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Wednesday 17 January 2024

U.S. to relist Yemen’s Houthis as specially designated global terrorists, AP sources say

Continued from Front In its waning days, the Trump was already happening in
administration designated Yemen.
The administration is expected the Houthis a Foreign Ter- Shortly after the Biden admin-
to make the announcement rorist Organization over the istration took office, Blinken
on Wednesday, the U.S. of- strong objections of human removed the designations
ficial said. rights and humanitarian aid in a step that was roundly
Secretary of State Antony groups. The foreign terrorist criticized by conservative
Blinken delisted the Houthis designation barred Americans lawmakers and others but
as both foreign terrorist or- and people and organiza- was intended to keep much-
ganizations and as specially tions subject to U.S. jurisdic- needed food, medicine and
designated global terrorists tion from providing “material other aid flowing to Yemen.
in February 2021 as the ad- support” to the Houthis, which The specially designated
ministration sought to make the groups said would result in global terrorists label to be
it easier to get humanitarian an even greater humanitar- reimposed on the Houthis
aid into Yemen. ian catastrophe than what does not include sanctions
Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor speaks during the
Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,
Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.
Associated Press
for providing “material sup- Nations, said last week that
port” and it does not come 2,000 ships since November
with travel bans that are have been forced to divert
also imposed with the FTO thousands of miles to avoid
label. Thus, it may not pose the Red Sea. Houthi militants
a substantial impediment have threatened or taken
to providing aid to Yemeni hostage mariners from more
civilians. Meanwhile, a sen- than 20 countries.
ior White House official said Aid organizations worry that
Tuesday that addressing the sweeping economic pen-
ongoing threat by Yemen’s alties could have relatively
Houthi rebels on commercial little impact on the Houthi
vessels in the Red Sea is an organization, a defiant and
“all hands on deck” problem isolated group that has little
that the U.S. and allies must to no assets to be affected
address together to minimize by U.S. sanctions. Stronger
impact on the global econ- measures could threaten
omy. “How long this goes on devastating consequences
and how bad it gets comes for ordinary Yemenis, who al-
down not just to the deci- ready are among the poorest
sions of the countries in the and hungriest people in the
coalition that took strikes last world, aid officials say.
week,” White House national War and chronic misgovern-
security adviser Jake Sullivan ment have left 24 million Yem-
said during an appearance enis at risk of hunger and dis-
at the World Economic Forum ease as of 2023, and roughly
in Davos, Switzerland. 14 million in acute need of
The Iran-backed Houthi group assistance, the United Nations
has launched dozens of at- says. About two-thirds of Yem-
tacks since November on enis live in territory controlled
vessels in the Red Sea, a vital by the Houthis.
corridor for the world’s ship- Yemen imports 90% of its food.
ping traffic, in what they say While supporters of broad
is an effort to support Pales- sanctions argue it’s possible
tinians in the war with Israel. to shape any enforcement
U.S. and British forces have mechanisms to exempt food
responded by carrying out and humanitarian aid, aid
dozens of air and sea strikes organizations worry that fears
on Houthi targets in Yemen of running afoul of U.S. regula-
since Friday. The attacks by tion could scare away ship-
the Houthis have continued. pers, banks and other players
Linda Thomas Greenfield, the vital to Yemen’s commercial
U.S. ambassador to the United food supply.q