in
many regions. Houthis, the target of this operation, are one of those
influential tribes.
Houthis are a branch of about 400 Zaidi Shia tribes that constitute
30% of the whole Yemeni population and have been educated by the
Shia missioners since the 80's. The Houthi movement was started in

1992 by Zaidi Shia university students backed by Iran and was organ-
ized under the name of "Young Muslims." After the US insurgency in
Iraq in 2004, the movement enjoyed wide support in the Yemeni capital
Sana'a with the rising anti U.S and anti Israel incentives.
Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, the leader of the movement who
started an armed uprising in 2004, had been killed on September 10th
2004, along with 20 followers and was replaced by his son Abdul Malik

al-Houthi who received military and religious education in Iran.
During this time, Ali Abdullah Saleh who has been the President
of Yemen since 1990 was in office. Abdullah Saleh was regarded as an
ally by the US. Despite the serious discomfort of the citizens, Saleh
remained in the office with corruption, oppression and politic
intrigues and enjoyed serious support of the US.

The Process Leading to the Operation

In the wake of the uprisings in Yemen, which were the reflections
of the Arab Spring in 2011, Ali Abdullah Saleh resigned from the office
after being given immunity. Vice President Mansour Hadi, supported
by the Obama administration, succeeded him. In this way the pro-US
regime had been protected in Yemen.
Iran backed the Houthi uprising that started in September 2014, it

escalated when the Shia militia seized power in Sana'a. President Man-

195