Yemen: Another Front in the Shi'a/Sunni War

Yemen: Another Front in the Shi’a/Sunni War

by Pete Nealen · November 22, 2014

On September 22, the Zaydi Houthi movement in Yemen seized control of the capital, Sana’a. This came after a week of clashes with the Yemeni government that reportedly killed up to 340 people. The Houthis, a Shi’a tribal group, have been fighting with the Sunni-dominated government for representation. The Houthis as a group are generally despised by most of the rest of the Yemeni population.

As Yemeni security forces vanished from the streets of Sana’a on the 22nd, the Houthis seized government buildings, military hardware, and burned the state-owned television-station buildings in an attempt to seize the station. They raided the homes of two of the major Yemeni government advisors, both supporters of the ruling Sunni Islah party. Following the capture of the capital, the Houthis’ campaign continued—capturing the port of Hodeidah and the central city of Dhamar by October 14.

About Pete Nealen

is a former Reconnaissance Marine and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He deployed to Iraq in 2005-2006, and again in 2007, with 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Recon Bn. After two years of schools and workups, including Scout/Sniper Basic and Team Leader's Courses, he deployed to Afghanistan with 4th Platoon, Force Reconnaissance Company, I MEF. He is now the author of the military thrillers Task Force Desperate, Hunting in the Shadows, and Alone and Unafraid. His latest American Praetorians thriller, The Devil You Don't Know, is now available on Amazon.

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Minou_Demimonde
Because this is going to go well. Oi vey, Peter, is there no end to the sectarian violence? It seems to me that Iran is playing a dangerous game, and it could very well backfire on them. I understand why they’re doing it, and I don’t actually see anything else that they could be doing at this point, but historically, this sort of thing hasn’t gone so well. It never ends, does it?
JHR130
A Benign source/overview of Yemen Wars. 1900's http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_yemen.html
JHR130
I remember reporting on a similar number of deaths in Syria. This is just the beginning of the washing same machine cycle we have seen in the past 9 years. Since AQ has this cycle down pat, the time frame for escalation and mass deaths will be expedited. We can let the ME burn, or we can step in now. However, we will never step in on Yemen. What was once a beautiful land, will now turn to dust.
YankeePapa
. ...Good stuff, as always Pete. So many places where it is all going to hell. I could cope with it in the mid 1970s when I was in the middle of a bit of it ... Now, I'm just glad that I live in Boise... where all of our Moslem population consists of good neighbors... tame as dishwater... . -YP-
Frumentarius
Great article, Peter. Solid.