What’s Next? Houthis Take Control Of Four Northern Provinces, Two Governors Resign
After capturing the capital of Sana’a last September, the Houthis have controlled four provinces of Hajjah, Ibb, Dhamar and Hodeida in north Yemen during this week, with no resistance from the local authorities.
The Houthis have controlled Hodeida and Hajjah provinces, which have strategic seaports at the Red Sea reaching Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
The governor of Hodeida Sakhr Al-Wajeh stated on Wednesday that Houthi militants have been deployed nearby the security checkpoints, at the airport, the seaport and the main entrances to the city in security uniforms.
According to media sources, Al-Wajeh stated that he reached an agreement with the Houthis not to overcome Hodeida city by erupting bloody clashes. Al-Wajeh demanded the Houthis to withdraw from the province especially after signing the peace and national partnership agreement and appointing a premier.
Local sources confirmed the Houthis took control of the airport of Hodeida after it was surrounded for hourson Tuesday, in addition to seizing the Commercial Court after they have killed one of the guards.
Moreover, the Houthis militants broke into the arms depots of the 5th Military Region in Bajil town, east of Hodeida, manning checkpoints located on the eastern entrance to Hodeida city.
A local security source confirmed handing over the security checkpoints based on directives from the capital Sana’a. Also, local residents said that in addition to taking over the security checkpoints, the Houthis militants set up new checkpoints and started checking cars and vehicles passing them.
A high-ranked security source in Hodeida, however, stated that they tried to prevent the Houthi militants from setting up their own checkpoints, but supreme directives obliged them to allow the Houthis to be deployed along with the security personnel at the security checkpoints.
The security source said that the directives addressed them not to confront the Houthis.
Local sources in Hajjah governorate said that the governor of Hajjah, Ali Al-Qaisi, handed over the province to the Houthis after a meeting with the Houthi leader there, identified as Al-Faishi.
On the same development, media outlet sources stated that both the governor of Ibb, Yahya Al-Eryani and the governor of Damar, Yahya Al-Amri, resigned on Wednesday in protest against the widespread of the Houthi militants who set up checkpoints inside the cities of their provinces.
The sources said that the Ibb governor had received threats from Houthi-linked tribal leaders to overthrow him and appoint another governor.
According to the sources, after an altercation between one of the pro-Houthi tribal leaders and the Ibb governor Yahya Al-Eryani, the governor sent the tribal leader to the prison, but was later released by a tribal mediation.
The Houthi militants spread in many of Ibb city streets and set up check points, and overtook the security of the city, after reaching a pact with the local authority to hand over the governorate building.
On the other hand, Dhamar governor Yahya Al-Amri presented his resignation in protest against the Houthis who overran and set up a new checkpoints in his province without any resistance.
The Houthi militants were deployed at six checkpoints inside Dhamar city; one of them close to the provincial building, the second one was set up in the northern entrance of the city while the third checkpoint was close to the University.
Eye witnesses said that the Houthis, furthermore, set up a checkpoint in Rada’a street inside the Dhamar city and three others on a public street.
Some media outlets published that several Houthi militants overran Taiz city, but general Mahmoud Al-Subaihi, the commander of the fourth military region there, denied the news.
“We deny the news that claimed the Houthi militants have controlled Taiz governorate,” said Al-Subaihi.
