Unrest in Yemen and

Regional Intervention
Presented By: Dilawar Rizwan
Subject: IR Since 1945
Background
• In 1988 Yemen was divided in two parts South was People Democratic Republic of
Yemen and North was Arabic Republic of Yemen.
• People Democratic Republic of Yemen was the only communist country in middle
east.
• After the disintegration of USSR both countries unite in 1990.
• Ali Abdullah Saleh became the President of Yemen.
 Arab Spring
• The Yemeni Crisis began when  Arab Spring start in 2011.
• Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared the group's support for
demonstrations calling for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
• Revolution against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had led Yemen for more
than three decades (33 Years).
• After Saleh left office in early 2012 Mansour Hadi became the president of
Yemen.
Civil War
• He struggled to unite the fractious political landscape of the country  and
fend off threats both from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and
from Houthi militants.
• Civil war began in Sep 2014 when Houthi forces took over the Capital
City Sanaa and rapid took over the government.
• Military was too week to fight Al-Qaeda and Houthi group same time.
Cont.
• Hadi forced to negotiate a "unity government" with other political
factions.
• The rebels continued to apply pressure on the weakened government until,
after his presidential palace and private residence came under attack from
the militant group.
• Hadi resigned along with his ministers in January 2015.
• Houthis declared themselves in control of the government
dissolving Parliament and installing an interim Revolutionary
Committee led by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi a cousin of Houthi
leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
• Hadi escaped to Aden where he declared that he remains Yemen's
legitimate president, proclaimed Aden the country's temporary capital, and
called on loyal government officials and members of the military to rally
to him.
• On 19 March 2015 the troops loyal to Hadi clashed with those who
refused to recognize his authority in the Battle of Aden Airport. The forces
under General Abdul-Hafez al-Saqqaf were defeated and al-Saqqaf fled
toward Sanaa.
• After 20 March 2015 Sanaa mosque bombings 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.
• On 21 March 2015 the Houthi-led Supreme Revolutionary Committee
(SRC) declared a general mobilization to overthrow Hadi and expand their
control by driving into southern provinces.
• Hadi reiterated in a speech on 21 March 2015 that he was the legitimate
president of Yemen and declared "We will restore security to the country
and hoist the flag of Yemen in Sanaa instead of the Iranian flag." He also
declared Aden to be Yemen's "economic and temporary capital" due to the
Houthi occupation of Sanaa which he pledged would be retaken.
Battle of Taiz and Battle of Dhale
• On 22 March 2015, Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Saleh
entered Taiz Yemen's third-largest city, and quickly took over its key
points.
• On 24 March 2015, Houthi forces seized administrative buildings in Dhale
(or Dali) amid heavy fighting, bringing them closer to Aden.
Fighting in Lahij
• On 24 March 2015 heavy fighting erupted between Houthis and pro-Hadi
fighters.
• Al Anad Air Base was captured by the Houthis and their allies.
• The base had recently been abandoned by United States of
America USSOCOM troops.
• Defense Minister Mahmoud al-Subaihi one of Hadi's top lieutenants was
captured by the Houthis in Al Houta and transferred to Sanaa.
Cont.
• By 25 March Lahij fell to the Houthis and they reached the boarder of Aden
the seat of power for Hadi's government.
• Hadi fled the country the same day. And arrived in Saudi Arabia's capital
Riyadh.
• Hadi request military help for Yemen International recognized government.
Regional Intervention in Yemen
• In response to rumors that Saudi Arabia could intervene in Yemen, Houthi
commander Ali al-Shami boasted on 24 March 2015 that his forces would
invade the larger kingdom and not stop at Mecca but rather Riyadh.
• The intervention launched by Saudi Arabia on 26 March 2015, leading a
coalition of nine (9) Arab countries with the support of United State
against Houthi by requesting the president of Yemen Mansur Hadi for
military help.
• Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC ) said they decided to intervene against
Houthi in Yemen at the request of Hadi’s government.
• Saudi Arabia requested Pakistan to commit forces as well but Pakistan
parliament officially voted to remain neutral.
• However, Pakistan agreed to provide support in line with a United Nations
Security Council resolution.
• Reuters reported that planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait,
UAE, Qatar and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation.
Operation Decisive Storm
• OPS is the beginning of Saudi Yemen War.
• One side there was a Houthi group backed by Iran and other side was
Mansour Hadi backed by US, Uk and Arab countries.
• Bombing campaign on Houthi rebels and later a naval blockade and the
deployment of ground forces into Yemen.
• Fighter jets and ground forces from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan,
the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Academi (formerly
called Blackwater) took part in the operation.
• Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia made their airspace, territorial waters, and
military bases available to the coalition.
• The United States provided intelligence and logistical support,
including aerial refueling and search and rescue for downed coalition
pilots.
• On August 18 2015 Saudi Arabia bombarded Al-Hudaydah port in Yemen
due to which food supply cut off.
Operation Restoring Hope
• Operation Restoring Hope (22 April 2015) is the second phase of Saudi
Arabia's intervention in Yemen during the Yemeni Civil War.
• Saudi Arabia and their Arab state allies, the kingdom decided to launch
"Operation Restoring Hope" to find a political solution to the civil war,
announcing the end of airstrikes.
• In a televised address Hadi said the end of airstrikes had come at his
request and thanked the Arab coalition for their support.
Iranian Support to the Houthis
• Iranian transfer knowledge and military aid to the Houthis, in violation of
the targeted international arms embargo has increased the Houthis’ ability
to threaten Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.
• According to the United Nations Panel of Experts on Yemen, “An
increasing body of evidence suggests that individuals or entities in the
Islamic Republic of Iran supply significant volumes of weapons and
components to the Houthis.
• In October 2020 Iran appointed Hassan Eyrlo as Ambassador to the so
called “National Salvation Government,.
• The appointment made Iran the first country to diplomatically recognize
the Houthis as a legitimate government since they seized control of the
capital city of Sana’a in 2014.
Humanitarian crisis
• The United Nations has described Yemen’s humanitarian crisis as currently the worst
in the world, with close to 80% of Yemen’s population of nearly 30 million needing
some form of assistance.
• In Yemen, myriad factors (e.g., war, loss of health services, funding shortages,
currency depreciation) have combined to put the most vulnerable populations at risk.
• According to various United Nations agencies, acute malnutrition among children
under the age of five in Yemen has hit the highest levels ever recorded; nearly 2.3
million children under age 5 in Yemen are at risk of acute malnutrition in 2021.
• Over one third of the three million refugees have been uprooted within
Yemen between 2015 and 2020.
• Children are enticed to shoot weapons on behalf of the Houthis in
exchange for monetary gain or social status.
• In April 2021, it was stated that the country is witnessing “the worst
humanitarian crisis in the past 100 years”, as it is facing famine and 80%
of the population of over 30 million need humanitarian aid, according to
the director of Muslim Hands’ Yemen operation.
Thank You